Gold Custody — Overview

Step-by-Step Gold Custody Process

Gold custody is both a set of secure features and a structured process. It combines legal agreements, flexible settlement channels, insured vault storage, independent audits, and continuous reporting — ensuring that every holding is legally protected, fully insured, and transparently verified.

For over a decade, international investors, family offices, and corporate treasuries have relied on custody services to safeguard their assets in global vaults. The strength of custody lies in transparency: every stage — from the agreement to reporting — is documented, audited, and compliant with international standards.

Let us show how custody works in practice and why this process is the foundation of trust in precious metals management.

What Is Gold Custody

Gold custody features include legal ownership rights, insurance coverage, and compliance-ready agreements. More than vault storage, it is a regulated framework where bullion is allocated to the client, secured in audited facilities, and confirmed through barlists, certificates, and external verification.

Unlike private storage, custody offers compliance-ready agreements, proof of ownership, and independent audits — essential for balance sheet reporting, risk management, and institutional governance.

The Custody Process: Four Stages

1. Agreement
The process begins with a Purchase & Custody Agreement signed directly with the client. This contract establishes ownership rights, defines insurance coverage, and sets the compliance framework. The agreement is recognized for auditing and corporate reporting, making it suitable for family offices, funds, and corporate treasuries.

2. Settlement
Funds can be settled via SWIFT, SEPA, or approved crypto channels. Every transfer is processed under AML/KYC standards, ensuring regulatory compliance and transparent movement of capital. Settlement closes only once all compliance checks are confirmed, protecting both the client and the custodian.

3. Custody & Proof
Gold bars are allocated in secure vaults operated by Brinks (Dubai) and Guardforce (Hong Kong). Each bar is listed in a barlist with serial numbers, and insurance certificates are issued. Independent inspectors such as SGS and Alex Stewart verify the holdings, confirming segregation and proper allocation of assets.

4. Reporting
Clients receive 24/7 access through a secure online portal. Periodic custody statements, audit confirmations, and updated barlists provide full transparency. This reporting framework supports internal accounting, external audits, and compliance requirements.

Why This Matters

A structured custody process ensures that gold holdings are not only physically safe but also legally recognized, insured, and verifiable at any time. This transparency builds confidence for CFOs, auditors, and investors, turning gold from a passive store of value into a fully compliant financial instrument.

Custody bridges physical security and institutional governance, giving clients a system that can scale across jurisdictions and reporting standards.

Independent Verification and Risk Management

Each custody cycle is supported by independent verification. External audits by SGS and Alex Stewart, barlists with serial numbers, and insurance under global carriers ensure accountability at every stage. This framework reduces operational risk, strengthens compliance, and supports long-term asset management strategies.

Conclusion
The gold custody process integrates key features — agreements, settlement flexibility, insured vaults, independent audits, and 24/7 reporting — into one transparent framework. With global vaults in Dubai and Hong Kong, all-risk insurance, and continuous verification, clients gain both certainty and compliance-ready control over their allocated bullion.

Custody is not just about storage — it is about turning physical gold into a fully accountable, legally protected, and globally recognized asset.