Singapore Bullion Market Association

Website Sponsor

Article List

Article List

Demystifying London’s Gold & Silver Vault Holdings

By Neil Harby, Chief Technical Officer, London Bullion Market Association

Published on September 25, 2017

Neil Harby is the LBMA’s Chief Technical Officer. He acts as the Executive’s main contact for the Good Delivery system and as such is responsible for managing the LBMA Good Delivery accreditation system, applications, Pro-Active Monitoring, Proficiency Testing and other GD related projects. The role also involves overseeing the work of the GDL Officer in the administration of the Good Delivery system as well as managing the implementation by gold Good Delivery refiners of the LBMA’s Responsible Gold Guidance and ensuring the efficiency and effectiveness of the Good Delivery work carried out by the LBMA. Prior to joining the LBMA Neil spent most of his career at the Rand Refinery in South Africa where he was Head of Evaluation. He also represented the Rand Refinery as one of the five LBMA Referees, whose primary responsibility is oversee the maintenance of the LBMA’s Good Delivery List.

Continue Reading
This area is for SBMA corporate members only.
To view this content, please log in.
Not yet an SBMA member?
Learn more about SBMA membership here

The LBMA vault holding data outlined in Figure 1 represent the volume of Loco London gold and silver held in the London vaults offering custodian services. As at 31 March 2017 there were 7,449 tonnes of gold, valued at US$298 billion and 32,078 tonnes of silver valued at US$19 billion. This equates to approximately 596,000 gold bars and 1,069,255 silver bars.

There are currently seven custodians offering vaulting services (all of which are LBMA members):

  • Four security carriers: Brinks, G4S Cash Solutions (UK), Malca-Amit and Loomis International (UK) Ltd); and
  • Three clearing banks: HSBC, ICBC Standard Bank and JP Morgan.

In addition the Bank of England (not an LBMA member) also offers gold (but not silver) custodial services to central banks and certain commercial firms that facilitate central bank access to the liquidity of the London gold market. Those clearing banks without their own vault operations – Scotiabank and UBS – utilise their accounts with one of the LBMA custodians or the Bank of England (BoE) and therefore do not contribute to these statistics to avoid double accounting.

The physical holdings of precious metals held in the London vaults underpin the gross daily trading and net clearing in London. The net clearing is undertaken by the members of the London Precious Metals Clearing Limited (LPMCL). London is the largest gold trading centre in the world as demonstrated by the US$18.1 billion worth of gold which was cleared on average each day in March 2017 (Source: LBMA net daily clearing statistics).

Transparency

The BoE started publishing its monthly gold holding figures in January 20172. It stores allocated gold on behalf of its customers (custodian service) which include the UK Government, other central banks and commercial banks. BoE data are included in the LBMA statistics shown below.

The Bank of England

Rolling Spot (“RS”) contracts were first introduced in May 2015 for gold and for platinum in March 2017. Unlike traditional futures, the RS contract has just one series that expires each business day. Open positions are automatically rolled to the next trading day. This feature allows participants to hold positions indefinitely, which facilitates longterm trading strategies.

Initially, Gold RS was well received by Japanese retail investors who needed a platform to execute such strategies. The participation of overseas investors made RS a successful contract for the exchange. It is now the second largest in open interest, and third in volume. Platinum RS is also experiencing similar success, with its open interest ranked fifth, just four-months after its launch (Figure 2).

The success of RS contracts is due the fact that they do not undermine existing contracts, but instead give investors additional liquidity. It also demonstrates that RS contracts address the market demand for new investment tools.

Figure 1: LBMA vault holding data

Explanatory notes:

  • The data is reported monthly (three months in arrears).
  • The data represents the holdings on the last day of the month.
  • The LBMA dataset starts from July 2016, which coincides with the current set of custodians being established.
  • Loco simply relates to the place or location at which a commodity is physically held, e.g. Loco London gold. Precious metals held within the environs of the M25 are considered to be Loco London.
  • All physical forms of metal are included: large wholesale bars, coin, kilo bars and small bars. The data only includes physical metal held within the London environs and does not include precious metals physical holdings readily available at short notice in other secure overseas vaulting facilities.
  • Jewellery and other private holdings held by retailers, individuals and smaller vaults not included in the London Clearing system are not included in the numbers.
  • Conversion factor: 1 gram = 0.0321507465 troy ounces.

This article appeared in the August 2017 (edition 86) issue of LBMA’s newletter The Alchemist

Notes

  1. For further details see http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/markets/Pages/fmreview.aspx
  2. See http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/what/Pages/gold.aspx for these data.

Neil Harby is the LBMA’s Chief Technical Officer. He acts as the Executive’s main contact for the Good Delivery system and as such is responsible for managing the LBMA Good Delivery accreditation system, applications, Pro-Active Monitoring, Proficiency Testing and other GD related projects. The role also involves overseeing the work of the GDL Officer in the administration of the Good Delivery system as well as managing the implementation by gold Good Delivery refiners of the LBMA’s Responsible Gold Guidance and ensuring the efficiency and effectiveness of the Good Delivery work carried out by the LBMA. Prior to joining the LBMA Neil spent most of his career at the Rand Refinery in South Africa where he was Head of Evaluation. He also represented the Rand Refinery as one of the five LBMA Referees, whose primary responsibility is oversee the maintenance of the LBMA’s Good Delivery List.

PREV ARTICLE
NEXT ARTICLE
BACK TO INDEX

Singapore Bullion Market Association Secretariat-Lee-Jia-Yi

Lee Jia Yi

OPERATIONS & ADMIN EXECUTIVE
Before joining SBMA, Jia Yi worked as an Admin & Reporting Officer in her previous role. She holds a Diploma in Business & Social Enterprise from Ngee Ann Polytechnic. Jia Yi is responsible for managing and maintaining physical and digital files in SBMA, supporting invoicing processes, reconciling receivables and payables, coordinating meetings and conferences. Additionally, she will provide support to the team and assist the Business Director in managing the Association’s office operations and general administrative activities.

SECRETARIAT SBMA-Emily-Oh

Emily Oh

OPERATIONS & ADMIN EXECUTIVE
Emily Oh is the Operations & Admin Executive, a seasoned professional who values teamwork and effective communication. She is skilled at adapting to new challenges and takes a proactive and resourceful approach to every task. Before joining SBMA, Emily had experience coordinating international travel arrangements and spearheading community initiatives. Her role at SBMA will be providing operational and administrative support for projects and other matters to the team.

SECRETARIAT SBMA Clara-Chang

Clara Chang

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS EXECUTIVE
Clara Chang joins SBMA as the Marketing & Communications Executive, enriching the team with her extensive experience in content creation, social media management, and digital marketing. Prior to joining SBMA, Clara held the position of Marketing Executive at her previous job. She holds two bachelor’s degrees from the University at Buffalo, one in International Trade and another in Geographical Information Science. Her core duties will include maintaining the SBMA website, managing the quarterly Crucible newsletter, among other responsibilities.

SBMA Committee-Photo-john-levin

Mr John Levin

Global Metals
TD Securities
John Levin is the Head of Metal Sales & Trading – APAC at the Toronto Dominion Bank’s Singapore office. Prior to this role, he devoted seven years to leading precious metal sales for the ANZ banking group in his home country, Australia. Notably, from 2009 to 2011, John played a significant role on the management committee of the London Bullion Market Association while serving as the Head of Precious Metals Sales for HSBC Global Banking and Markets in the UK.

SBMA Secretariat-Fabian-Lew

Fabian Lew

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER

Fabian was a Business Development and Marketing Associate before joining SBMA. He graduated from Singapore Management University with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics.

He has joined SBMA since February, 2022.

SBMA-margare-secretariat

Margaret Wong

BUSINESS DIRECTOR

Margaret Wong, Business Director at SBMA (Singapore Bullion Market Association), brought valuable experience from her previous role at the World Gold Council (WGC). Her tenure at WGC provided her with extensive exposure to the gold community in Singapore and the broader region. This background has been instrumental in establishing strong working relationships within the industry.

Margaret’s role at SBMA encompasses a diverse range of responsibilities. She oversees office management, business support processes, finance, and administrative functions essential for the smooth operation of the team and management committee. Additionally, Margaret handles membership matters, member communications, and addresses public inquiries related to SBMA.

One of Margaret’s key responsibilities is coordinating with the Event Management Company for SBMA’s prestigious annual event, the Asia Pacific Precious Metals Conference. This flagship conference plays a crucial role in the industry, making her involvement pivotal in its success.

Described as resourceful and self-motivated, Margaret Wong brings a wealth of skills and experience to her role at SBMA, ensuring efficient operations and effective engagement within the precious metals community in Singapore and beyond.

SBMA-Albert-secretariat

Albert Cheng

Chief Executive Officer

Albert Cheng joined the World Gold Council in March 1993 as a Regional Manager, becoming Managing Director, Far East in 2003. He retired at the end of March 2015 and was subsequently named its Advisor. He has also been an International Advisor to the Shanghai Gold Exchange since 2002.

His marketing career began with Dentsu Young & Rubicam, Hong Kong in the early 80’s. He began gold marketing in July 1985 when he joined the Royal Canadian Mint as a Regional Manager for Southeast Asia.

He was appointed honorary CEO of SBMA in November 2015. He is responsible for the success and strategic development of SBMA, represents the interests of the Association, and is responsible for all the legal and regulatory aspects of the work of the Association. He is the primary contact for regulators and government bodies on bullion market development.

Ms Pawan Nawawattanasub

Ms Pawan Nawawattanasub

CEO
YLG Bullion Singapore Pte Ltd

Pawan is the CEO of YLG Bullion Singapore and founder of YLG Bullion International. She has almost 40 years of experience in the jewellery industry and established YLG in Thailand in 2003. In 2012, she brought YLG to Singapore. She sits on the Board of Directors of the Thailand Gold Traders Association, the Thailand Futures Exchange’s Arbitration Committee, and the Rotary Bangkok committee. She holds a master’s degree in Political Science.

SBMA-Shaokai-Fan

Mr Shaokai Fan

Head of Asia-Pacific (ex China) and Global Head of Central Banks
World Gold Council
Shaokai Fan is the Global Head of Central Banks at the World Gold Council, responsible for advising governments on gold matters, and enhancing the gold market through engagement, dialogue, and thought leadership. He works directly with central banks and sovereign wealth funds on investment considerations. Prior to this position, Shaokai held multiple roles at Standard Chartered Bank, including Director for Asia Strategic Initiatives and Associate-Director for Public Sector coverage. Shaokai holds a Masters of Public Administration from Columbia University and the London School of Economics, and an undergraduate degree in finance and economics from New York University.

SBMA-Committee-Alan-Liew

Mr Alan Liew

Head of Bullion & Commodities Trading
United Overseas Bank Limited
Alan is Head of Bullion and Commodities Trading for Group Trading in Global Markets, United Overseas Bank (UOB). Alan joined UOB and started the bank’s commodities trading business in 2014, previously he spent eight years in Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) trading both precious and base metals. During his tenure at SCB, he obtained the SGE gold trader licence and was part of the pioneering team for the SGE business and the FX quantitative trading team. Prior to trading, he worked for Monetary Authority of Singapore in the Financial Risk Management Division. He holds a BSc (Hon) in Computer Science at National University of Singapore and a MSc in Financial Engineering at Nanyang Technological University.

SBMA-Committee-Nikos

Mr Nikos Kavalis

Managing Director
Metals Focus Singapore Pte Ltd
Nikos Kavalis is a founding partner of Metals Focus. He has over 20 years of experience in precious metals, having previously worked for the Royal Bank of Scotland and GFMS. Since September 2019, Nikos has been based in Singapore, where he also runs the local subsidiary of Metals Focus.

SBMA-Committee-khun nuttapong

Mr Nuttapong Hirunyasiri

CEO
MTS Gold Global Trading Pte Ltd
Nuttapong Hirunyasiri is the CEO of MTS Gold Group, one of Thailand’s top 10 companies and top 3 bullion companies. He started MTS Gold Group’s first overseas office in Singapore and has been expanding the group business internationally. He focuses on product development and innovation for gold investment, with the aim of being a leader in providing the full suite of gold investment services in the ASEAN region.

SBMA Committee-Photo-Raman-Walia

Mr Raman Walia

Executive Director, Head of Commodities Sales – APAC
JP Morgan Chase Bank N.A.

Raman is Executive Director and Head of Commodities Sales, APAC, for J.P. Morgan. He joined JPMorgan in 2008 in New York, moved to Singapore in 2011, and helped expand the precious metals business in the region. Raman has an MBA from Cornell University, and likes to travel in his spare time.

SBMA Committee-Photo-Andrew-Clarke

Mr Andrew Clarke

Head of Brink’s Global Services
Brink’s Global Services Pte Ltd

Andrew Clarke is the Head of BGS (Brink’s Global Services) for Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. He has held various leadership positions throughout his career in secure logistics and risk management with Brink’s, which started in Hong Kong in 2010. Andrew relocated to Singapore in 2018 to expand the precious metals line of business along with Brink’s portfolio of services and industries.

SBMA Committee-Photo-Kazuya-Naoki

Mr Kazuya Naoki

Head of Metals, Asia
ICBC Standard Bank Plc, Singapore Branch

Kazuya (Kaz) Naoki is the Head of Metals, Asia of ICBC Standard Bank in Singapore and is responsible for the precious & base metals sales and trading in the region. He joined Standard Bank Plc Tokyo Branch in 2008 and was relocated to its Singapore Branch in 2013 whose controlling stake was acquired by the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China in 2015. Prior to joining Standard Bank, Kaz spent 11 years focusing on commodity trading and risk management with Mitsui & Co in Tokyo, Sydney and London. Kaz has been serving on the SBMA Management Committee since 2016.

SBMA Committee-Photo-Vinh-Nguyen

Mr Vinh Nguyen

Head of Precious Metals, Asia
StoneX APAC Pte Ltd

Vinh Nguyen joined StoneX Group in Singapore at the beginning of 2008 and responsible for its APAC precious metals activities since 2019 until now.

SBMA Committee-KL-Yap

Mr KL Yap

General Manager, Singapore Refining Business Unit
Metalor Technologies (Singapore) Pte Ltd
KL YAP is the General Manager of Metalor Technologies (Singapore) Pte Ltd’s Singapore Refining Business Unit. He joined Metalor in 2013, initially in Refining Sales. In 2014, he became Refining Business Unit Manager, leading the development of a new precious metal refinery. KL was Vice Chairman of SBMA from 2017 to 2021, now serving as Chairman. With a degree in business commerce, finance, and marketing, he brings prior experience from refinery and heavy industries.