Frequently Asked Questions

 

Investing in bullion through ABX

How do you buy or sell bullion through the ABX?

Investors can only buy bullion through a listed Member of ABX.

About ABX, its operations and business model

What is ABX?

ABX Global (‘ABX’) is a diversified international bullion market facilitator. Incorporating specialised full trade cycle solutions, ABX provides integrated bullion trading technology and infrastructure that promotes efficiency, security and cost effectiveness.

In addition to trading technology, ABX offers storage and logistics services to Members and the clients of Members.

What is the opportunity for Members?

There are six categories of members: Floor Members; Clearing Members; Associate Members; Proprietary Trading Members; Physical Supply Members; Industry Members; and Research Members. All but the Industry and Research Members have the right to trade on ABX.

Broadly, the opportunity for Members are the benefits associated with gaining direct access to a centralised physical bullion market that provides leading holistic trading and storage facilitation.

For Broker Members: they can offer a simple, secure and highly accessible holistic bullion brokerage service to their private clients.

For Institutional Members: they can directly trade and store bullion through the market.

For Research Members: they can publish research and analysis through channels that connect with ABX’s investors and other stakeholders.

What is the opportunity for retail investors?

The overarching opportunity for retail investors is being able to holistically invest in allocated physical bullion bars and coins in a quality assured environment that is simple, secure, cost-effective and highly accessible.

ABX is an end-to-end solution for investors looking for short, medium and long-term investment in precious metal bullion.

ABX is a central Marketplace where retail investors can quickly research and find suitable service providers.

How is the price set?

The price will be set in USD as determined by the Market particpants. The price will be set individually in each of the Trading Hubs, with price discovery available to all Members.

How do you make profits?

Profits are derived from fees we charge Members for trading and storage services.

Tell me about the storage facilities?

ABX has a network of vaults around the world, each operating as a separate Trading Hub. 
 
ABX is dealing with some of the largest secure storage and logistics companies in the world to ensure that all of our Members' and their Private Clients' bullion is held with the highest level of security in mind.
 
All Bullion stored in the ABX Vault Network is fully insured.  This is also true with bullion in transit.

How much does it cost to invest in bullion through ABX? What commissions are payable?

At a retail investor level, this is by negotiation with the private investor’s ABX listed Bullion Broker.

Management and Corporate Structure

Who is behind ABX? Who are the directors and management?

There has been a coordinated effort across Finance, Bullion, Accounting and Law firms to bring ABX to market.

The Board of Directors currently constitutes: Thomas Coughlin (and CEO); Michael Coughlin; and David Charles.

These board members have strong professional experience across finance, accounting and law.

Security

What security arrangements do you have in place?

Security is of paramount importance to the successful operation of ABX. At every turn there is a long list of professionally compiled security protocol.

Our Quality Assurance Framework encompasses the whole business: trading and all operating technology infrastructure; and the storage and delivery of the physical bullion.

Do ABX employees have access to the vault?

No.

ASVA (ABX Secure Vault Area) requires simultaneous triple biometric fingerprint and manual key entry by: 1) the vault operator; 2) Inspectorate; and 3) ABX.

So, no one person or organisation has access to the ABX Secure Vault Area (ASVA).

In the world that we live in, we thought it necessary to be excessive with separating vault access.

The specific individuals from these organisations who are part of this process are highly confidential and change regularly, for obvious security reasons.

Misc

Are financial planners paid a commission for recommending clients invest in ABX?

Members of the Market, including financial planners, are not paid anything by ABX.

Just like a stockbroker chargers brokerage for client stock trades, ABX Listed Brokers have the right to charge their clients a brokerage fee. This fee is a matter between the Broker and their client.