Institutions have different needs from individuals when buying physical gold. They need clear pricing, reliable records and strong compliance controls, together with transparent custody arrangements.
For institutions, execution certainty, record-keeping and compliance controls are not optional — they are the backbone of responsible operations.
What to Look for in an Institutional Platform
When assessing a platform for precious metals, institutions typically look for:
- Clear Pricing: A clear pricing method, with fees published in advance and the price shown before you confirm.
- Execution Records: Time-stamped orders and confirmations showing price, quantity and costs.
- Reporting: Records that can feed internal treasury, accounting and risk processes.
- Regulatory Compliance: Robust AML and KYC checks on the platform and its clients.
- Clear Custody: A named, independent vault operator and allocation to specific bars.
- Auditability: Exportable records and reconciliation of holdings to bars.
Without these elements, holding physical gold becomes harder to govern and to audit.
How EONA Works for Institutional Clients
EONA combines vault-held physical metal with a straightforward online platform. For companies, family offices and other entities, EONA offers:
- Disclosed Pricing: Prices based on the international spot price from a professional market-data provider plus a premium, with a 1.00% commission plus 5% VAT on each purchase and sale (see our Fees & Spread page). You see the full cost before you confirm.
- Single Vault Location: All metal is stored with Loomis in Dubai. Zurich and Singapore are planned locations (coming soon) and are not currently available.
- Entity Accounts: Accounts opened in the name of the legal entity after verification of the entity and its controllers.
- Transaction Records: Order history and records of holdings for internal and external audit.
- Allocated Custody: Holdings are recorded against specific bars with serial numbers, and separately from EONA’s own assets.
EONA sells physical precious metals on an execution-only basis and does not give investment or treasury advice.
Changing Expectations
Regulatory scrutiny and demand for transparency have changed what institutions expect. Manual brokerage calls and unclear pricing are increasingly replaced by:
- Clear Order Confirmation: Price, quantity and costs confirmed before each order.
- On-Demand Settlement Reports: Ready-made documentation for internal and external audits.
- Custodial Independence: Separation between the platform operator and the vault provider — at EONA, Loomis operates the vault.
These are useful questions to ask of any provider.