OCBC Explores Physical Gold Custody for Institutional and Wealthy Clients
OCBC is exploring physical gold custody for institutional clients as demand surges. The bank saw gold trading volumes grow eightfold throughout last year.
Insights:
Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation Limited is exploring the establishment of a physical, allocated gold custody business geared toward institutional investors and high-net-worth clients. The proposal, which remains under discussion as of February 25, 2026, comes as the bank responds to a significant increase in demand for its gold-related products while spot gold prices reach fresh highs. This potential expansion would allow the bank to provide secure storage for physical assets, complementing its existing digital offerings.
The proposed physical, allocated gold custody service would involve sophisticated custody arrangements, with the bank considering both on-chain custody arrangements and out-of-chain custody arrangements. As part of the framework being explored, the bank may utilize reputable third-party custodians to manage the physical assets. This initiative is designed to provide institutional investors and high-net-worth clients with a secure method for holding physical gold, moving beyond the scope of the current OCBC app-based gold trading product.
