Wealthy buyers seeking protection from bank bail-ins and currency devaluation are increasingly having physical gold and silver delivered to fully segregated, non-bank vaults in Asia.
This eastward flow of private precious metals has helped investment safe havens like Singapore eclipse Switzerland’s long-standing position as the first choice for wealthy investors seeking secure vault storage.
While Switzerland was the preferred sanctuary for high-net-worth capital in the last century, today many affluent investors prefer Singapore and Hong Kong for private, highly secure gold and silver vaulting options.
Mike Maloney and the GoldSilver.com team now offer a fully insured, long-term segregated vault storage service located within the renowned Singapore FreePort.
Through GoldSilver.com, customers can privately purchase and store physical gold and silver in one of the world’s most advanced vault facilities.
The Singapore FreePort combines rigorous security and modern convenience: full-body scanners, multiple seven-ton vault doors, anti-tunneling vibration sensors, remote vault controls, triple power redundancy, and 24/7 armed security. The facility is conveniently located near Singapore’s Changi International Airport.
Designed by Swiss architects, engineers and security experts, the 270,000-square-foot facility blends bunker-level protection with gallery-style design. Unlike the more utilitarian free-ports in Switzerland, the Singapore FreePort integrates security with contemporary aesthetics.
The lobby, showrooms and furnishings were created by designers Ron Arad and Johanna Grawunder. A large arcing sculpture, “Cage sans Frontières” (Cage Without Borders), spans the lobby, and paintings on exposed concrete walls give the space the feel of a gallery.
Private rooms and vaults protected by seven-ton doors line the corridors. Nearby private galleries allow collectors to display works or meet potential buyers under museum-quality lighting. A planned second phase will expand the facility to about 538,000 square feet.
– Wall Street Journal
Singapore has become one of the most sought-after global safe havens for wealth, competing with Switzerland and Hong Kong in wealth management services.
Approximately one in six households in Singapore are millionaire households. Although Singapore currently accounts for only about 2% of global gold demand, the city-state aims to expand that share to around 10–15% over the next five to ten years.
One key policy change supporting this ambition: as of October 1, 2012, Singapore repealed a 7% goods and services tax on specific gold and silver bullion products, allowing investors to hold physical bullion without value-added tax.
This change makes now an opportune time for Asian investors holding paper gold or passbook silver accounts to consider redeeming those positions and taking physical delivery of bullion.
Singapore GST-Free Bullion Products Include
| GOLD |
SILVER |
| American Gold Buffalo Coins | American Silver Eagle Coins |
| Canadian Gold Maple Leaf Coins | Canadian Silver Maple Leaf Coins |
| Austrian Gold Philharmonic Coins | Austrian Silver Philharmonic Coins |
| Johnson Matthey Gold Bars | Johnson Matthey Silver Bars |
| Credit Suisse Bars | Royal Canadian Mint Bars |
Fully Insured – Segregated – Third-Party Custodian
All vaulted metals are held segregated, fully insured, and managed by a trusted third-party custodian with more than 150 years of experience in safeguarding valuables (established in 1859).
Account holders receive signed third-party vault storage certificates documenting exact holdings and inventory levels.
Competitive Storage Rates – Cheaper and Safer Than ETFs
The Singapore vault storage options offer competitive storage rates. For example, storing approximately $150,000 worth of gold can cost about $25 per month (roughly 20 basis points), while storing around $84,000 of silver can cost about $35 per month (about 50 basis points).
Safety and Convenience
Singapore vault customers may schedule visitations, request pickups or physical withdrawals, or securely sell metals during GoldSilver trading hours, combining strong protection with flexible access.