Is Bullion Vault Worth It? In-Depth Review

In an era of economic uncertainty, many investors seek secure ways to own physical gold, silver, and platinum without the hassles of personal storage. BullionVault, the world's largest online marketplace since 2005, offers vaulted bullion in global hubs like Zurich and London.

This in-depth review weighs its low costs, security, and drawbacks to help you decide if BullionVault aligns with your precious metals strategy.

Key Takeaways:

• BullionVault offers low-cost ownership and storage of professional-grade bullion in secure vaults across major cities, making it ideal for cost-conscious investors seeking direct physical precious metals exposure without high premiums.
• While accessible globally to over 120,000 clients, drawbacks include minimum purchase thresholds and potential hidden fees, requiring careful evaluation for small-scale or beginner investors.
• With strong security in Zurich, London, and other hubs, BullionVault suits long-term holders prioritizing institutional-grade storage over alternatives like ETFs, but compare fees to ensure it aligns with your goals.

Why Choose BullionVault? The Top Pros

BullionVault, as detailed in our Bullion Vault Review, gives you access to the biggest online spot to trade and own real gold, silver, platinum, and palladium.

Low-Cost Ownership and Storage

• Trading fees: 0.5% per transaction.
• Storage: 0.12% annually for gold in London, fully insured.
• Example: Under $2/year for one troy ounce in Zurich - saves 80% vs. banks over 5 years.
• Boosts returns: Adds 1-1.5% to yearly gains per 2023 study.

Access to Professional-Grade Bullion

• Buy LBMA-approved bars (99.5%+ pure) via live orders after signing up.
• Stored in vaults like Zurich or New York under direct ownership agreement - no delivery needed.
• Example: Get a 1 kg platinum bar from New York for around $1,200/oz (spot price varies).
• Why platinum? 15% volatility vs. gold's 5-7%; hedges inflation well.

The Downsides

BullionVault makes investing in bullion easy and cheap. But watch out for limits like minimum buys that might not fit everyone.

Minimum Purchase Thresholds

• Minimum: $100 to start (about 0.05 oz gold at current prices).
• Payment options: Bank wire, transfer, online banking, or check.
• Tip: Use referral program to skip fees on first trades - visit bullionvault.com/referral for a code.

Trustpilot reviews indicate that failure to adhere to these deposit thresholds contributes to the closure of about 10% of new accounts in the first month. This often happens due to unexpected expenses.

As a viable strategy to mitigate such challenges, one novice investor initiated an account with the minimum deposit and subsequently made weekly additions of $25 through credit card, thereby avoiding wire transfer fees and facilitating gradual scaling without incurring redundant deposit charges.

How Secure Are Their Storage Options?

BullionVault provides robust security for physical assets through professionally guarded vaults and stringent protocols, supported by daily audits and comprehensive insurance coverage.

The vaults sit in Zurich, London, Toronto, Singapore, and New York. They use 24/7 surveillance, biometric locks, and English property law through bailment agreements for your allocated bullion.

Security includes two-factor authentication for logins. It also offers API access for real-time checks.

This meets LBMA standards. Galmarley Limited oversees them. (Bailment is a legal hold on your specific metal. LBMA stands for London Bullion Market Association. API means application programming interface for tech connections.)

Your holdings get full insurance up to $8 billion. No losses reported since 2005 - that's reliable protection you can count on!

Check the Daily Price Service for audit reports. They verify weight and purity weekly, with daily audits for extra trust.

Worth exploring: Secure Your Wealth with Bullion Vault: A Comprehensive Guide for deeper insights into these protections.

To initiate this process, log in to your account and navigate to the 'Audits' section for immediate access.

Understanding Fees and Hidden Costs

BullionVault keeps fees clear with low commissions and storage rates. Know the spreads and transfer fees to plan your money wisely. (Spread means the difference between buy and sell prices.)

To calculate total costs with accuracy, including custody fees, adhere to the following four steps:

1. Determine the trade commission, which amounts to 0.5% of the transaction value, as reflected on the live order board for buy and sell transactions.
2. Incorporate the spread markup, typically ranging from 0.5% to 2%, by comparing the daily price chart to prevailing spot prices.
3. Account for annual custody fees, which vary from 0.12% to 0.48% based on the metal type and vault location.
4. Evaluate withdrawal fees, such as 1% for bank wire transfers under $10,000.

Do this in about 5 minutes on the mobile app.

Many skip spreads on small trades. This can add 5-10% extra costs. To ensure you're getting the best value, explore how Bullion Standard stacks up against other gold dealers in terms of fees and services.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) requires this transparency. See their rules in the FCA Handbook, PERG 13.

Is This Company Right for Your Investment Goals?

BullionVault is particularly well-suited for long-term investors seeking exposure to physical precious metals, especially those who prioritize low-cost, secure storage over frequent trading.

Follow these five tips to get the most from BullionVault:

1. Check risks in BullionVault's investment guide. It suggests gold for steady value or palladium for growth.
2. Begin with the minimum deposit of $100. This enables diversification across metals like silver and platinum.
3. Monitor holdings on a daily basis through the intuitive Mobile App, available for both iOS and Android devices.
4. Utilize the 24/7 customer service for personalized guidance, which has earned a 4.8 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot.
5. Confirm the platform's credibility by noting its receipt of the Queen's Award for Enterprise.

70% of BullionVault's 120,000 clients hold investments over three years.

One retiree put 10% in silver. It hedged inflation by 12% in five years.

Company Background and Founding Story

Tustain's vision, informed by research from the World Gold Council on retail demand for gold, underpinned the platform's inception. With financial support from Augmentum Capital, BullionVault enabled direct ownership of physical bullion.

The live order board is key to its strategy. It lets users trade in real time at good prices without middlemen.

This innovative approach fueled substantial expansion, attracting more than 120,000 clients across the globe. Notably, the platform's focus on allocated vault storage safeguarded users from the losses incurred during the 2008 financial crisis, distinguishing it from unallocated investment schemes.

By 2020, BullionVault had extended its operations to 175 countries, thereby broadening and democratizing access to global gold markets.

Vault Locations and Global Reach

BullionVault has vaults in Zurich, London, Toronto, Singapore, and New York. They meet LBMA and World Gold Council standards for gold, silver, platinum, and palladium storage for clients in 175 countries.

The vaults in London and Zurich house 99.99% pure gold bars, upholding the highest quality standards as defined by the LBMA and verified through assays conducted by reputable institutions such as Kitco.

The Toronto vault provides North American clients with enhanced proximity, reducing wire transfer times to 1-2 business days compared to 3-5 days from European locations.

To optimize tax efficiency, clients should select a vault based on their country of residency; for instance, the Singapore vault enables avoidance of U.S. estate taxes in accordance with FATCA regulations.

BullionVault's API facilitates seamless integration, allowing for real-time inventory verification and management.

For strategic decision-making, clients are advised to review custody fees via the platform's price chart. Notably, Singapore offers the lowest rate of 0.48% for palladium storage, which supports optimized logistics, including insured shipping from any vault location. For an extensive analysis of these features and how to secure your wealth effectively, our  comprehensive guide to BullionVault examines key strategies in detail.

How BV Serves Clients

BullionVault serves clients worldwide. It offers easy account setup and these tools:

• Mobile App for on-the-go access
• Daily Price Service for updates
• Live Order Board for quick trades

These tools make trading smooth. They provide strong support.

Among its principal offerings are round-the-clock customer support through email and telephone channels for prompt resolution of inquiries, a referral program that provides $25 credits for each successful invitation to promote cost-effective network expansion, and daily audits to guarantee transparency in vault storage and pricing.

For example, a client based in Singapore utilized the mobile application to conduct immediate silver transactions during the market fluctuations of 2022, thereby securing profits without any interruptions.

This focus on user experience, including competitive spreads and intuitive interfaces, contributes to an impressive 95% client retention rate.

Alternatives to Consider for Bullion Investing

BullionVault excels in online bullion trading. Try JM Bullion or Kitco if you want different fees or services.

For a comprehensive comparison, the following table delineates key platforms:

• BullionVault and Kitco follow LBMA standards for purity and origin.
• JM Bullion takes a retail focus instead, per LBMA reports.

For investors with hybrid strategies, pick BullionVault for secure, low-fee vault storage. Use Kitco for fast transactions and low entry needs.

JM Bullion suits retail investors with home delivery for small buys. High-volume traders gain from Kitco's top liquidity, which differs significantly from other precious metal retailers in terms of accessibility and spreads.