Zero CIF
If you are a gold buyer reading this, I know you have lost money in this trade.
The deals that go wrong in this trade share a common flaw: the buyer carries the risk before the gold is proven.
ZERO CIF reverses that.
The seller funds and executes the entire journey; you release payment only after independent assay at your nominated refinery.
financing route 1
Bank Instrument
You submit a formal banking instrument to the seller's bank (located outside of Africa); an SBLC, DLC, or LC issued by your bank and received bank-to-bank.
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The instrument does not go to the seller, is not monetised, and is not drawn upon unless you default after the final assay.
The receiving bank is a top-tier institution; a name you will recognise, operating under EU, US, or UAE regulatory frameworks. The due diligence that bank applies to the seller before accepting the arrangement is, in itself, a layer of vetting that would otherwise cost you considerably to conduct independently.
Where a formal instrument is in place, the seller's bank may issue a Performance Bond underwriting your cost of raising the instrument against non-performance on the seller's side.
If a formal banking instrument is not your preferred route, we have other options
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financing route 2
Cash Backed Bank Guarantee
An alternative to financial instruments is a cash-backed Bank Guarantee or Blocked Funds; your own capital, ring-fenced and confirmed bank-to-bank. No formal instrument is required, and no bank credit is extended.
The funds remain yours throughout. They are not transferred, not touched, and not accessible to any party until a confirmed, assay-verified transaction is complete.
Because no bank credit is extended in this arrangement, a Performance Bond does not apply.
The protection, however, is identical in the most important respect: your capital does not move until the gold is in front of you, tested, and confirmed.
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Financing Route 3
Escrow
No banking instrument required. No travel necessary
You and the seller agree on a neutral escrow agent; a bank or IOLTA lawyer based outside Africa.
A deposit of around 10% secures the transaction; the balance remains in escrow until a satisfactory assay result is produced.
Your capital is protected at every stage. It is not released to the seller until the metal is in front of you and confirmed.
The Process
1. Verification and Export Preparation
Before the seller commits to the export, the relevant financial parties verify that your commitment is real and your funds are in place. In instrument-based transactions this happens bank to bank through authenticated SWIFT communication. In escrow transactions the seller's legal representatives confirm the funds are held in the designated account.
Once verification is complete the seller is obligated to proceed. Their bank extends a credit line covering all export costs; taxes, shipping, insurance, and government royalties
Your funds or instrument are not drawn upon for any purpose at this stage.
2. Gold Ships to your destination
The seller ships to your nominated destination port under the CIF framework. Export documentation is filed, insurance is in place, and the cargo is tracked throughout. You remain in your home country. The gold travels to you.
3. Assay, payment and Transfer of Ownership
On arrival the gold clears customs and is independently assayed at your nominated refinery. You review the result. If it is satisfactory, you release payment. Ownership transfers at that moment. Not before the assay, not on the basis of documentation alone, only after the metal has been tested and confirmed - by you!
Your first order
The most sensible way to begin is with a trial order. A first shipment of 10-25kg lets you verify the process, the gold, and the team before committing at scale. Nothing is abbreviated because the order is small.
Gold is priced from 10% below the LBMA rate. That discount applies from your first order, with no financial exposure until delivery is confirmed.
If the first order satisfies you, scale on your terms. We will be straightforward with you about what our supply network can support at any given time.
Ready to proceed?
If ZERO CIF is the structure you have been looking for, the next step is a conversation.
Tell us your preferred financing route, your target quantity, and your nominated destination. We will confirm whether the timing works on our side and outline the specific steps for your transaction.
There are no obligations at this stage. A conversation costs nothing.