OCBC expands gold offering with allocated gold bars

Institutional clients of OCBC, as well as high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients of Bank of Singapore, will be able to buy, sell and custodise physical gold from 10 June 2026

OCBC is expanding its gold offering with allocated gold bars held in a Singapore-based vault.

Institutional clients of OCBC, as well as high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients of Bank of Singapore, will be able to buy, sell and custodise physical gold from 10 June 2026.

The service covers large gold bars of around 400 troy ounces, or 12.4kg, and 1kg kilobars.

The trading and custodial chain will be based entirely in Singapore.

Bank of Singapore’s client holdings in physical gold have grown by more than 40% since the end of 2025, with most of these holdings belonging to ultra-high-net-worth clients.

Jason Moo, CEO of Bank of Singapore, said: By leveraging OCBC Group’s strengths, we will be able to deliver a secure, trusted and differentiated physical gold offering that addresses our clients’ risk concerns.

Previously, Bank of Singapore clients transacted in physical gold through a US-based entity. They will now be able to transact through OCBC in Singapore instead.

Kenneth Lai, Head of Global Markets, OCBC, said: Our Singapore-based physical gold trading and custodian capabilities represent a strategic expansion of our market-making capabilities in precious metals.

While we have started with private banking, over time we are looking to expand to institutional as well as other client segments, and offer them a comprehensive range of physical gold investment and hedging solutions, he said.

The gold bars will be identifiable by serial numbers and allocated to clients.

This gives clients ownership of specific bars, rather than a stake in a pooled reserve under an unallocated gold arrangement.

The physical gold service adds to OCBC’s existing gold-related offerings. OCBC Singapore clients can already invest in fractional gold or silver through the OCBC app.