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It reported record inflows of precious metals, agriculture, industrial metals and leverage ETCs onto its platform.

However, gold proved to be the most popular and agriculture added $50m to the platform.

ETFs total assets have grown by £1.7bn or 30 per cent in the last 11 weeks to reach $6.6bn. Five physical precious metals have contributed more than 50 per cent to the inflows to reach a record $2.7bn.

The record day of business for ETF Securities came as investors sought asset classes that are uncorrelated to equities.

With global equity markets plunging to low levels, investors are seeking alternative ways of investing.

Yesterday the FTSE 100 Index fell 2.4 per cent, its lowest level since October 2005 on the back of plummeting banking stocks.

The index also officially entered a bear market last week when the index dropped below the 5,384 point level.

ETF Securities chief operating officer Nik Bienkowski said: "Commodities have been shown to have low correlation to equities.

"They have also outperformed other asset classes when equity markets have been stressed.

"Independent studies show that commodities can benefit a diversified portfolio even in the best of times.

"However there is no doubt ETCs have benefited from the current financial situation affecting global equity markets."