That's where Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities ( TIPS ) exchange traded fund (ETFs) come in handy as a bet against potential rising inflation. Unprecedented government spending, interest rates near zero, and the potential for stagflation - slow growth coupled with high inflation - are just some of the reasons Alexander Green for Investment U recommends TIPS. But TIPs get the added benefit of a higher principal each year by the amount of inflation as measured by the consumer price index ( CPI ).