ASX exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are becoming increasingly popular, particularly among younger investors.

ETFs are baskets of stocks that provide great diversification in a single trade for one brokerage fee.

Let's take a look at four ASX ETFs that hit new 52-week high prices today.

4 ASX ETFs that smashed new 52-week highs on Friday

Global X Physical Gold (ASX: GOLD)

The gold price continued to trade around record highs this week, which helped this gold ETF reach a new 52-week high of $35.96 on Friday.

Analysis from Trading Economics explained that gold was benefiting from its safe haven status amid heightened tensions in the Middle East this week.

The Global X Physical Gold ETF seeks to mirror the performance of the Australian dollar gold price.

Global X says the GOLD ETF is the largest and most liquid gold-backed exchange-traded product on the ASX, with the lowest bid/ask spread in the market.This ASX ETF has delivered total returns of 10.43% per year over 10 years and 16.4% per year over three years.

The management expense ratio (MER) is 0.4%.

iShares MSCI Emerging Markets AUD ETF (ASX: IEM)

This ASX ETF hit a new 52-week high of $68.72 today.

The iShares MSCI Emerging Markets AUD ETF seeks to track the returns of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index before fees.

The index comprises more than 1,200 large-cap and mid-cap shares in developing markets, such as China (29% of the ETF's stocks), India (19.1%), Taiwan (17.28%), South Korea (10.04%), and Brazil (4.78%).

The IEM ETF's biggest holding is Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd (TPE: 2330), with an 8.9% weighting.

This ASX ETF's total returns are 2.06% per year over 10 years and (5.99%) per year over three years.

The MER is 0.7%.

Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets Shares AUD ETF (ASX: VGE)

This ASX ETF ran to a new 52-week peak of $79.36 today.

The Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets Shares AUD ETF aims to mirror the returns of the FTSE Emerging Markets All Cap China A Inclusion Index (with net dividends reinvested) in Australian dollars before fees.

This ETF provides investors with exposure to 5,934 shares from emerging markets such as China (25.7% of stocks), India (24.9%), Taiwan (21%), Brazil (5.2%), and Saudi Arabia (4.3%).

Its biggest holding is also Taiwan Semiconductor shares with an 8.3% weighting.

This ASX ETF has delivered total returns of just over 5% per year on a 10-year basis and a small negative return of less than (0.5%) per year on a three-year basis.

The MER is 0.48%.

ishares Asia 50 ETF (ASX: IAA)

This ASX ETF lifted to a new 52-week high of $110.75 on Friday.

The ishares Asia 50 ETF seeks to track the returns of the S&P Asia 50 Index, which represents 50 of the largest listed companies in Asia.

Its biggest holding is also Taiwan Semiconductor shares with a 22.58% weighting.

This ETF's total returns are 5.51% per year over 10 years and (7.86%) per year over three years.

The MER is 0.5%.