Something big is happening. In Singapore, widely known as the Switzerland of Asia, a six-story, 180,000-square-foot vault called The Reserve is housing more and more gold and silver every day.
What is this place? The Reserve describes itself as a secure vaulting facility that enables clients worldwide to store physical assets, as a safe haven for future generations against geopolitical, civil and financial crises.
The Singapore mega-vault built in 2020 is big enough to store roughly 10% of the world’s annual gold supply and 30% of annual silver supply. Wealthy investors from around the world are taking advantage of the safe storage. Gold held by clients at the Reserve has tripled since the opening in 2020, to 8.6 tons as of September. About 90% belongs to foreign clients.
Physical gold ownership is a trend that has gained strong momentum in recent years. From everyday Americans to central banks to pension and hedge funds, investors big and small have been turning to the safety of gold.
Last year, in 2025, total gold investment demand soared to 2,175.3 tonnes, an 84% increase compared to 2024. Gold bar and coin buying accelerated to reach a 12-year high at 1,374.1 tonnes.
Why is gold ownership gaining momentum? A desire to own a safe-haven asset and diversification strategies are the primary factors.
Investors say they are unsettled by wars, government debt and political uncertainty at home and abroad. Physical gold is an asset with a historical track record of reliable risk management. Throughout the centuries, gold has acted as a store of value to grow wealth for over 5,000 years. Gold has no issuer, no counterparty and no dependence on any one government’s balance sheet, making it the ultimate global safe-haven asset.
The Big Picture: Gold’s Multi-Year Rally
Looking back, central banks accelerated their gold purchases in 2022. They were motivated in part by the freezing of Russian assets following the invasion of Ukraine and that’s when central banks began diversifying away from the U.S. dollar. The 2022 central bank gold buying surge helped to start a multi-year rally, which is still unfolding today.
Gold’s appeal as a hedge against mounting government debt and geopolitical uncertainty continues to grow, even as precious metals have consolidated in a sideways range recently. Enough investment demand is seen that entrepreneurs are building vaults the size of office towers to store it safely.
The Question Is No Longer Whether to Own Gold. It’s How Much.
Wealthy families on major continents around the globe are turning to physical precious metals now, not waiting for the next crisis. The drivers behind that demand have not eased. Government debt keeps climbing, geopolitical conflict continues, and political uncertainty is still dominating major developed nations. When the next economic shock or financial crisis hits, the best time to build a diversified position with gold ownership will have passed. Investors who act in the middle of a crisis often pay higher premiums, face longer delivery times and see fewer choices.
Here is what Blanchard recommends now:
1. Review your current allocation.
Look at how much of your portfolio is allocated to precious metals, and whether that amount reflects your actual risk tolerance to government debt, currency and geopolitical events.
2. Consider the form your gold takes.
Physical bullion differs from paper claims on gold. Bullion has no issuer and no counterparty. We can walk you through bars, coins and other options, and the trade-offs in liquidity, premiums and portability for each.
3. Plan for storage.
How and where you hold your gold matters as much as how much you own. Wealthy investors are increasingly thinking about custody, insurance and diversification across locations. We can help you evaluate your options, whether that means home storage, a private vault or a mix.
4. Build in stages.
You don’t have to diversify all at once. Many of Blanchard’s clients build precious metals positions gradually, adding at regular intervals to smooth out price volatility. A Blanchard portfolio manager can help you design an investment plan that matches your goals and risk tolerance.
What This Means for Your Portfolio
Wealthy investors are not waiting for a crisis to act. They are building positions now, while the concerns that drive gold demand continue to grow every day. If physical gold is a small portion of your portfolio, or you have not reviewed your allocation lately, today is a good time to do so. Call Blanchard today for a no-obligation, confidential consultation.
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