Founder & Chief Executive Officer
(PHYSICAL METALS, BULLION & CROSS-BORDER VAULTING)
Precious Metals
Our role is to arrange documented ownership of physical bullion, Swiss gold included, together with independent vaulting handled by third parties and the offshore companies, trusts and foundations that hold precious metals. Every engagement is built around lawful title, long-term control, liquidity, custody and reporting.
(OVERVIEW)
Owning tangible bullion with sharper clarity over title, storage and reporting
Any bullion arrangement should start from who holds legal title, rather than from the vault itself. We first establish whether you are targeting Swiss gold or a different approved metal, then look at custody, liquidity, the ownership vehicle and the jurisdictions linked to you before we set up a provider relationship, producing a fully documented holding shaped around control, independent verification and disclosure that stays within the law.
(OUR PROCESS)
01
Consultation
A private conversation covering the allocation you have in mind, the legal owner, any structures already in place, how you prefer metal to be stored, your liquidity requirements and your reporting situation.
02
Choosing the owner and the custodian
We weigh holding metal directly against using an offshore company, trust or foundation, then line up qualifying dealers, vaults and the terms under which the bullion is kept.
03
Onboarding and documentation
Where an entity is needed we handle its formation, along with beneficial-owner verification, records showing where the funds came from, and the application to the custodian.
04
Buying the metal and keeping it in custody
Once everything is approved, the owner pays into the account, buys or moves in approved metal and is given whatever statements, bar information and custody records are available.
An orderly path leading from offshore ownership through to professional custody of your bullion
This service links the legal owner, an offshore structure where one is warranted, and the custodian that physically holds the metal. We arrange access to providers and manage onboarding, and from the very start we keep allocation, storage, bar records, insurance and exit terms in plain view.
Allocated bullion
Particular bars or accepted coins can be earmarked for the legal owner, rather than standing merely as a pooled or unsecured claim.
Swiss gold vaulting
When it fits, allocated gold can be kept via approved Swiss custody arrangements, with ownership and storage terms set down in writing.
Gold, silver and more
The main emphasis is on gold and silver, while certain platinum and palladium products are looked at where a provider's terms allow.
Records for each bar and how they are checked
The paperwork on offer can run to trade confirmations, bar lists carrying serial numbers, refinery details, holding statements and audit information.
Insurance and custody
We examine each vaulting arrangement for how far insurance reaches, what the custodian is obliged to do, how access is controlled and how client bullion is treated in law.
Offshore ownership structures
An offshore company can either own the bullion account outright or be positioned under a trust or foundation to serve governance and succession planning.
(AT A GLANCE)
A quick overview of the ways bullion and precious metals can be held
An offshore company is its own legal person, set up beyond the country where its owners mainly live or trade. It is able to sign contracts, own property, hold investments and open bank or brokerage accounts. Where a trust is directed by its terms, a company is run by directors or managers and owned through shares or membership interests. A trust, foundation or bank account can sit inside the broader structure too, yet each plays its own distinct legal and practical part.
| Holding option | Typical role | Ownership & storage | Key consideration | Discuss option |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allocated Swiss goldBars or accepted bullion coins | Holding bullion for the long run, keeping reserves and spreading risk inside a documented Swiss or international custody relationship. | Particular bullion set aside for the person or approved legal vehicle and kept with a professional custodian. | Premiums, the size of each bar, dealing spread and terms of delivery. | Discuss |
| Allocated silver bullionBars and coins | A supporting allocation to another metal, one with its own industrial demand, price movement and choice of denominations. | Tangible holdings booked to the owner or entity, and certain providers can offer segregation. | The volume to be stored, how readily it trades and any indirect taxes that apply. | Discuss |
| Platinum & palladiumSpecialist physical allocation | Focused exposure to rarer metals that carry qualities of both an investment and an industrial market. | Allocated bars or coins, where the chosen dealer and custodian back them. | Sharper price swings, less liquid markets and limits on what products can be found. | Discuss |
| Mixed metals holdingOne custody relationship | Spreading across a number of physical metals without setting up a distinct ownership arrangement for every holding. | Several kinds of metal booked inside one approved custody account or legal vehicle. | The allocation policy, rebalancing and the cost of transactions. | Discuss |
| Existing metal transferCustody consolidation | Transferring approved holdings you already have into a professional vault or a freshly created ownership structure. | Whether it is accepted turns on provenance, product specifications, how transport is arranged and any verification called for. | Assay, logistics, insurance and records tracing the chain of custody. | Discuss |
| Structure + vaultingOwnership and custody handled together | Setting up, or drawing on, a company that sits under a trust or foundation and holds documented physical precious metals. | Forming the entity, onboarding the custodian and acquiring the metal, all run as linked workstreams. | Advice on law, tax, reporting and governance in every country that applies. | Book a call |
Who a provider will accept, the minimum you must hold, the dealing terms and the cost of custody all differ from one to another. Any fees for the structure and onboarding are set out in writing before we start.
Ownership · Custody · Documentation(OFFSHORE METALS STRUCTURE)
Offshore Companies, Swiss Gold & Vaulted Bullion
A joined-up engagement for those who want an offshore company, or a larger structure, to hold allocated bullion such as Swiss gold when that fits. We put the ownership vehicle in place, handle onboarding with the provider and prepare the supporting paperwork, though each purchase still depends on the client’s sign-off and the custodian’s terms.
- Ownership and custody design reviewed before formation begins
- Company formation and registered-agent onboarding where required
- Custodian application coordinated with beneficial-owner and source-of-funds documents
- Purchase, transfer, statements and ongoing administration explained in advance
(COMMON USES)
Reasons for holding bullion inside a cross-border structure
Offshore companies are put to work in cross-border trade, consultancy, holding investments, owning property, managing intellectual property, arranging groups and banking. Whatever the activity, it has to be legal, commercially defensible and in line with licensing, tax, reporting and economic-substance requirements.
Tangible wealth reserve
Tangible metal can be just one element of a broader reserve plan that also holds cash, securities, property and operating assets.
Currency diversification
Keeping a holding abroad can lessen reliance on one banking system or a single home-currency setting.
Portfolio balance
Gold and other metals can move on their own path, apart from shares, bonds and cash, though their value may still climb or drop sharply.
Succession planning
Recorded ownership by way of a company, trust or foundation can help continuity and a smooth handover of control.
Corporate reserves
A qualifying company can keep physical metals within its treasury or long-term asset mix, provided advice and governance are in place.
Geographic diversification
Using professional custody beyond the owner's home country spreads out where assets physically sit and are administered.
(TITLE & STORAGE)
The way legal title and physical storage work alongside each other
This finder starts on the precious-metals service and spans 21 jurisdictions across 22 attributes for formation, ownership, filing, tax and administration. Pick up to four jurisdictions to compare them side by side, or move to the trust chart when that is more useful.
Decide who is going to own the bullion
You can own Swiss gold or other bullion in your own name, through an offshore company, or through a company that sits under a trust or foundation. Which route you take should rest on legal and tax advice.
Settle on the vault and the bullion terms
We line up providers on who they accept, allocation, segregation, insurance, audit information, dealing access and how delivery is handled.
Complete due diligence
The custodian checks identity, address, where the funds originate, who the beneficial owners are and the governing documents of any legal vehicle.
Buy the metal and record the holding
After approval comes through, money is moved across, the bullion is bought and the owner is handed whatever confirmations, statements and bar details exist.
Held by a person or a family
Here the custodian lists the individual as both account holder and legal owner. It is generally the most straightforward option, though it sets up no separate ownership vehicle.
A fit where there is no need to keep things structurally apart and personal reporting stays simple.
Corporate precious-bullion account
A company, whether already running or freshly set up, can buy and hold approved metals. Its directors or managers run the relationship in line with the company's governance documents.
The company has to be kept in good standing, with its ownership, dealings and accounts disclosed wherever that is required.
A trust or foundation placed over the company
A trust or foundation can hold the company that in turn owns the custody account, which builds distinct layers for governance, succession and everyday administration.
How well it works hinges on timing, the governing law, professional administration and advice taken in each country involved.
Switzerland is one long-standing home for vaulting and is worth weighing where the provider, the size of the account and the ownership structure all line up. Other approved custody locations can suit just as well. The price of bullion can go down, and nothing here amounts to investment, legal or tax advice.
(EXPERTISE)
The people who coordinate bullion ownership and its custody
John Evans
Forbes Business Council Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Rarotonga, Cook Islands
More than two decades of experience across offshore banking, asset protection, international companies and trusts.
Melanie Tetuaiteroi
Sales Assistant
Rarotonga, Cook Islands
Supports client onboarding, communications, documentation and operational coordination, backed by fiduciary administration experience.
(INSIGHTS)
Perspectives on bullion, Swiss gold and offshore ownership
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(ON OWNING BULLION OFFSHORE)
How can offshore structures hold Swiss gold and other bullion?
Offshore precious-metals services bring together legal title, the buying or moving of metal, and professional custody of physical bullion kept beyond the country where the owner mainly lives. Swiss gold can be part of it, yet the central issue is who actually holds title to the bars or coins. That account might be held in your own name, by an offshore company, or by a company sitting under a trust or foundation. The aim is recorded ownership and sound governance-never secrecy or dodging tax.
Allocated metal and vaulting in Switzerland
The point of allocated bullion is that specific physical bars or coins are set aside for the owner, instead of leaving them with an unsecured claim on a bank, dealer or platform. Swiss gold kept in an approved vault can be pinned down by serial numbers, weights, refinery marks and account records. Storing metal in individually segregated form adds another physical line between your holding and those of other clients. You still need to look closely at insurance caps, audit procedures, legal title, whether the provider is solvent, sale terms and how delivery works. Switzerland ranks among the foremost custody centres, though other approved places may better match a client’s structure and goals.
Offshore ownership vehicles, taxation and disclosure
An offshore company can stand as the distinct legal owner of a bullion account, and it may be placed under a trust or foundation when succession and governance call for extra layers. Such a structure is free to hold Swiss gold or other approved metals, but it does nothing to lift the duties borne by directors, managers, trustees, founders or beneficial owners. It has to answer a real and lawful purpose and keep proper records. How it is taxed and what must be disclosed will shift with residence, how the entity is classified, the custody set-up and the manner in which gains or distributions arise.
(A GUIDE TO SWISS GOLD & BULLION)
Making Sense of Swiss Gold, Bullion & Offshore Ownership
(QUESTIONS ON SWISS GOLD & BULLION)
Frequently raised questions on Swiss gold and offshore bullion
Fully allocated Swiss gold usually means the physical metal is set aside for the account holder or legal vehicle, not left as nothing more than a debt an institution owes. The provider's terms ought to spell out whether precise bars or coins are named, how title is recorded and what custody records you receive.
Segregated storage means a client's metal is kept physically apart or given a dedicated space, instead of being pooled with matching metal that belongs to others. The details differ from one provider to the next, so read the custody agreement, bar list, access rules and delivery procedures before you onboard.
Yes. A qualifying offshore company can buy and hold Swiss gold, silver or other approved bullion provided its constitutional documents, its governing law and the custodian all allow it. The company steps in as the account holder and has to clear beneficial-owner, source-of-funds and governance checks. Its directors or managers are responsible for keeping proper records and meeting the tax and reporting rules that apply.
A trust or foundation can hold the shares or membership interests of the company that owns the custody account. That can help with succession, governance and continuity, though it also brings more administration, expense and reporting. Such a structure should be set up for a lawful purpose and checked over by advisers in the client's home country.
As a phrase, Swiss gold usually points to gold that is refined, traded or held through a Swiss connection, but exactly what it means varies with the product and the provider. Switzerland is a long-established place to vault metal, yet the right custody centre depends on access, insurance, costs, what products are available, legal title, delivery needs and the owner's reporting position.
Gold and silver are the easiest to come by. Some providers will also handle platinum and palladium in approved bar or coin form. What is available, the minimum sizes, premiums, custody fees and how readily it resells all vary by metal and by product.
Sometimes. A Swiss or international custodian can call for proof of provenance, approved product specifications, secure transport and independent verification or assay. Bars you already own that fall short of the provider's standards might have to be sold and bought again rather than moved across directly.
No. Swiss gold custodians, other vault operators and formation agents establish who the beneficial owners are and examine where funds come from. The individual, offshore company, trust or foundation may face reporting duties on tax, accounting, foreign assets and beneficial ownership. Offshore ownership is meant to serve lawful custody, governance and diversification—not to hide anything.
(CONTACT US)
Speak to a specialist. Let’s build your structure.
Book a confidential, no-obligation consultation with a senior member of our team to discuss your objectives and the services we have available.
