Where to buy gold in Singapore comes down to three routes: a registered bullion dealer, a bank such as UOB, or a gold ETF listed on SGX. We compared seven options on the costs each one publishes. On a S$10,000 holding, the published yearly cost of keeping it ranges from about $27 to $131, and paying by card can add up to 4% at the start.
No route is cheapest on everything, and the costs you cannot see on a fee page (the premium and the buy-back gap) often matter more. Gold prices can fall as well as rise; past performance is not a guide; gold pays no interest.
How We Compared
Who is included: routes open to a Singapore resident buying investment-grade gold, from dealers on the Ministry of Law’s list of registered dealers (at the time of writing (November 2026)), the one bank with a published gold savings account and gold service we could verify (UOB), and SGX-listed gold ETFs.
The measures: published yearly storage or fund fee, any minimum charge, payment surcharges and buy-back terms, all from each provider’s own pages as at November 2026. Premiums and buy-back spreads change by the minute and are not published as percentages, so they are not ranked here. Use the gold premium calculator on live quotes.
No provider paid to be included, and the order says nothing about merit.
Where to Buy Gold in Singapore: The Comparison
| Route | Type | Gold storage or fund fee a year | Minimum charge | Card charge | Selling back |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BullionStar | Registered dealer | 0.39% | S$0.19 a day | 4% online, 3.3% in shop | Buys bullion and jewellery it can verify |
| Silver Bullion | Registered dealer | 0.35% (standard tier) | None stated | 3.5% SGD, 4.5% USD | Buys .999+ bullion bought anywhere |
| GoldSilver Central | Registered dealer | 0.30% plus GST (banner says 0.24%) | $10 a month, plus $85 one-time fee | No cards listed | Buy-back price shown per product |
| Indigo Precious Metals | Registered dealer | 0.37% (under US$100,000) | None | Not published | Sell back any time at live price |
| UOB Gold Savings Account | Bank (exempt from registration) | 0.25% plus GST | None; 5 g minimum balance | Not applicable | Only to UOB |
| SPDR Gold Shares (GSD / O87) | SGX-listed ETF | 0.40% inside the fund | None | Brokerage instead | Sell on SGX |
| LionGlobal Singapore Physical Gold ETF (GLS / GLU) | SGX-listed ETF | 0.39% (manager intends to cap the expense ratio there) | None | Brokerage instead | Sell on SGX |
The short version: on published holding costs, the bank account and the ETFs are cheapest for a small sum; dealers with no minimum charge come close; dealers with a minimum charge cost more until your holding is larger. Card surcharges can outweigh a year of storage.
Worked Example: S$10,000 of Gold for One Year
Our own numbers, gold price unchanged, published fees only:
- UOB Gold Savings Account: about $27 (0.25% plus 9% GST).
- Silver Bullion: about $35.
- Indigo Precious Metals: about $37.
- LionGlobal gold ETF: about $39.
- SPDR Gold Shares: about $40, plus brokerage.
- BullionStar: about $69, because the daily minimum applies.
- GoldSilver Central: about $131 with GST because the monthly minimum applies, plus a one-time $85 fee.
Lowest published yearly cost is not the same as cheapest overall. A 1% difference in the buy-back gap on $10,000 is $100, more than most of these yearly fees. Our cost of holding gold guide brings the costs together, and the gold investment return calculator runs them over several years.
Who Each Route Does Not Suit
- Dealers with vault storage: not suited to anyone who would rather pay a known yearly fund fee than compare quotes on premiums and buy-back prices.
- Dealers with a minimum charge (BullionStar, GoldSilver Central): not suited to small vault holdings.
- UOB: not suited to anyone who wants to sell to the highest bidder, or to hold coins and small bars, since it buys back only gold bought from UOB or OUB.
- SGX gold ETFs: not suited to anyone who wants metal they can hold or pass on in person.
- Taking gold home from any dealer: saves storage fees but leaves theft, loss and insurance to you; see storing gold safely.
Before You Pick a Provider
Check the dealer is on the Ministry of Law list on the day you buy; the Ministry cancelled one dealer’s registration and suspended five others in September 2026 (see our report). Our checklist for choosing a gold dealer covers the rest, and how to buy gold in Singapore walks through the buying process step by step, from choosing bars, coins or an ETF to checking the seller.
What To Do Next
- Get a live quote and today’s buy-back price for the same item from two or three providers, at the same time.
- Decide how you will pay; a card can cost more than a year’s storage.
- Read how to sell gold in Singapore before you buy, so you know how you would get out.
- Do your own due diligence. This comparison is general information, not a recommendation of any provider.
