GLD SPDR Gold Trust

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains various “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and within the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking statements usually include the word “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “projects,” “understands,” “may,” “can,” “could,” and other words or terms of similar meaning or import suggesting uncertainty. We remind readers that forward-looking statements are merely predictions and therefore inherently subject to uncertainties and other factors and involve known and unknown risks that could cause the actual results, performance, levels of activity, or our achievements, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance, levels of activity, or our achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. The Trust undertakes no obligation to publicly release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events except as required by applicable securities laws.

 

Additional significant uncertainties and other factors affecting forward-looking statements are presented in Item 1A. “Risk Factors”.

 

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"GLD" is a registered trademark of World Gold Trust Services, LLC.

 

“SPDR” is a product of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC (“SPDJI”) and has been licensed for use by State Street Corporation. Standard & Poor’s and S&P are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (“S&P”); Dow Jones is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (“Dow Jones”); “SPDR” is a trademark of SPDJI; and these trademarks have been licensed for use by SPDJI and sublicensed for certain purposes by State Street Corporation. State Street Corporation’s financial products are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by SPDJI, Dow Jones, S&P, their respective affiliates, and none of such parties make any representation regarding the advisability of investing in such product(s) nor do they have any liability for any errors, omissions or interruptions of SPDR®. Further limitations that could affect investors’ rights may be found in this Annual Report.

 

WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT SHALL S&P HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOST PROFITS), EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

 

THE LBMA GOLD PRICE, WHICH IS ADMINISTERED AND PUBLISHED BY ICE BENCHMARK ADMINISTRATION LIMITED (“IBA”), SERVES AS, OR AS PART OF, AN INPUT OR UNDERLYING REFERENCE FOR SPDR® GOLD TRUST.

 

THE LBMA GOLD PRICE IS A TRADEMARK OF PRECIOUS METALS PRICES LIMITED, AND IS LICENSED TO IBA AS THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE LBMA GOLD PRICE. ICE BENCHMARK ADMINSTRATION IS A TRADEMARK OF IBA AND/OR ITS AFFILIATES. THE LBMA GOLD PRICE PM, AND THE TRADEMARKS LBMA GOLD PRICE AND ICE BENCHMARK ADMINISTRATION, ARE USED BY SPDR® GOLD TRUST WITH PERMISSION UNDER LICENCE BY IBA.

 

IBA AND ITS AFFILIATES MAKE NO CLAIM, PREDICATION, WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION WHATSOEVER, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO THE RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED FROM ANY USE OF THE LBMA GOLD PRICE, OR THE APPROPRIATENESS OR SUITABILITY OF THE LBMA GOLD PRICE FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE TO WHICH IT MIGHT BE PUT, INCLUDING WITH RESPECT TO SPDR® GOLD TRUST. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ALL IMPLIED TERMS, CONDITIONS AND WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, AS TO QUALITY, MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR PURPOSE, TITLE OR NON-INFRINGEMENT, IN RELATION TO THE LBMA GOLD PRICE, ARE HEREBY EXCLUDED AND NONE OF IBA OR ANY OF ITS AFFILIATES WILL BE LIABLE IN CONTRACT OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), FOR BREACH OF STATUTORY DUTY OR NUISANCE, FOR MISREPRESENTATION, OR UNDER ANTITRUST LAWS OR OTHERWISE, IN RESPECT OF ANY INACCURACIES, ERRORS, OMISSIONS, DELAYS, FAILURES, CESSATIONS OR CHANGES (MATERIAL OR OTHERWISE) IN THE LBMA GOLD PRICE, OR FOR ANY DAMAGE, EXPENSE OR OTHER LOSS (WHETHER DIRECT OR INDIRECT) YOU MAY SUFFER ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE LBMA GOLD PRICE OR ANY RELIANCE YOU MAY PLACE UPON IT.

 

 

PART I

 

Item 1.    Business

 

SPDR® Gold Trust (the “Trust”) is an investment trust, formed on November 12, 2004 under New York law pursuant to a trust indenture (the “Trust Indenture”). The Trust holds gold and from time to time issues SPDR® Gold Shares (the “Shares”) in Baskets in exchange for deposits of gold and distributes gold in connection with redemptions of Baskets. A Basket equals a block of 100,000 Shares. The investment objective of the Trust is for the Shares to reflect the performance of the price of gold bullion, less the Trust’s expenses. World Gold Trust Services, LLC (“WGTS”) is the sponsor of the Trust (the “Sponsor”). BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, a division of The Bank of New York Mellon (“BNYM”) is the trustee of the Trust (the “Trustee”). State Street Global Advisors Funds Distributors, LLC (“SSGA”) is the marketing agent of the Trust (the “Marketing Agent”). HSBC Bank plc (“HSBC”) and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. ("JPMorgan") are the Trust's custodians (each a "Custodian" and together, the “Custodians”).

 

The Sponsor of the registrant maintains an Internet website at www.spdrgoldshares.com, through which the registrant’s annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), are made available free of charge after they have been filed or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Additional information regarding the Trust may also be found on the SEC’s EDGAR database at www.sec.gov.

 

Investment Objective

 

The Shares are intended to offer investors an opportunity to participate in the gold market through an investment in securities. Historically, the logistics of buying, storing and insuring gold have constituted a barrier to entry for some institutional and retail investors. The ownership of the Shares is intended to overcome these barriers to entry. The logistics of storing and insuring gold are dealt with by the Custodians, and the related expenses are built into the price of the Shares. Therefore, the investor does not have any additional tasks or costs over and above those associated with investing in any other publicly traded security.

 

The Shares are intended to provide institutional and retail investors with a simple and cost-efficient means of gaining investment benefits similar to those of holding allocated gold bullion. The Shares offer an investment that is:

 

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Easily Accessible. Investors can access the gold market through a traditional brokerage account. The Sponsor believes that investors will be able to more effectively implement strategic and tactical asset allocation strategies that use gold by using the Shares instead of using the traditional means of purchasing, trading and holding gold.

 

•

Relatively Cost Efficient. The Sponsor believes that, for many investors, transaction costs related to the Shares will be lower than those associated with the purchase, storage and insurance of allocated gold.

 

•

Exchange Traded. The Shares trade on NYSE Arca, Inc. (“NYSE Arca”) providing investors with an efficient means to buy, sell, or sell short in order to implement a variety of investment strategies. The Shares are eligible for margin accounts. The Shares are also listed on the Mexican Stock Exchange (Bolsa Mexicana de Valores), the Singapore Exchange Limited, the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited and the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

 

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Backed by Gold Held by the Custodians on Behalf of the Trust. The Shares are backed by the assets of the Trust and the Trust does not hold or employ any derivative securities. Further, the Trust’s holdings and their value based on current market prices are reported on the Trust’s website each business day. The Trustee’s arrangements with the Custodians provide that at the end of each business day only gold bars, and no gold in an unallocated form, is held in the Trust accounts maintained with the Custodians. Accordingly, the Trust’s gold holdings are identified on each of the Custodian’s books as the property of the Trust and held in London, New York or Zurich.

 

Overview

 

The Shares represent units of fractional undivided beneficial interest in and ownership of the Trust. The Trust is not managed like a corporation or an active investment vehicle. The gold held by the Trust will only be sold: (1) on an as-needed basis to pay Trust expenses, (2) in the event the Trust terminates and liquidates its assets, or (3) as otherwise required by law or regulation. The sale of gold by the Trust is a taxable event to shareholders of the Trust (“Shareholders”). See “United States Federal Tax Consequences—Taxation of U.S. Shareholders.”

 

The Trust is not registered as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and is not required to register under such act. The Trust will not hold or trade in commodity futures contracts regulated by the Commodity Exchange Act of 1936 (the “CEA”) as administered by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the “CFTC”). The Trust is not a commodity pool for purposes of the CEA, and none of the Sponsor, the Trustee or the Marketing Agent is subject to regulation as a commodity pool operator or a commodity trading advisor in connection with the Shares.

 

 

The Trust creates and redeems Shares from time to time, but only in Baskets. The number of outstanding Shares changes from time to time as a result of the creation and redemption of Baskets. The creation and redemption of Baskets requires the delivery to the Trust or the distribution by the Trust of the amount of gold and any cash represented by the Baskets being created or redeemed. The total amount of gold and any cash required for the creation of Baskets is based on the combined net asset value (the “NAV”) of the number of Baskets being created or redeemed. The number of ounces of gold required to create a Basket or to be delivered upon the redemption of a Basket will continue to gradually decrease over time. This is because the Shares comprising a Basket will represent a decreasing amount of gold due to the sale of the Trust’s gold to pay the Trust’s expenses.

 

Baskets may be created or redeemed only by Authorized Participants. An Authorized Participant is a person who: (1) is a registered broker-dealer or other securities market participant such as a bank or other financial institution which is not required to register as a broker-dealer to engage in securities transactions; (2) is a participant in the Depository Trust Company system (“DTC”); (3) has entered into an agreement with the Sponsor and the Trustee which provides the procedures for the creation and redemption of Baskets and for the delivery of the gold and any cash required for such creations and redemptions, or a Participant Agreement; and (4) has established an unallocated gold account meeting the requirements of each of the Custodians. Authorized Participants pay a transaction fee of $2,000 for each order to create or redeem Baskets. Authorized Participants may sell to other investors all or part of the Shares included in the Baskets they purchase from the Trust.

 

The ICE Benchmark Administration Limited (the “IBA”) provides the auction platform and methodology as well as the overall independent administration and governance for the LBMA Gold Price. In determining the NAV of the Trust, the Trustee values the gold held by the Trust on the basis of the price of an ounce of gold determined by the IBA 3:00 PM auction process (“LBMA Gold Price PM”), which is an electronic auction, with the imbalance calculated, and the price adjusted in rounds (30 seconds in duration). The auction runs twice daily at 10:30 AM and 3:00 PM London time.

 

The Trustee determines the NAV of the Trust on each day the NYSE Arca is open for regular trading, at the earlier of the LBMA Gold Price PM for the day or 12:00 PM New York time. If no LBMA Gold Price PM is announced on a particular evaluation day or if the LBMA Gold Price PM has not been announced by 12:00 PM New York time on a particular evaluation day, the next most recent LBMA Gold Price (AM or PM) is used in the determination of the NAV of the Trust, unless the Trustee, in consultation with the Sponsor, determines that such price is inappropriate to use as the basis for such determination. In the event the Trustee and the Sponsor determine that such price is not an appropriate basis for valuation of the Trust’s gold, they will identify an alternative basis for such valuation to be employed by the Trustee.

 

To determine the Trust’s NAV, the Trustee subtracts all estimated accrued fees, expenses and other liabilities of the Trust from the total value of the gold and all other assets of the Trust.

 

The Trust’s assets only consist of allocated gold bullion and gold receivable when recorded; representing gold covered by contractually binding orders for the creation of Shares where the gold has not yet been transferred to the Trust’s account and, from time to time, cash, which will be used to pay expenses. Cash held by the Trust will not generate any income. The Trust does not hold any derivative instruments. Each Share represents a proportional interest, based on the total number of Shares outstanding, in the gold and any cash held by the Trust, less the Trust’s liabilities (which include accrued expenses). While the secondary market trading price of the Shares has fluctuated in response to the price of gold, the Sponsor believes that the trading price of the Shares reflects the estimated accrued expenses of the Trust.

 

Sales of Gold

 

The Trustee, at the direction of the Sponsor or in its own discretion, sells the Trust’s gold as necessary to pay the Trust’s expenses. As a result, the amount of gold sold will vary from time to time depending on the level of the Trust’s expenses and the market price of gold. Unless otherwise directed by the Sponsor, the Trustee will sell gold to the Custodians at the next LBMA Gold Price PM following the sale order. Neither the Trustee nor the Sponsor is liable for depreciation or loss incurred by reason of any sale. See “United States Federal Tax Consequences—Taxation of U.S. Shareholders” for information on the tax treatment of gold sales.

 

The Trustee may also sell the Trust’s gold if the Sponsor notifies the Trustee that the sale of gold is required by applicable law or regulation or in connection with the termination and liquidation of the Trust. The Trustee will not be liable or responsible in any way for depreciation or loss incurred by reason of any sale of gold directed by the Sponsor. Any property received by the Trust other than gold, cash or an amount receivable in cash (such as, for example, an insurance claim) will be promptly sold or otherwise disposed of by the Trustee.

 

 

Gold Price Information

 

Investors may obtain on a 24-hour basis gold pricing information based on the spot price for an ounce of gold from various financial information service providers. Current spot prices are also generally available with bid/ask spreads from gold bullion dealers. In addition, the Trust’s website provides ongoing pricing information for gold spot prices and the Shares. Market prices for the Shares are available from a variety of sources including brokerage firms, information websites and other information service providers. The NAV of the Trust is published by the Sponsor on each day that NYSE Arca is open for regular trading and is posted on the Trust’s website at www.spdrgoldshares.com.

 

The Gold Industry

 

Gold Supply and Demand

 

Gold is a physical asset that is accumulated rather than consumed. As a result, virtually all the gold that has ever been mined still exists today in one form or another. The following table is a summary of the world gold supply and demand for the past 5 years. It is based on information reported in the Gold Focus 2023¹.

 

World Gold Supply and Demand (2018—2022)

 

Tonnes		2018				2019				2020				2021				2022
SUPPLY
Mine Production			3,656				3,596				3,482				3,581				3,628
Recycling			1,132				1,276				1,293				1,136				1,141
Net Hedging Supply			—				6				—				—				—
Total Supply			4,788				4,878				4,775				4,717				4,768
DEMAND
Jewelry Fabrication			2,290				2,152				1,324				2,230				2,192
Industrial Demand			335				326				303				330				307
Net Physical Investment			1,068				849				900				1,183				1,216
Net Hedging Demand			12				—				39				7				11
Net Official Sector Buying			656				605				255				450				1,083
Total Demand			4,360				3,932				2,820				4,200				4,810
Market Balance			427				946				1,955				517				(42	)
Net Investment in ETPs			74				400				892				(189	)			(110	)
Market Balance less ETPs			353				546				1,062				706				69
Gold Price (US$/oz, London)			1,268				1,393				1,770				1,799				1,800

 

Source: Gold Focus 2023

 

Sources of Gold Supply

 

Based on data from Gold Focus 2023, gold supply averaged 4,785 tonnes per year between 2018 and 2022. Sources of gold supply include both mine production and recycled above-ground stocks and, to a lesser extent, producer net hedging. The largest portion of gold supplied to the market is from mine production, which averaged approximately 3,589 tonnes per year from 2018 through 2022. The second largest source of annual gold supply is recycling gold, which is gold that has been recovered from jewelry and other fabricated products and converted back into marketable gold. Recycled gold averaged approximately 1,196 tonnes annually between 2018 through 2022.

 

1

Gold Focus 2023 is published by Metals Focus, Ltd. which is a precious metals research consultancy based in London. Metals Focus Data Ltd., an affiliate of the Sponsor, provides the supply and demand data to Metals Focus, Ltd. When used in this prospectus “tonne” refers to one metric tonne, which is equivalent to 1,000 kilograms or 32,151 troy ounces.

 

 

Sources of Gold Demand

 

Based on data from Gold Focus 2023, gold demand averaged 4,024 tonnes per year between 2018 and 2022. Gold demand generally comes from four sources: jewelry, industry (including medical applications), investment and the official sector (including central banks and supranational organizations). The largest source of demand comes from jewelry fabrication, which accounted for approximately 51% of the identifiable demand from 2018 through 2022 followed by net physical investment, which represents identifiable investment demand, which accounted for approximately 26%.

 

Gold demand is widely dispersed throughout the world with significant contributions from India and China. In many countries there are seasonal fluctuations in the levels of demand for gold—especially jewelry. However, as a result of variations in the timing of seasons throughout the world, seasonal fluctuations in demand do not appear to have a significant impact on the global gold price.

 

Between 2018 and 2022, according to Gold Focus 2023, central bank purchases averaged 610 tonnes. The prominence given by market commentators to this activity coupled with the total amount of gold held by the official sector has resulted in this area being one of the more visible shifts in the gold market.

 

Operation of the Gold Bullion Market

 

The global trade in gold consists of over-the-counter (“OTC”) transactions in spot, forwards, and options and other derivatives, together with exchange-traded futures and options.

 

Global Over-the-Counter Market

 

The OTC market trades on a continuous basis and accounts for most global gold trading. Market makers and participants in the OTC market trade with each other and their clients on a principal-to-principal basis. All risks and issues of credit are between the parties directly involved in the transaction. The three products relevant to LBMA market making are Spot (S), Forwards (F) and Options (O). There are eleven LBMA Market Makers who provide the service in one, two or all three products².

 

Member		Membership Type		Spot (S)		Forwards (F)		Options (O)
Citibank N A		Full Market Makers		x		x		x
Goldman Sachs International		Full Market Makers		x		x		x
HSBC		Full Market Makers		x		x		x
JP Morgan Chase Bank		Full Market Makers		x		x		x
Morgan Stanley & Co International Ltd		Full Market Makers		x		x		x
UBS AG		Full Market Makers		x		x		x
BNP Paribas SA		Market Makers				x
ICBC Standard Bank Plc		Market Makers		x
Merrill Lynch International		Market Makers		x				x
Standard Chartered Bank		Market Makers		x				x
Toronto-Dominion Bank		Market Makers				x

 

The OTC market provides a relatively flexible market in term of quotes, price, size, destinations for delivery and other factors. Bullion dealers customize transactions to meet their clients’ requirements. The OTC market has no formal structure and no open-outcry meeting place.

 

The main centers of the OTC market are London, New York and Zurich. Mining companies, central banks, manufacturers of jewelry and industrial products, together with investors and speculators, tend to transact their business through one of these centers. Centers such as Dubai and several cities in the Far East also transact substantial OTC market business. Bullion dealers have offices around the world and most of the world’s major bullion dealers are either members or associate members of the LBMA.

 

In the OTC market, the standard size of gold trades ranges between 5,000 and 10,000 ounces. Bid-offer spreads are typically $0.50 per ounce. Transaction costs in the OTC market are negotiable between the parties and therefore vary widely, with some dealers willing to offer clients competitive prices for larger volumes, although this will vary according to the dealer, the client and market conditions. Cost indicators can be obtained from various information service providers as well as dealers.

 

2	www.lbma.org.uk/aboutmembership

 

4

 

Liquidity in the OTC market can vary from time to time during the course of the 24-hour trading day. Fluctuations in liquidity are reflected in adjustments to dealing spreads—the difference between a dealer’s “buy” and “sell” prices. The period of greatest liquidity in the gold market generally occurs at the time of day when trading in the European time zones overlaps with trading in the United States, which is when OTC market trading in London, New York and other centers coincides with futures and options trading on the Commodity Exchange Inc. (the “COMEX”).

 

The London Bullion Market

Although the market for physical gold is global, most OTC market trades are cleared through London. In addition to coordinating market activities, the LBMA acts as the principal point of contact between the market and its regulators. A primary function of the LBMA is its involvement in the promotion of refining standards by maintenance of the “London Good Delivery Lists,” which are the lists of LBMA accredited melters and assayers of gold. The LBMA also coordinates market clearing and vaulting, promotes good trading practices and develops standard documentation.

 

The term “loco London” refers to gold bars physically held in London that meet the specifications for weight, dimensions, fineness (or purity), identifying marks (including the assay stamp of an LBMA acceptable refiner) and appearance set forth in The Good Delivery Rules published by the LBMA. Gold bars meeting these requirements are known as “London Good Delivery Bars.” The unit of trade in London is the troy ounce, whose conversion between grams is: 1,000 grams = 32.1507465 troy ounces and 1 troy ounce = 31.1034768 grams. A London Good Delivery Bar is acceptable for delivery in settlement of a transaction on the OTC market. Typically referred to as 400- ounce bars, a London Good Delivery Bar must contain between 350 and 430 fine troy ounces of gold, with a minimum fineness (or purity) of 995 parts per 1,000 (99.5%), be of good appearance and be easy to handle and stack. The fine gold content of a gold bar is calculated by multiplying the gross weight of the bar (expressed in units of 0.025 troy ounces) by the fineness of the bar.

 

LBMA Gold Price

 

The LBMA Gold Price is determined twice daily during London trading hours through an auction which provides reference gold prices for that day’s trading. The LBMA Gold Price was initiated on March 20, 2015 and replaced the London PM Gold Fix. The auction that determines the LBMA Gold Price is a physically settled, electronic and tradeable auction, with the ability to settle trades in U.S. dollars, euros or British pounds. The IBA provides the auction platform and methodology as well as the overall administration and governance for the LBMA Gold Price. Many long-term contracts are expected to be priced on the basis of either the morning (AM) or afternoon (PM) LBMA Gold Price, and many market participants are expected to refer to one or the other of these prices when looking for a basis for valuations.

 

The Financial Conduct Authority (the “FCA”) in the U.K. regulates the LBMA Gold Price.

 

Futures Exchanges

 

The most significant gold futures exchange is the COMEX, part of the CME Group. It began to offer trading in gold futures contracts in 1974, and for most of the period since that date, it has been the largest exchange in the world for trading precious metals futures and options. The Tokyo Commodity Exchange (the “TOCOM”) is another significant futures exchange and has been trading gold since 1982. Trading on these exchanges is based on fixed delivery dates and transaction sizes for the futures and options contracts traded. Trading costs are negotiable. As a matter of practice, only a small percentage of the futures market turnover ever comes to physical delivery of the gold represented by the contracts traded. Both exchanges permit trading on margin. Margin trading can add to the speculative risk involved given the potential for margin calls if the price moves against the contract holder. Both the COMEX and the TOCOM operate through a central clearance system, and in each case, the exchange acts as a counterparty for each member for clearing purposes. Other commodity exchanges include, the Multi Commodity Exchange of India, the Shanghai Futures Exchange, the Shanghai Gold Exchange, ICE Futures US (the “ICE”), and the Dubai Gold & Commodities Exchange. The ICE and CME Group are members of the Intermarket Surveillance Group.

 

Market Regulation

 

The global gold markets are overseen and regulated by both governmental and self-regulatory organizations. In addition, certain trade associations have established rules and protocols for market practices and participants.

 

 

Movements in the Price of Gold

 

The following chart provides historical background on the price of gold. The chart illustrates movements in the price of gold in U.S. dollars per ounce over the period from the day the Shares began trading on the NYSE on November 18, 2004 to September 30, 2023, and is based on the LBMA Gold Price PM when available from March 20, 2015 and previously the London PM Fix.

 

Daily Gold Price – November 18, 2004 – September 30, 2023

LBMA Gold Price PM USD

 

 

Creation and Redemption of Shares

 

The Trust creates and redeems Shares from time to time, but only in one or more Baskets. The creation and redemption of Baskets is only made in exchange for the delivery to the Trust or the distribution by the Trust of the amount of gold and any cash represented by the Baskets being created or redeemed, the amount of which is based on the combined NAV of the number of Shares included in the Baskets being created or redeemed determined on the day the order to create or redeem Baskets is properly received. Creations of Baskets may only be settled after the requisite gold is deposited in the allocated account of the Trust.

 

Authorized Participants are the only persons that may place orders to create and redeem Baskets. To become an Authorized Participant, a person must enter into a Participant Agreement with the Sponsor and the Trustee. The Participant Agreement and the related procedures attached thereto may be amended by the Trustee and the Sponsor without the consent of any Shareholder or Authorized Participant. Authorized Participants who make deposits with the Trust in exchange for Baskets receive no fees, commissions or other form of compensation or inducement of any kind from either the Sponsor or the Trust, and no such person has any obligation or responsibility to the Sponsor or the Trust to effect any sale or resale of Shares.

 

Some of the activities of Authorized Participants will result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which would render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus-delivery and liability provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). As of the date of this annual report, the Authorized Participants are Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Goldman, Sachs & Co. LLC, Goldman Sachs Execution & Clearing, L.P., HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Merrill Lynch Professional Clearing Corp., Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, RBC Capital Markets LLC, UBS Securities LLC and Virtu Americas LLC. An updated list of Authorized Participants can be obtained from the Trustee or the Sponsor.

 

Prior to initiating any creation or redemption order, an Authorized Participant must have established an unallocated account with (i) HSBC if HSBC is the Custodian or (ii) any gold clearing bank of the London Precious Metals Clearing Limited ("LPMCL") if JPMorgan is the Custodian. An unallocated account is an account with a bullion dealer, which may also be a bank, to which a fine weight amount of gold is credited. Transfers to or from an unallocated account are made by crediting or debiting the number of ounces of gold being deposited or withdrawn. The account holder is entitled to direct the bullion dealer to deliver an amount of physical gold equal to the amount of gold standing to the credit of the account holder. Gold held in an unallocated account is not segregated from the Custodian’s assets. The account holder therefore has no ownership interest in any specific bars of gold that the bullion dealer holds or owns. The account holder is an unsecured creditor of the bullion dealer, and credits to an unallocated account are at risk of the bullion dealer’s insolvency, in which event it may not be possible for a liquidator to identify any gold held in an unallocated account as belonging to the account holder rather than to the bullion dealer.

 

 

Certain Authorized Participants are able to participate directly in the gold bullion market and the gold futures market. In some cases, an Authorized Participant may from time to time acquire gold from or sell gold to its affiliated gold trading desk, which may profit in these instances. The Sponsor believes that the size and operation of the gold bullion market make it unlikely that an Authorized Participant’s direct activities in the gold or securities markets will impact the price of gold or the price of the Shares. Authorized Participants must be: (1) a DTC Participant; (2) registered as a broker-dealer under the Exchange Act, and regulated by FINRA, or some other self-regulatory organization or will be exempt from being or otherwise not be required to be so regulated or registered; and (3) qualified to act as a broker or dealer in the states or other jurisdictions where the nature of its business so requires. Each Authorized Participant will have its own set of rules and procedures, internal controls and information barriers as it determines is appropriate in light of its own regulatory regime.

 

Authorized Participants may act for their own accounts or as agents for broker-dealers, custodians and other securities market participants that wish to create or redeem Baskets. An order for one or more Baskets may be placed by an Authorized Participant on behalf of multiple clients. Persons interested in purchasing Baskets should contact the Sponsor or the Trustee to obtain the contact information for the Authorized Participants. Shareholders who are not Authorized Participants will only be able to redeem their Shares through an Authorized Participant.

 

All gold bullion must be delivered to the Trust and distributed by the Trust in unallocated form through credits and debits between Authorized Participants' unallocated accounts and the Trust's unallocated accounts.

 

All gold bullion must be of at least a minimum fineness (or purity) of 995 parts per 1,000 (99.5%) and otherwise conform to the rules, regulations, practices and customs of the LBMA, including the specifications for a London Good Delivery Bar.

 

Under the Participant Agreement, the Sponsor has agreed to indemnify the Authorized Participants against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, and to contribute to the payments the Authorized Participants may be required to make in respect of those liabilities. The Trustee has agreed to reimburse the Authorized Participants, solely from and to the extent of the Trust’s assets, for indemnification and contribution amounts due from the Sponsor to the extent the Sponsor has not paid such amounts when due.

 

The following description of the procedures for the creation and redemption of Baskets is only a summary and investors should review the description of the procedures for the creation and redemption of Baskets set forth in the Trust Indenture and the form of Participant Agreement, each of which has been filed as an exhibit to this report.

 

Creation Procedures

 

On any business day, an Authorized Participant may place an order with the Trustee to create one or more Baskets. Purchase orders must be placed by 4:00 PM or the close of regular trading on NYSE Arca, whichever is earlier. The day on which the Trustee receives a valid purchase order is the purchase order date.

 

By placing a purchase order, an Authorized Participant agrees to deposit gold with the Trust, or a combination of gold and cash, as described below. Prior to the delivery of Baskets for a purchase order, the Authorized Participant must also have wired to the Trustee the non-refundable transaction fee due for the purchase order.

 

Determination of Required Deposits

 

The total deposit required to create each Basket is an amount of gold and cash, if any, that is in the same proportion to the total assets of the Trust (net of estimated accrued expenses and other liabilities) on the date the order to purchase is properly received as the number of Shares to be created under the purchase order is in proportion to the total number of Shares outstanding on the date the order is received.

 

Delivery of Required Deposits

 

An Authorized Participant who places a purchase order is responsible for crediting its unallocated account with the required gold deposit amount by the end of the second business day in London following the purchase order date. From time to time, the Sponsor will identify to the Authorized Participants which Custodians may be used for the deposit of the required gold deposit amount. If the Authorized Participant’s unallocated account is with the selected Custodian, the selected Custodian, after receiving appropriate instructions from the Authorized Participant and the Trustee, will transfer on the second business day following the purchase order date the gold deposit amount by debiting such amount from the Authorized Participant’s unallocated account and crediting such amount to the Trust’s unallocated account. If the Authorized Participant’s unallocated account is with another LPMCL gold clearing bank, the selected Custodian, after receiving appropriate instructions from the Authorized Participant and the Trustee, will receive on the second business day following the purchase order date the gold deposit amount from the Authorized Participant's unallocated account and credit such amount to the Trust's unallocated account. The expense and risk of delivery, ownership and safekeeping of gold until such gold has been received by the Trust will be borne solely by the Authorized Participant. If gold is to be delivered other than as described above, the Sponsor is authorized to establish such procedures and to appoint such custodians and establish such custody accounts as the Sponsor determines to be desirable.

 

 

Acting on instructions given by the Trustee, the selected Custodian will transfer the gold deposit amount from the Trust's unallocated account to the Trust's allocated account on the second business day following the purchase order date by allocating to the Trust's allocated account specific bars of gold from unallocated bars which the Custodian holds or instructing a subcustodian to allocate specific bars of gold from unallocated bars held by or for the subcustodian. The gold bars in an allocated gold account are specific to that account and are identified by a list which shows, for each gold bar, the refiner, assay or fineness, serial number and gross and fine weight. Gold held in the Trust’s allocated account is the property of the Trust and is not traded, leased or loaned under any circumstances.

 

The selected Custodian will, or will endeavor to, transfer the gold deposit amount from the Trust’s unallocated Account to the Trust’s allocated account by 2:00 PM (London time). By 2:00 PM (London time), the selected Custodian will advise the Trustee as to the status of the allocation process. Upon Trustee’s receipt of confirmation from the Custodian that the gold deposit amount has been transferred from the Trust's unallocated account to the Trust's allocated account, the Trustee will direct DTC to credit the number of Baskets ordered by the Authorized Participant to the Authorized Participant’s DTC account. During the period of the transfer, all Shareholders will be exposed to the risks of unallocated gold to the extent of that gold deposit amount until the Custodian completes the allocation process.

 

Redemption Procedures

 

The procedures by which an Authorized Participant can redeem one or more Baskets mirror the procedures for the creation of Baskets. On any business day, an Authorized Participant may place an order with the Trustee to redeem one or more Baskets. Redemption orders must be placed by 4:00 PM or the close of regular trading on NYSE Arca, whichever is earlier. A redemption order so received is effective on the date it is received in satisfactory form by the Trustee.

 

Determination of Redemption Distribution

 

The redemption distribution from the Trust consists of a credit to the redeeming Authorized Participant’s unallocated account representing the amount of the gold held by the Trust evidenced by the Shares being redeemed plus, or minus, the cash redemption amount. The cash redemption amount is equal to the value of all assets of the Trust other than gold less all estimated accrued expenses and other liabilities, divided by the number of Baskets outstanding and multiplied by the number of Baskets included in the Authorized Participant’s redemption order. The Sponsor anticipates that in the ordinary course of the Trust’s operations there will be no cash distributions made to Authorized Participants upon redemptions. Fractions of a fine ounce of gold included in the redemption distribution smaller than 0.001 of a fine ounce are disregarded. Redemption distributions are subject to the deduction of any applicable tax or other governmental charges which may be due.

 

Delivery of Redemption Distribution

 

The redemption distribution due from the Trust is delivered to the Authorized Participant on the second business day following the redemption order date if, by 9:00 AM New York time on such second business day, the Trustee’s DTC account has been credited with the Baskets to be redeemed. If the Trustee’s DTC account has not been credited with all of the Baskets to be redeemed by such time, the redemption distribution is delivered to the extent of whole Baskets received. Any remainder of the redemption distribution is delivered on the next business day to the extent of remaining whole Baskets received if the Trustee receives the fee applicable to the extension of the redemption distribution date which the Trustee may, from time to time, determine and the remaining Baskets to be redeemed are credited to the Trustee’s DTC account by 9:00 AM New York time on such next business day. Any further outstanding amount of the redemption order may be cancelled. The Trustee is also authorized to deliver the redemption distribution notwithstanding that the Baskets to be redeemed are not credited to the Trustee’s DTC account by 9:00 AM New York time on the second business day following the redemption order date if the Authorized Participant has collateralized its obligation to deliver the Baskets through DTC’s book entry system on such terms as the Sponsor and the Trustee may from time to time agree upon.

 

The selected Custodian transfers the redemption gold amount from the Trust's allocated account to the Trust's unallocated account and, thereafter, to the redeeming Authorized Participant’s unallocated account. The Authorized Participant and the Trust are each at risk in respect of gold credited to their respective unallocated accounts in the event of the Custodian’s insolvency. See “Risk Factors—Gold held in the Trust’s unallocated gold accounts with the Custodians and any Authorized Participant’s unallocated gold account with a Custodian or another LPMCL gold clearing bank will not be segregated from the assets of the relevant Custodian or LPMCL gold clearing bank.”

 

Suspension or Rejection of Redemption Orders

 

The Trustee may, in its discretion, and will when directed by the Sponsor, suspend the right of redemption, or postpone the redemption settlement date for: (1) any period during which NYSE Arca is closed other than customary weekend or holiday closings, or trading on NYSE Arca is suspended or restricted; (2) any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which delivery, disposal or evaluation of gold is not reasonably practicable; or (3) such other period as the Sponsor determines to be necessary for the protection of the Shareholders.

 

 

The Trustee will reject a redemption order if: (1) the order is not in proper form as described in the Participant Agreement; (2) the fulfillment of the order, in the opinion of its counsel, might be unlawful; (3) the order would have adverse tax consequences to the Trust or its Shareholders; or (4) circumstances outside the control of the Trustee, the Sponsor or the Custodians make the redemption, for all practical purposes, not feasible to process.

 

None of the Sponsor, the Trustee or the Custodians will be liable to any person or in any way for any loss or damages that may result from any such suspension, postponement or rejection.

 

Creation and Redemption Transaction Fee

 

An Authorized Participant is required to pay a transaction fee to the Trustee of $2,000 per order to create or redeem Baskets. An order may include multiple Baskets. The transaction fee may be changed by the Trustee with the consent of the Sponsor. The Trustee shall notify DTC of any agreement to change the transaction fee and will not implement any increase in the fee for the redemption of Baskets until 30 days after the date of the notice. A transaction fee may not exceed 0.10% of the value of a Basket at the time the creation and redemption order is accepted.

 

Tax Responsibility

 

Authorized Participants are responsible for any transfer tax, sales or use tax, recording tax, value added tax or similar tax or governmental charge applicable to the creation or redemption of Baskets, regardless of whether or not such tax or charge is imposed directly on the Authorized Participant, and agree to indemnify the Sponsor, the Trustee and the Trust if they are required by law to pay any such tax, together with any applicable penalties, additions to tax or interest thereon.

 

Trust Expenses

 

The Trustee sells gold as needed to pay the expenses of the Trust. As a result, the amount of gold sold will vary from time to time depending on the level of the Trust’s expenses and the market price of gold. Cash held by the Trustee does not bear any interest. The Trust’s estimated ordinary operating expenses are accrued daily and reflected in the NAV of the Trust.

 

The Trust’s only recurring fixed expense is the Sponsor’s fee which accrues daily at an annual rate equal to 0.40% of the daily NAV. In exchange for the Sponsor’s fee, the Sponsor agrees to pay all ordinary fees and expenses of the Trust which include fees and expenses of the Trustee, fees and expenses of the Custodians for the custody of the Trust’s gold bars, fees and expenses of the Sponsor, certain taxes, fees of the Marketing Agent, printing and mailing costs, legal and audit fees, registration fees, NYSE Arca listing fees and other marketing costs and expenses. Additionally, under a separate agreement with JPMorgan, the Sponsor has agreed to pay or reimburse JPMorgan for any value added, sales or similar tax chargeable on the services provided by JPMorgan as a Custodian, including any such taxes otherwise payable by the Trust. The Sponsor’s fees were $221,609,174 for the year ended September 30, 2023.

 

In addition, the following expenses may be accrued and paid by the Trust:

 

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Expenses and other charges of the Custodians payable by the Trustee on behalf of the Trust under the Custody Agreements (as defined under "Description of the Custody Agreements")  (including (1) any relevant taxes, duties and governmental charges; and (2) the obligation to indemnify the Custodians) and, subject to the prior written approval of the Sponsor, (A) other expenses and charges for the custody, deposit or delivery of gold and services related to the custody and safekeeping of gold; and (B) expenses and charges charged by other custodians pursuant to a custody agreement;

 

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Expenses of the Trustee for uncustomary and extraordinary out-of-pocket expenses and fees of the Trustee for extraordinary services performed under the Trust Indenture;

 

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Certain taxes and various other governmental charges;

 

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Various taxes and governmental charges and any taxes, fees and charges payable by the Trustee with respect to the creation or redemption of Baskets;

 

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Any taxes or other governmental charges imposed on the Sponsor in respect of the Trust, its assets, including gold, or the Shares;

 

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Expenses and costs of any action taken by the Trustee or the Sponsor to protect the Trust and the rights and interests of Shareholders;

 

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Amounts for indemnification of the Trustee or the Sponsor as permitted under the Trust Indenture;

 

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Expenses incurred in contacting Shareholders exceeding an aggregate amount for any fiscal year of $500,000;

 

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Amounts for reimbursement in respect of certain claims described under “Risk Factors—The Trust’s obligation to reimburse the Marketing Agent and the Authorized Participants for certain liabilities;”

 

 

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The amount of any legal fees and expenses (including the costs of any litigation) of (i) the Sponsor and the Trust, (ii) the Custodians and (iii) the Trustee in excess of an aggregate amount for any fiscal year of $500,000; and

 

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All other expenses of the Trust not otherwise assumed by the Sponsor under the Trust Indenture.

 

The Sponsor

 

The Sponsor is a Delaware limited liability company formed on July 17, 2002. The Sponsor was responsible for establishing the Trust and for the registration of the Shares. The Sponsor generally oversees the performance of the Trustee and the Trust’s principal service providers, but does not exercise day-to-day oversight over the Trustee or such service providers. The Sponsor regularly communicates with the Trustee to monitor the overall performance of the Trust. The Sponsor may direct the Trustee, but only as provided in the Trust Indenture. The Sponsor, with assistance and support from the Trustee, is responsible for preparing and filing periodic reports on behalf of the Trust with the SEC and will provide any required certification for such reports. The Sponsor will designate the independent registered public accounting firm of the Trust and may from time to time employ legal counsel for the Trust. To assist the Sponsor in marketing the Shares, the Sponsor has entered into the Marketing Agent Agreement with the Marketing Agent and the Trust. See “The Marketing Agent” for more information about the Marketing Agent. The Sponsor maintains a public website on behalf of the Trust (www.spdrgoldshares.com), which contains information about the Trust and the Shares.

 

The Sponsor will not be liable to the Trustee or any Shareholder for any action taken or for refraining from taking any action in good faith, or for errors in judgment or for depreciation or loss incurred by reason of the sale of any gold or other assets of the Trust. However, the preceding liability exclusion will not protect the Sponsor against any liability resulting from its own gross negligence, bad faith, willful misconduct or willful malfeasance in the performance of its duties or the reckless disregard of its obligations and duties to the Trust.

 

The Sponsor and its shareholders, members, directors, officers, employees, affiliates and subsidiaries are indemnified from the Trust and held harmless against certain losses, liabilities or expenses incurred in the performance of its duties under the Trust Indenture without gross negligence, bad faith, willful misconduct, willful malfeasance or reckless disregard of the indemnified party’s obligations and duties under the Trust Indenture. Such indemnity includes payment from the Trust of the costs and expenses incurred in defending against any claim or liability under the Trust Indenture. Under the Trust Indenture, the Sponsor may be able to seek indemnification from the Trust for payments it makes in connection with the Sponsor’s activities under the Trust Indenture to the extent its conduct does not disqualify it from receiving such indemnification under the terms of the Trust Indenture. The Sponsor will also be indemnified from the Trust and held harmless against any loss, liability or expense arising under the Marketing Agent Agreement or any Participant Agreement insofar as such loss, liability or expense arises from any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any written statement provided to the Sponsor by the Trustee. Any amounts payable to the Sponsor are secured by a lien on the Trust.

 

The Trustee

 

BNYM, a banking corporation organized under the laws of the State of New York with trust powers, serves as the Trustee. BNYM has a trust office at 2 Hanson Place, Brooklyn, New York 11217. BNYM is subject to supervision by the New York State Department of Financial Services and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. Under the Trust Indenture, the Trustee is required to maintain an aggregate capital, surplus and undivided profits of not less than $500 million.

 

The Trustee is generally responsible for the day-to-day administration of the Trust, including keeping the Trust’s operational records. The Trustee’s principal responsibilities include: (1) selling the Trust’s gold as needed to pay the Trust’s expenses (gold sales occur monthly in the ordinary course); (2) calculating the NAV of the Trust and the NAV per Share; (3) receiving and processing orders from Authorized Participants to create and redeem Baskets and coordinating the processing of such orders with the Custodians and DTC; and (4) monitoring the Custodians. If the Trustee determines that maintaining gold with one of the Custodians is not in the best interest of the Trust, the Trustee must so advise the Sponsor, who may direct the Trustee to take certain actions in respect of such Custodian. In the absence of such instructions, the Trustee may initiate action to remove the gold from such Custodian. The ability of the Trustee to monitor the performance of the Custodians may be limited because under the Custody Agreements the Trustee only has the right, up to twice a year, visit the premises of the Custodians for the purpose of examining the Trust’s gold and certain related records maintained by the Custodians. Inspectorate International Limited (“Inspectorate”) conducts two counts each year of the gold bullion stock held on behalf of the Trust at the vaults of the Custodians. A complete bar count is conducted once per year and coincides with the Trust’s financial year end at September 30^th. Inspectorate concluded the annual full count of the Trust’s gold bullion held by (i) HSBC at its London vault on October 2, 2023, (ii) JPMorgan at its London vault on October 2, 2023 and (iii) JPMorgan at its New York vault on October 2, 2023. The second count is a random sample count and is conducted at a date which falls within the same financial year and was conducted most recently at JPMorgan's London vault on March 24, 2023 and at HSBC's vault on April 5, 2023. The Trustee has no right to visit the premises of any subcustodian for the purposes of examining the Trust’s gold or any records maintained by the subcustodian, and no subcustodian is obligated to cooperate in any review the Trustee may wish to conduct of the facilities, procedures, records or creditworthiness of such subcustodian. The Trustee regularly communicates with the Sponsor to monitor the overall performance of the Trust. The Trustee, along with the Sponsor, liaises with the Trust’s legal, accounting and other professional service providers as needed. The Trustee assists and supports the Sponsor with the preparation of all periodic reports required to be filed with the SEC on behalf of the Trust.

 

 

Affiliates of the Trustee may from time to time act as Authorized Participants or purchase or sell gold or Shares for their own account, as agent for their customers and for accounts over which they exercise investment discretion.

 

The Marketing Agent

 

SSGA, a wholly-owned subsidiary of State Street Corporation, acts as the Marketing Agent. The Marketing Agent is a registered broker-dealer with the SEC and is a member of FINRA. The Marketing Agent’s principal place of business is located at One Iron Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210.

 

The Marketing Agent’s Role and the Marketing Agent Agreement

 

The Marketing Agent assists the Sponsor in: (1) developing a marketing plan for the Trust on an ongoing basis; (2) preparing marketing materials regarding the Shares, including the content of the Trust’s website; (3) executing the marketing plan for the Trust; (4) incorporating gold into its strategic and tactical exchange-traded fund research; (5) sublicensing the “SPDR®” trademark; and (6) assisting with certain shareholder services, such as a call center and prospectus fulfillment.

 

The Marketing Agent and its affiliates may from time to time become Authorized Participants or purchase or sell gold or Shares for their own account, as agent for their customers and for accounts over which they exercise investment discretion.

 

The Sponsor and the Marketing Agent entered into an Amended and Restated Marketing Agent Agreement effective July 17, 2015 (as further amended from time to time, the “Marketing Agent Agreement”) which contains customary representations, warranties and covenants. In addition, the Sponsor has agreed to indemnify the Marketing Agent from and against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act and to contribute to payments that the Marketing Agent may be required to make in respect thereof. The Trustee has agreed to reimburse the Marketing Agent, solely from and to the extent of the Trust’s assets, for indemnification and contribution amounts due from the Sponsor in respect of such liabilities to the extent the Sponsor has not paid such amounts when due.

 

The Marketing Agent Agreement expires on July 17, 2024 and thereafter automatically renews for successive two-year periods unless terminated in accordance with the agreement by either party twelve months prior to the end of the then-current term. If the Sponsor or Marketing Agent terminates the agreement for certain reasons specified in it, the Sponsor is required to pay the Marketing Agent the present market value of the future payments the Marketing Agent would otherwise receive under that agreement over the subsequent five-year period.

 

License Agreement with the Marketing Agent

 

The Sponsor and the World Gold Council (the “WGC”) entered into a license agreement, dated as of November 16, 2004, with the Marketing Agent. Under the license agreement, the Sponsor and the WGC granted the Marketing Agent a royalty-free, worldwide, non-exclusive, non-transferable: (1) sublicense under the license agreement among the Sponsor, the WGC and BNYM, to BNYM’s patents and patent applications that cover securitized gold products in connection with the Marketing Agent’s performance of its services under the Marketing Agent Agreement; and (2) a license to the Sponsor’s and the WGC’s patents, patent applications and intellectual property and trade name and trademark rights in connection with the Marketing Agent’s performance of its services under the Marketing Agent Agreement and for the purpose of establishing, operating and marketing financial products involving the securitization of gold.

 

The license agreement will expire upon the expiration or termination of the Marketing Agent Agreement. Either party may terminate the license agreement prior to such term if the other party materially breaches the license agreement and fails to cure such breach within 30 days following written notice of such breach from the non-breaching party. The license agreement contains customary representations, warranties and covenants. In addition, the Sponsor, the WGC and the Marketing Agent have agreed to indemnify each other for breaches of their respective representations and warranties and the Sponsor and the WGC have agreed to indemnify the Marketing Agent for violations of the intellectual property rights of others as a result of the Marketing Agent’s use of the licensed intellectual property.

 

SPDR Sublicense Agreement

 

“SPDR” is a trademark of SPDJI and has been licensed for use by the SPDR® Gold Trust pursuant to a SPDR Sublicense Agreement, dated May 20, 2008, between the Sponsor, the WGC, the Marketing Agent and State Street Corporation, pursuant to which the Marketing Agent and State Street Corporation granted the Sponsor and the WGC a royalty-free, worldwide, non-exclusive, non-transferable sublicense to use the “SPDR®” trademark (in accordance with the SPDR Trademark License Agreement dated as of November 29, 2006, as amended, between State Street Global Advisors, a division of State Street Bank and Trust Company, and S&P), for the purpose of establishing and operating the Trust, issuing and distributing the Shares, using “SPDR” as part of the name of the Shares and listing the Shares on exchanges.

 

 

The sublicense agreement will expire upon the expiration or termination of the earlier of (i) the Marketing Agent Agreement or (ii) the SPDR® Trademark License Agreement. Either party may terminate the sublicense agreement prior to such term if the other party materially breaches the license agreement and fails to cure such breach within 30 days following written notice of such breach from the non-breaching party. The sublicense agreement contains customary representations, warranties and covenants. In addition, the Sponsor, the WGC, the Marketing Agent and State Street Corporation have agreed to indemnify each other for breaches of their respective representations, warranties and covenants.

 

The Custodians

 

HSBC and JPMorgan, as Custodians, are responsible for the safekeeping of the Trust's gold deposited with each of them by Authorized Participants in connection with the creation of Baskets. The Custodians facilitate the transfer of gold in and out of the Trust through the unallocated gold accounts of the Authorized Participants and the unallocated and allocated gold accounts each Custodian maintains for the Trust. Each Custodian is responsible for allocating specific bars of gold bullion to the Trust's allocated accounts maintained by such Custodian. Each Custodian provides the Trustee with regular reports detailing the transfers of gold in and out of the Trust's allocated account at such Custodian and identifying the gold bars held in the Trust's allocated account at such Custodian.

 

HSBC operates its custody business out of its London office located at 8 Canada Square, London, E14 5HQ, United Kingdom. HSBC was incorporated with limited liability in England and is a wholly owned subsidiary of HSBC Holdings plc, or HSBC Group, a public limited company incorporated in England.  HSBC Group had $166 billion in regulatory capital resources according to HSBC Holdings plc’s Interim Report as of September 30, 2023. HSBC is authorized by the Prudential Regulation Authority (the "PRA") and regulated by the PRA and the FCA in the United Kingdom.

 

JPMorgan operates its custody business out of its London office located at 25 Bank Street, Canary Warf, London, E14 5JP, United Kingdom. JPMorgan was incorporated in the U.S. with limited liability as a National Banking Association and is a wholly owned subsidiary of JPMorgan Chase & Co. JPMorgan Chase & Co. had $3.9 trillion in assets and $317 billion in stockholders' equity according to its third-quarter 2023 financial results. JPMorgan is supervised and regulated in the U.S. by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and, with respect to certain matters, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.  In the United Kingdom, JPMorgan is authorized by the PRA and subject to regulation by the FCA and the PRA. JPMorgan also maintains vaults in New York and Zurich.

 

The Custodians are both market makers, clearers and approved weighers under the rules of the LBMA.

 

The Custodians and their affiliates may from time-to-time act as Authorized Participants or purchase or sell gold or Shares for their own account, as agent for their customers and for accounts over which they exercise investment discretion.

 

Custody of the Trust’s Gold

 

Custody of the gold bullion deposited with and held by the Trust is provided by HSBC at its London vault and by JPMorgan at its London, New York and Zurich vaults. Each Custodian holds all of the Trust’s gold in its respective vault premises except when the gold has been allocated in the vault of a subcustodian, and in such cases each Custodian has agreed that it will use commercially reasonable efforts to promptly transport or transfer the gold from the subcustodian’s vault to the Custodian’s London vault, at the Custodian’s cost and risk.

 

Each Custodian, as instructed by the Trustee, is authorized to accept, on behalf of the Trust, deposits of gold in unallocated form. Acting on instructions given by the Trustee, each Custodian allocates gold deposited in unallocated form with the Trust by selecting bars of gold bullion for deposit to the Trust's allocated account with that Custodian from unallocated bars which the Custodian holds or by instructing a subcustodian to allocate bars from unallocated bars held by the subcustodian. All gold bullion allocated to the Trust must conform to the rules, regulations, practices and customs of the LBMA, and the Custodians must replace any non-conforming gold bullion with conforming bullion as soon as practical.

 

The Trustee has entered into Custody Agreements with each Custodian which establish the Trust's unallocated and allocated accounts with that Custodian.  The Trust's unallocated accounts are used to facilitate the transfer of gold deposits and gold redemption distributions between Authorized Participants and the Trust in connection with the creation and redemption of Baskets and the sales of gold made by the Trustee for the Trust. Except when gold is transferred in and out of the Trust, all gold deposited with the Trust is held in the Trust's allocated accounts with the Custodians.

 

Each Custodian is authorized to appoint a subcustodian from time to time to hold the Trust’s gold until it can be transported or transferred to that Custodian’s London vault. A subcustodian appointed by a Custodian must be approved by the Trustee and the Sponsor and must be a LBMA member or the Bank of England.  Current lists of all gold held by the Custodians, including any held with a subcustodian, is available on the Sponsor’s website at www.spdrgoldshares.com.

 

 

In accordance with LBMA practices and customs, the Custodians do not have written custody agreements with the subcustodians they select. The lack of such written contracts could affect the recourse of the Trust and the Custodians against any subcustodian in the event a subcustodian does not use due care in the safekeeping of the Trust’s gold. See “Risk Factors—The ability of the Trustee and the Custodians to take legal action against subcustodians may be limited.”

 

The Custodians are required to use reasonable care in selecting subcustodians, but otherwise have limited responsibility in relation to the subcustodians appointed by them. The Custodians are obligated to use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain delivery of gold from those subcustodians appointed by them. Otherwise, the Custodians do not undertake to monitor the performance by subcustodians of their custody functions. Since August 13, 2020, the Custodians have not utilized any subcustodians on behalf of the Trust.

 

Selected subcustodians appointed by HSBC, as Custodian, have the ability to appoint further subcustodians who are not expected to have written custody agreements with HSBC's subcustodians that selected them. HSBC may not have the right to, and does not have the obligation to, seek recovery of the gold from any subcustodian appointed by a subcustodian. HSBC does not undertake to monitor the performance by subcustodians of their selection of further subcustodians.

 

Under the customs and practices of the London bullion market, allocated gold is held by custodians and, on their behalf, by subcustodians under arrangements that permit each entity for which gold is being held: (1) to request from the entity’s custodian (and a custodian or subcustodian to request from its subcustodian) a list identifying each gold bar being held and the identity of the particular custodian or subcustodian holding the gold bar and (2) to request the entity’s custodian to release the entity’s gold within two business days following demand for release. Each custodian or subcustodian is obligated under the customs and practices of the London bullion market to provide the bar list and the identification of custodians and subcustodians referred to in (1) above, and each custodian is obligated to release gold as requested. Under English law, unless otherwise provided in any applicable custody agreement, a custodian generally is liable to its customer for failing to take reasonable care of the customer’s gold and for failing to release the customer’s gold upon demand. While HSBC will not be liable for the acts or omissions, or for the solvency, of any subcustodian that it selects unless the selection of that subcustodian was made negligently or in bad faith, JPMorgan is liable for the acts or omissions, or for the insolvency, of any subcustodian that it selects .

 

The Custodians and the Trustee do not require any direct or indirect subcustodians to be insured or bonded with respect to their custodial activities. Each Custodian maintains insurance with regard to its business on such terms and conditions as it considers appropriate. Subject to confidentiality restrictions and in connection with the registration of the Shares, HSBC will allow the Trustee and the Sponsor (so long as the Sponsor is WGTS) to review its insurance coverage. Subject to confidentiality restrictions, JPMorgan will allow the Trustee to review its insurance coverage and will provide the Sponsor with information about its insurance coverage required by the Sponsor in connection with the registration of the Shares. The Trust will not be a beneficiary of any such insurance and does not have the ability to dictate the existence, nature or amount of the coverage. Therefore, Shareholders cannot be assured that a Custodian maintains adequate insurance or any insurance with respect to the gold held by the Custodian on behalf of the Trust.

 

Description of the Custody Agreements

 

HSBC entered into the Fourth Amended and Restated Allocated Bullion Account Agreement (the "HSBC Allocated Account Agreement") and the Second Amended and Restated Unallocated Bullion Account Agreement (the "HSBC Unallocated Account Agreement" and together with the HSBC Allocated Account Agreement, as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the "HSBC Custody Agreements") with the Trustee, and JPMorgan entered into the Allocated Precious Metal Account Agreement (the "JPMorgan Allocated Account Agreement") and the Unallocated Precious Metal Account Agreement (the "JPMorgan Unallocated Account Agreement" and together with the JPMorgan Allocated Account Agreement, as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the "JPMorgan Custody Agreements" and together with the HSBC Custody Agreements, the "Custody Agreements") with the Trustee.  The Custody Agreements establish the Trust's unallocated and allocated accounts with the Custodians.  The following is a description of the material terms of the Custody Agreements. As the Custody Agreements are similar in form, they are discussed together, with material distinctions between the agreements noted.

 

Reports

 

Each Custodian provides the Trustee with reports for each business day, identifying the movements of gold in and out of the Trust's allocated accounts it maintains and the credits and debits of gold to the Trust's unallocated account it maintains.  The reports contain sufficient information to identify each bar of gold held in the Trust's allocated accounts and, if the bar is being held temporarily by a subcustodian, the identity of the subcustodian.

 

Transfers into and from the Trust's Unallocated Accounts

 

All transfers into and out of the Trust's unallocated accounts are made only upon receipt of and in accordance with instructions from the Trustee.  Each Custodian accepts deposits into the Trust's unallocated account of gold the Custodian receives from (1) the Trust's allocated account in connection with a redemption of Shares, (2) an Authorized Participant's unallocated account in connection with the creation of Shares, (3) the other Custodian's unallocated account in connection with a book entry or other transfer between the Custodians or (4) an unallocated account with a third-party permitted under the Custody Agreements.

 

A withdrawal from the Trust's unallocated account with a Custodian may be made by (1) transferring gold to an Authorized Participant's unallocated account in connection with a redemption of Shares, (2) allocating gold to the Trust's allocated accounts in connection with a creation of Shares, (3) transferring gold, including by book entry transfers, to the other Custodian's Trust unallocated account or (4) transferring gold to an unallocated account with a third-party as permitted under the Custody Agreements.

 

The Custody Agreements also allow for the withdrawal of physical gold from the Trust's unallocated account upon the Trustee's instruction.  Any gold made available in a physical form must comply with the rules, regulations, practices and customs of the LBMA, LPMCL, the FCA, the PRA, the Bank of England or any applicable regulatory body (collectively, the "Custody Rules").

 

 

 

The Custody Agreements provide for the full allocation of all gold credited to the Trust's unallocated account at the end of each business day. The Custody Agreements include an overdraft facility with each Custodian under which each Custodian will make available to the Trust's unallocated account with that Custodian up to 430 fine ounces of gold in order to allow the Custodian to fully allocate all gold credited to the Trust's unallocated account with that Custodian to the Trust's allocated account with that Custodian at the end of each business day.

 

Transfers into and from the Trust's Allocated Accounts

 

All transfers into and out of the Trust's allocated accounts are made only upon receipt of and in accordance with instructions from the Trustee.  The Custodians receive transfers of gold into the Trust's allocated accounts by debiting gold from the Trust's unallocated account and crediting such gold to the Trust's allocated account.  Conversely, the Custodians transfer gold from the Trust's allocated accounts by debiting gold from the Trust's allocated account and crediting the gold to the Trust's unallocated account. 

 

From time to time, the Sponsor may instruct the Trustee to instruct JPMorgan to transfer gold between the Trust's three allocated accounts maintained by JPMorgan in London, New York and Zurich.

 

Withdrawals of Gold Directly from the Trust's Allocated Accounts

 

Upon the Trustee’s instruction, the Custodians will make physical gold held in the Trust's allocated account available for withdrawal by debiting the gold from the Trust's allocated account and making the gold available for collection by the Trustee's designated carrier at the Trust's expense and risk.  Unless the Trustee specifies the bars of gold to be debited from the Trust's allocated account, the Custodians are entitled to select the gold bars.

 

Exclusion of Liability

 

HSBC will use reasonable care in the performance of its duties under the HSBC Custody Agreements and is only responsible for any loss or damage suffered by the Trust as a direct result of any negligence, fraud or willful default in the performance of its duties. HSBC’s liability under the HSBC Allocated Account Agreement is limited to the market value of the gold held in the Trust's allocated account at the time such negligence, fraud or willful default is discovered by HSBC, provided that HSBC promptly notifies the Trustee of its discovery. HSBC’s liability under the HSBC Unallocated Account Agreement is limited to the amount of the gold credited to the Trust's unallocated account at the time such negligence, fraud or willful default is discovered by HSBC, provided that HSBC promptly notifies the Trustee of its discovery. HSBC will not be liable for any loss suffered as a result of any act or omission or insolvency of any subcustodian, except to the extent directly resulting from HSBC's fraud, negligence or bad faith in the appointment of that subcustodian. HSBC will not be liable for any consequential loss, or loss of profit or goodwill.

 

JPMorgan will use reasonable care in the performance of its duties under the JPMorgan Unallocated Account Agreement and will act as a reasonable and prudent custodian in the performance of its duties under the JPMorgan Allocated Agreement. JPMorgan will be responsible for any loss or damage suffered by the Trust as a direct result of any negligence, fraud or willful misconduct in the performance of its duties. JPMorgan will also be liable for any loss suffered by the Trust as a result of any act or omission or insolvency of any subcustodian, including to the extent directly resulting from JPMorgan's fraud or negligence in the appointment of that subcustodian. Under the JPMorgan Custody Agreements, JPMorgan's liability is limited to the aggregate market value of the Trust's allocated account balances and the Trust's unallocated account balance at the time of such negligence, fraud or willful misconduct or act, omission or insolvency of any subcustodian.  JPMorgan will not be liable for any consequential loss, or loss of profit or goodwill, whether or not resulting from any negligence, fraud or willful misconduct on behalf of JPMorgan.

Neither Custodian has a duty to make or take or to require any subcustodian selected by it to make or take any special arrangements or precautions beyond those required by the Custody Rules or as specifically set forth in the Custody Agreements.  Neither Custodian will be liable for any delay in performance or any non-performance of any of its obligations under the Custody Agreements by reason of any cause beyond its reasonable control.

 

Indemnity

 

Solely out of the Trust’s assets, the Trust will indemnify each Custodian on demand against all costs and expenses, damages, liabilities and losses which such Custodian may suffer or incur in connection with the Custody Agreements, except to the extent that such sums are due directly to such Custodian’s negligence, willful default (or willful misconduct in the case of JPMorgan) or fraud. Under the HSBC Custody Agreements, this indemnity expressly extends to HSBC’s directors, officers, employees, agents, affiliates and subsidiaries.

 

 

Termination

 

Each Custody Agreement may be terminated by the Trustee or the relevant Custodian (1) upon 90 business days’ prior notice or (2) immediately upon certain events of insolvency of the other party. HSBC may also terminate the HSBC Unallocated Account Agreement if the Trust does not transfer to or repay HSBC the amount of any gold borrowed under the overdraft facility with HSBC within 30 business days of a request by HSBC to do so. JPMorgan may also immediately terminate the JPMorgan Custody Agreements if certain sanction related representations and agreements concerning the Trust or the Trustee are breached.

 

Governing Law

 

The Custody Agreements are governed by English law. The Trustee and each Custodian consent to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York and the federal courts located in the borough of Manhattan in New York City.

 

Description of the Shares

 

General

 

The Trustee is authorized under the Trust Indenture to create and issue an unlimited number of Shares. The Shares represent units of fractional undivided beneficial interest in and ownership of the Trust and have no par value. Any creation and issuance of Shares above the amount registered on the registration statement of which this report is a part will require the registration of such additional Shares.

 

Description of Limited Rights

 

The Shares do not represent a traditional investment and Shareholders should not view them as similar to “shares” of a corporation operating a business enterprise with management and a board of directors. As a Shareholder, you do not have the statutory rights normally associated with the ownership of shares of a corporation, including, for example, the right to bring “oppression” or “derivative” actions. All Shares are of the same class with equal rights and privileges. Each Share is transferable, is fully paid and non-assessable and entitles the holder to vote on the limited matters upon which Shareholders may vote under the Trust Indenture. The Shares do not entitle their holders to any conversion or pre-emptive rights, or, except as provided below, any redemption rights or rights to distributions.

 

Distributions

 

The Trust Indenture provides for distributions to Shareholders in only two circumstances. First, if the Trustee and the Sponsor determine that the Trust’s cash account balance exceeds the anticipated expenses of the Trust for the next 12 months and the excess amount is more than $0.01 per Share outstanding, they shall direct the excess amount to be distributed to the Shareholders. Second, if the Trust is terminated and liquidated, the Trustee will distribute to the Shareholders any amounts remaining after the satisfaction of all outstanding liabilities of the Trust and the establishment of such reserves for applicable taxes, other governmental charges and contingent or future liabilities as the Trustee shall determine. Shareholders of record on the record date fixed by the Trustee for a distribution will be entitled to receive their pro rata portion of any distribution.

 

Voting and Approvals

 

Under the Trust Indenture, Shareholders have no voting rights, except in limited circumstances. Shareholders holding at least 66 ²/₃% of the Shares outstanding may vote to remove the Trustee. The Trustee may terminate the Trust upon the agreement of Shareholders owning at least 66 ²/₃% of the outstanding Shares. In addition, certain amendments to the Trust Indenture require 51% or unanimous consent of the Shareholders.

 

Book-Entry Form

 

Individual certificates will not be issued for the Shares. Instead, global certificates are deposited by the Trustee with DTC and registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee for DTC. The global certificates evidence all of the Shares outstanding at any time. Under the Trust Indenture, Shareholders are limited to: (1) DTC Participants; (2) those who maintain, either directly or indirectly, a custodial relationship with a DTC Participant, or Indirect Participants; and (3) those banks, brokers, dealers, trust companies and others who hold interests in the Shares through DTC Participants or Indirect Participants. The Shares are only transferable through the book-entry system of DTC. Shareholders who are not DTC Participants may transfer their Shares through DTC by instructing the DTC Participant holding their Shares (or by instructing the Indirect Participant or other entity through which their Shares are held) to transfer the Shares. Transfers are made in accordance with standard securities industry practice.

 

 

United States Federal Tax Consequences

 

The following discussion of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences that generally apply to the purchase, ownership and disposition of Shares and gold held by the Trust by a U.S. Shareholder (as defined below), and certain U.S. federal gift and estate tax consequences that generally apply to an investment in Shares by a Non-U.S. Shareholder (as defined below), represents, insofar as it describes conclusions as to U.S. federal tax law and subject to the limitations and qualifications described therein, the opinion of Carter Ledyard & Milburn LLP, special U.S. federal tax counsel to the Sponsor. The discussion below is based on the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, (the “Code”), Treasury Regulations promulgated under the Code and judicial and administrative interpretations of the Code, all as in effect on the date of this annual report and all of which are subject to changes either prospectively or retroactively. The tax treatment of Shareholders may vary depending upon their own particular circumstances. Certain Shareholders (including broker-dealers, traders or other investors with special circumstances) may be subject to special rules not discussed herein. In addition, the following discussion applies only to investors who hold Shares as “capital assets” within the meaning of Code section 1221. Moreover, the discussion herein does not address the effect of any state, local or foreign tax law on the disposition of Shares. Purchasers of Shares are urged to consult their own tax advisors with respect to all U.S. federal, state, local and foreign tax law considerations potentially applicable to their investment in Shares.

 

For purposes of this discussion, a “U.S. Shareholder” is a Shareholder that is:

 

•

An individual who is a U.S. citizen or resident of the United States for U.S. federal income tax purposes;

 

•

An entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes that is created or organized in or under the laws of the United States or any political subdivision thereof;

 

•

An estate, the income of which is includible in gross income for U.S. federal income tax purposes regardless of its source; or

 

•

A trust, if (1) a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust; or (2) the trust has a valid election in effect under applicable U.S. Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person.

 

A Shareholder (other than a partnership or other entity subject to tax as a partnership) that is not a U.S. Shareholder as defined above is generally considered a “Non-U.S. Shareholder” for purposes of this discussion. For U.S. federal income tax purposes, the treatment of any beneficial owner of an interest in a partnership, including any entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, will generally depend upon the status of the partner and upon the activities of the partnership. Partnerships and partners in partnerships should consult their tax advisors about the U.S. federal income tax consequences of purchasing, owning and disposing of Shares.

 

Taxation of The Trust

 

The Trust is treated as a “grantor trust” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Trust itself is not subject to U.S. federal income tax. Instead, the Trust’s income and expenses “flow through” to the Shareholders, and the Trustee will report the Trust’s income, gains, losses and deductions to the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) on that basis.

 

Taxation of U.S. Shareholders

 

U.S. Shareholders generally will be treated, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as if they directly owned a pro rata share of the gold held by the Trust. U.S. Shareholders also will be treated as if they directly derived their respective pro rata shares of the Trust’s income, if any, and as if they directly incurred their respective pro rata shares of the Trust’s expenses. In the case of a U.S. Shareholder that purchases Shares for cash, its initial tax basis in its pro rata share of the gold held in the Trust at the time it acquires its Shares will be equal to its cost of acquiring the Shares. In the case of a U.S. Shareholder that acquires its Shares by delivering gold to the Trust, the delivery of gold to the Trust in exchange for the underlying gold represented by the Shares will not be a taxable event to the U.S. Shareholder, and the U.S. Shareholder’s tax basis and holding period for the U.S. Shareholder’s pro rata share of the gold held in the Trust will be the same as its tax basis and holding period for the gold delivered by the U.S. Shareholder in exchange therefor. For purposes of this discussion, it is assumed that all of a U.S. Shareholder’s Shares are acquired on the same date, at the same price per Share and, except where otherwise noted, that the sole asset of the Trust is gold.

 

When the Trust sells gold, for example to pay expenses, a U.S. Shareholder generally will recognize gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between (1) the U.S. Shareholder’s pro rata share of the amount realized by the Trust upon the sale; and (2) the U.S. Shareholder’s tax basis for its pro rata share of the gold that was sold, which gain or loss will generally be long-term or short-term capital gain or loss, depending upon whether the U.S. Shareholder has held its Shares for more than one year (see discussion below on the applicable tax rates with respect to such capital gain or loss). A U.S. Shareholder’s tax basis for its share of any gold sold by the Trust generally will be determined by multiplying the U.S. Shareholder’s total basis for its share of all of the gold held in the Trust immediately prior to the sale, by a fraction the numerator of which is the amount of gold sold and the denominator of which is the total amount of the gold held in the Trust immediately prior to the sale. Immediately after any such sale, a U.S. Shareholder’s tax basis for its pro rata share of the gold remaining in the Trust will equal its tax basis for its share of the total amount of the gold held in the Trust immediately prior to the sale, less the portion of such basis allocable to its share of the gold that was sold.

 

 

Upon a U.S. Shareholder’s sale of some or all of its Shares, the U.S. Shareholder will be treated as having sold the portion of its pro rata share of the gold held in the Trust at the time of the sale that is attributable to the Shares sold. Accordingly, the U.S. Shareholder generally will recognize gain or loss on the sale of the Shares in an amount equal to the difference between (1) the amount realized pursuant to the sale of the Shares; and (2) the U.S. Shareholder’s tax basis for the portion of its pro rata share of the gold held in the Trust at the time of sale that is attributable to the Shares sold, determined by multiplying the U.S. Shareholder’s tax basis for its pro rata share of the gold held in the Trust immediately prior to the sale by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of Shares sold and the denominator of which is the number of Shares held by the U.S. Shareholder immediately prior to the sale.

 

A redemption of some or all of a U.S. Shareholder’s Shares in exchange for the underlying gold represented by the Shares redeemed generally will not be a taxable event to the U.S. Shareholder. The U.S. Shareholder’s tax basis for the gold received in the redemption generally will be the same as the U.S. Shareholder’s tax basis for the portion of its pro rata share of the gold held in the Trust immediately prior to the redemption that is attributable to the Shares redeemed. This is determined by multiplying the U.S. Shareholder’s tax basis for its pro rata share of the gold held in the Trust immediately prior to the redemption by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of Shares redeemed and the denominator of which is the number of Shares held by the U.S. Shareholder immediately prior to the redemption. The U.S. Shareholder’s holding period with respect to the gold received should include the period during which the U.S. Shareholder held the Shares redeemed. A subsequent sale of the gold received by the U.S. Shareholder will be a taxable event.

 

Immediately after any sale or redemption of less than all of a U.S. Shareholder’s Shares, the U.S. Shareholder’s tax basis for its pro rata share of the gold held in the Trust immediately after such sale or redemption generally will equal its tax basis for its share of the total amount of the gold held in the Trust immediately prior to the sale or redemption, reduced by the portion of such basis that is attributable to the Shares sold or redeemed, as addressed above.

 

As noted above, the foregoing discussion assumes that all of a U.S. Shareholder’s Shares were acquired on the same date and at the same price per Share. If a U.S. Shareholder owns multiple lots of Shares (i.e., Shares acquired on different dates and/or at different prices), it is uncertain whether the U.S. Shareholder may use the “specific identification” rules that apply under Treasury regulations section 1.1012-1(c) with respect to sales of shares of stock, in determining the amount, and the long-term or short-term character, of any gain or loss recognized by the U.S. Shareholder upon the sale of gold by the Trust, upon the sale of any Shares by the U.S. Shareholder, or upon the sale by the U.S. Shareholder of any gold received by it upon the redemption of any of its Shares. The IRS could take the position that a U.S. Shareholder has a blended tax basis and holding period for its pro rata share of the underlying gold in the Trust. However, there is no Code section, Regulation or other guidance on this point. U.S. Shareholders that hold multiple lots of Shares, or that are contemplating acquiring multiple lots of Shares, should consult their own tax advisors as to the determination of the tax basis and holding period for the underlying gold related to such Shares.

 

Maximum 28% Long-Term Capital Gains Tax Rate for U.S. Shareholders Who are Individuals

 

Under current law, gains recognized by individuals from the sale of “collectibles,” including gold bullion, held for more than one year are taxed at a maximum rate of 28%, rather than the 20% rate applicable to most other long-term capital gains. However, if an individual U.S. Shareholder is otherwise subject to a rate lower than 28%, if the gain was ordinary income due to being in a lower bracket, the 28% rate does not apply and such lower rate will apply. For these purposes, a gain recognized by an individual upon the sale of an interest (such as the Shares) in a trust that holds collectibles is treated as gain recognized on the sale of collectibles, to the extent that such gain is attributable to unrealized appreciation in the value of the collectibles held by the trust. Therefore, any gain recognized by an individual U.S. Shareholder attributable to a sale of Shares held for more than one year, or attributable to the Trust’s sale of any gold bullion that the individual U.S. Shareholder is treated (through its ownership of Shares) as having held for more than one year, generally will be taxed at a maximum rate of 28%. The tax rates for capital gains recognized upon the sale of assets held by an individual U.S. Shareholder for one year or less are generally the same as those at which ordinary income is taxed. The deductibility of capital losses by an individual U.S. Shareholder is subject to limitations.

 

3.8% Tax on Net Investment Income

 

Under current law, U.S. Shareholders that are individuals, estates or trusts, whose income exceeds certain thresholds, are subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on their “net investment income,” which generally includes capital gains from the disposition of property. This tax is in addition to any capital gains taxes due on such investment income (discussed above).

 

Brokerage Fees and Trust Expenses

 

Any brokerage or other transaction fee incurred by a U.S. Shareholder in connection with purchasing Shares will be treated as part of the U.S. Shareholder’s tax basis in the underlying assets of the Trust. Similarly, any brokerage fee incurred by a U.S. Shareholder in selling Shares will reduce the amount realized by the U.S. Shareholder with respect to the sale.

 

 

U.S. Shareholders will be required to recognize gain or loss upon a sale of gold by the Trust (as discussed above), even though some or all of the proceeds of such sale are used by the Trustee to pay Trust expenses. U.S. Shareholders may deduct their respective pro rata shares of each expense incurred by the Trust to the same extent as if they directly incurred such expense. U.S. Shareholders that are individuals, estates or trusts, however, may be required to treat some or all of the expenses of the Trust as miscellaneous itemized deductions. An individual U.S. Shareholder may not deduct miscellaneous itemized deductions for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026. For tax years beginning after December 31, 2025, an individual U.S. Shareholder may deduct certain miscellaneous itemized deductions only to the extent they exceed 2% of adjusted gross income. In addition, such deductions may be subject to phase-outs and other limitations under applicable provisions of the Code and regulations thereunder and, if the U.S. Shareholder is an individual subject to the alternative minimum tax, may not be deductible at all.

 

Investment by Tax-Exempt U.S. Shareholders

 

Tax-exempt U.S. Shareholders are generally subject to U.S. federal income tax only on their unrelated business taxable income (“UBTI”). In addition, a tax-exempt U.S. Shareholder that is a private foundation is also subject to certain U.S. federal excise taxes, including a 1.39% excise tax under Section 4940 of the Code on its “net investment income,” which would include any gain recognized on the sale of any of its Shares or its share of any gain recognized on the Trust’s sale of gold, provided such gain did not constitute UBTI. Unless a tax-exempt U.S. Shareholder incurs debt in order to purchase Shares, it is expected that tax-exempt U.S. Shareholders should not realize UBTI in respect of income or gains from the Shares. Tax-exempt U.S. Shareholders should consult their own tax advisors about the U.S. federal income and excise tax consequences of purchasing, owning and disposing of Shares in light of their particular circumstances.

 

Investment by Regulated Investment Companies

 

Mutual funds and other investment vehicles that are “regulated investment companies” within the meaning of Code Section 851 should consult with their own tax advisors concerning (1) the likelihood that an investment in Shares, although the Shares are “securities” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, may be considered an investment in the underlying gold for purposes of Code section 851(b), and (2) the extent to which an investment in Shares might nevertheless be consistent with preservation of their qualification under Code Section 851.

 

Investment by Certain Retirement Plans

 

Code Section 408(m) provides that the acquisition of a “collectible”—which is defined to include “any metal or gem” and “any stamp or coin” that is not a gold coin described in paragraph (7), (8), (9) , or (10) of section 5112(a) of title 31, United States Code (such gold coin, a “Non-Collectible Gold Coin”), nor gold bullion of a fineness equal to or exceeding the minimum fineness that a contract market (as described in section 5 of the Commodity Exchange Act, 7 U.S.C. 7) requires for metals that may be delivered in satisfaction of a regulated futures contract if such bullion is in the physical possession of a trustee under Code Section 408(a) (such gold bullion, “Non-Collectible Gold Bullion”)—by an individual retirement account, or IRA, or a participant-directed account maintained under any plan that is tax-qualified under Code Section 401(a), is treated as an immediate taxable distribution from the account to the owner of the IRA, or to the participant for whom the plan account is maintained, of an amount equal to the cost to the account of acquiring the collectible.

 

The Sponsor has received a private letter ruling from the IRS concluding that a purchase of Shares by an IRA, or by a participant-directed account under a Code Section 401(a) plan (a “plan account”), will not be treated as the acquisition of a collectible by the IRA or plan, and will not result in a taxable distribution to the IRA owner or plan participant under Code Section 408(m). However, if Shares are distributed by the trustee or custodian of an IRA or plan account to the IRA owner or participant, or if a redemption of any Shares held by an IRA or plan account results in the distribution of gold to the IRA or account (or such redemption is treated as distributed under Section 408), other than Non-Collectible Gold Coins or Non-Collectible Gold Bullion, such distribution would be taxable to the distributee in the year of distribution to the extent provided under the applicable provisions of Code Sections 408(d), 408(m) or 402. See also “ERISA and Related Considerations.”

 

U.S. Information Reporting and Backup Withholding for U.S. and Non-U.S. Shareholders

 

The Trustee will file certain information returns with the IRS, and provide certain tax-related information to Shareholders, in connection with the Trust. Each Shareholder will be provided with information regarding its allocable portion of the Trust’s annual income and gains (if any) and expenses.

 

A U.S. Shareholder may be subject to U.S. backup withholding tax in certain circumstances unless it provides its taxpayer identification number (“TIN”) and complies with certain certification procedures. Non-U.S. Shareholders may have to comply with certification procedures to establish that they are not U.S. persons in order to avoid the information reporting and backup withholding tax requirements.

 

 

The amount of any backup withholding will be allowed as a credit against a Shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability and may entitle such a Shareholder to a refund, provided that the required information is furnished to the IRS.

 

Income Taxation of Non-U.S. Shareholders

 

The Trust does not expect to generate taxable income except for gain (if any) upon the sale of gold. A Non-U.S. Shareholder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax with respect to gain recognized upon the sale or other disposition of Shares, or upon the sale of gold by the Trust, unless (1) the Non-U.S. Shareholder is an individual and is present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year of the sale or other disposition, and certain other conditions are met; or (2) the gain is effectively connected with the conduct by the Non-U.S. Shareholder of a trade or business in the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a U.S. permanent establishment). If clause (1) of the preceding sentence applies, the Non-U.S. Shareholder generally will be subject to a flat 30% U.S. federal income tax on any gain recognized, which may be offset by certain U.S. source losses. If clause (2) of the preceding sentence applies, the Non-U.S. Shareholder will generally be required to pay U.S. federal income tax on the net gain derived from the sale in the same manner as a U.S. Shareholder, as described above. In addition, corporate Non-U.S. Shareholders may be subject to a 30% branch profits tax on their “effectively connected” earnings and profits attributable to such gain (subject to adjustments). If a Non-U.S. Shareholder is eligible for the benefits of a tax treaty between the United States and its country of residence, the tax treatment of any such gain may be modified in the manner specified by the treaty.

 

Estate and Gift Tax Considerations for Non-U.S. Shareholders

 

Under the U.S. federal estate tax law, individuals who are neither citizens nor residents (as determined for U.S. federal estate and gift tax purposes) of the United States are subject to U.S. federal estate tax on all property that is “situated” in the U.S. at the time of death. Shares may well be considered to be situated in the U.S. for these purposes. If they are, then Shares would be includible in the U.S. gross estate of a non-resident alien Shareholder. Currently, U.S. federal estate tax is imposed at rates of up to 40% of the fair market value of the taxable estate. The U.S. federal estate tax rate is subject to change in future years. In addition, the U.S. federal “generation-skipping transfer tax” may apply in certain circumstances. The estate of a non-resident alien Shareholder who was resident in a country that has an estate tax treaty with the United States may be entitled to benefit from such treaty.

 

For non-citizens and non-residents of the United States, the U.S. federal gift tax generally applies only to gifts of tangible personal property or real property that is situated in the United States. Tangible personal property (including gold) is situated in the United States if it is physically located in the United States. Although the matter is not settled, it appears that ownership of Shares should not be considered ownership of the underlying gold for this purpose, even if that gold were held in custody in the United States. Instead, Shares should be considered intangible property, and therefore they should not be subject to U.S. federal gift tax if transferred during the Non-U.S. Shareholder’s lifetime.

 

Taxation in Jurisdictions Other than the United States

 

Prospective purchasers of Shares that are based in or acting out of a jurisdiction other than the United States are advised to consult their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences, under the laws of such jurisdiction (or any other jurisdiction not being the United States to which they are subject), of their purchase, holding, sale and redemption of or any other dealing in Shares and, in particular, whether any value added tax, other consumption tax or transfer tax is payable in relation to such purchase, holding, sale, redemption or other dealing in Shares.

 

ERISA and Related Considerations

 

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, or (“ERISA”), and/or Code section 4975 impose certain requirements on employee benefit plans and certain other plans and arrangements that are subject to ERISA or the Code, including IRAs and annuities, retirement plans for self-employed individuals (so-called “Keogh plans”), and certain collective investment funds and insurance company general or separate accounts in which such plans or arrangements are invested, collectively the Plans, and on persons who are fiduciaries with respect to the investment of assets treated as “plan assets” of a Plan. Government plans and some church plans are not subject to the fiduciary responsibility provisions of ERISA or the provisions of section 4975 of the Code but may be subject to substantially similar rules under state or other federal law.

 

In contemplating an investment of a portion of Plan assets in Shares, the Plan fiduciary responsible for making such investment should carefully consider, taking into account the facts and circumstances of the Plan, the “Risk Factors” discussed above and whether such investment is consistent with its fiduciary responsibilities, including, but not limited to: (1) whether the fiduciary has the authority to make the investment under the appropriate governing plan instrument; (2) whether the investment would constitute a direct or indirect “prohibited transaction” with a “party in interest” or “disqualified person,” as described in ERISA section 406 or Section 4975 of the Code, as applicable, that is not otherwise subject to a statutory exemption or prohibited transaction exemption issued by the Department of Labor; (3) the Plan’s funding objectives; and (4) whether under the general fiduciary standards of investment prudence and diversification such investment is appropriate for the Plan, taking into account the overall investment policy of the Plan, the composition of the Plan’s investment portfolio and the Plan’s need for sufficient liquidity to pay benefits when due. The Shares constitute “publicly-offered securities” as defined in Department of Labor Regulations § 2510.3- 101(b)(2). Accordingly, Shares purchased by a Plan, and not an interest in the underlying gold bullion held in the Trust represented by the Shares, should be treated as assets of the Plan, for purposes of applying the “fiduciary responsibility” and “prohibited transaction” rules of ERISA and the Code. See also “United States Federal Tax Consequences — Investment by Certain Retirement Plans.”

 

 

Item 1A. Risk Factors

 

You should consider carefully the risks described below before making an investment decision. You should also refer to the other information included in this report, including the Trust’s financial statements and the related notes.

 

Risks Related to Gold

 

Crises may motivate large-scale sales of gold which could decrease the price of gold and adversely affect an investment in the Shares.

 

The possibility of large-scale distress sales of gold in times of crisis may have a negative impact on the price of gold and adversely affect an investment in the Shares. For example, the 2008 financial crisis resulted in significant sales of gold by individuals which depressed the price of gold. Crises in the future may impair gold’s price performance which would, in turn, adversely affect an investment in the Shares.

 

Substantial sales of gold by the official sector could adversely affect an investment in the Shares.

 

The official sector consists of central banks, other governmental agencies and international organizations that buy, sell and hold gold as part of their reserve assets. The official sector holds a significant amount of gold, most of which is static, meaning that it is held in vaults and is not bought, sold, leased or swapped or otherwise mobilized in the open market. See “The Gold Industry—Sources of Gold Supply” and “Movements in the Price of Gold” for more details. In the event that future economic, political or social conditions or pressures require members of the official sector to liquidate their gold assets all at once or in an uncoordinated manner, the demand for gold might not be sufficient to accommodate the sudden increase in the supply of gold to the market. Consequently, the price of gold could decline significantly, which would adversely affect an investment in the Shares.

 

The price of gold may be affected by the sale of gold by ETFs or other exchange traded vehicles tracking gold markets.

 

To the extent existing exchange traded funds (“ETFs”) or other exchange traded vehicles tracking gold markets represent a significant proportion of demand for physical gold bullion, large redemptions of the securities of these ETFs or other exchange traded vehicles could negatively affect physical gold bullion prices and the price and NAV of the Shares.

 

The value of the gold held by the Trust is determined using the LBMA Gold Price PM. Potential discrepancies in the calculation of the LBMA Gold Price PM, as well as any future changes to the LBMA Gold Price PM, could impact the value of the gold held by the Trust and could have an adverse effect on the value of an investment in the Shares.

 

The LBMA Gold Price is determined twice each business day (10:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. London time) by the participants in a physically settled, electronic and tradable auction administered by the IBA using a bidding process that determines the price of gold by matching buy and sell orders submitted by the participants for the applicable auction time. The net asset value of the Trust is determined each day the Trust’s principal market, the NYSE Arca, is open for regular trading, using the LBMA Gold Price PM. If the LBMA Gold Price PM has not been announced by 12:00 PM New York time on a particular evaluation day, the next most recent LBMA Gold Price (AM or PM) is used in the determination of the net asset value of the Trust. The Trust, the Sponsor, and the Trustee do not participate in establishing the LBMA Gold Price. Other trusts backed by physical gold also use the LBMA Gold Price to determine their asset value. The LBMA Gold Price replaced the London Gold Fix on March 20, 2015 and has become a widely used benchmark for daily gold prices.

 

In the event that the LBMA Gold Price PM does not prove to be an accurate benchmark, and the LBMA Gold Price PM varies materially from the price determined by other mechanisms, the Net Asset Value of the Trust and the value of an investment in the Shares could be adversely impacted. Any future developments in the benchmark, to the extent they have a material impact on the LBMA Gold Price PM, could adversely impact the Net Asset Value of the Trust and the value of an investment in the Shares. Further, the calculation of the LBMA Gold Price PM is not an exact process. Rather it is based upon a procedure of matching orders from participants in the auction process and their customers to sell gold with orders from participants in the auction process and their customers to buy gold at particular prices. The LBMA Gold Price PM does not therefore purport to reflect each buyer or seller of gold in the market, nor does it purport to set a definitive price for gold at which all orders for sale or purchase will take place on that particular day or time. All orders placed into the auction process by the participants will be executed on the basis of the price determined pursuant to the LBMA Gold Price PM auction process (provided that orders may be cancelled, increased or decreased while the auction is in progress). It is possible that electronic failures or other unanticipated events may occur that could result in delays in the announcement of, or the inability of the system to produce, an LBMA Gold Price PM on any given date.

 

 

Risks Related to the Custody of Gold

 

The Trust’s gold may be subject to loss, damage, theft or restriction on access.

 

There is a risk that some or all of the Trust’s gold bars held by the Custodians or any subcustodian on behalf of the Trust could be lost, damaged or stolen. Access to the Trust’s gold bars could also be restricted by natural events (such as an earthquake) or human actions (such as a terrorist attack). Any of these events may adversely affect the operations of the Trust and, consequently, an investment in the Shares.

 

The Trust may not have adequate sources of recovery if its gold is lost, damaged, stolen or destroyed and recovery may be limited, even in the event of fraud, to the market value of the gold at the time the fraud is discovered.

 

Shareholders’ recourse against the Trust, the Trustee and the Sponsor, under New York law, the Custodians, under English law, and any subcustodians under the law governing their custody operations is limited. The Trust does not insure its gold. Each Custodian maintains insurance with regard to its business on such terms and conditions as it considers appropriate which does not cover the full amount of gold held by them. The Trust is not a beneficiary of any such insurance and does not have the ability to dictate the existence, nature or amount of coverage. Therefore, Shareholders cannot be assured that the Custodians will maintain adequate insurance or any insurance with respect to the gold held by the Custodians on behalf of the Trust. In addition, the Custodians and the Trustee do not require any direct or indirect subcustodians to be insured or bonded with respect to their custodial activities or in respect of the gold held by them on behalf of the Trust. Consequently, a loss may be suffered with respect to the Trust’s gold which is not covered by insurance and for which no person is liable in damages.

 

The liability of the Custodians is limited under the Custody Agreements. Under the HSBC Custody Agreements, HSBC is only liable for losses that are the direct result of its own negligence, fraud or willful default in the performance of its duties. HSBC's liability is further limited, in the case of the HSBC Allocated Account Agreement, to the market value of the gold bars held in the Trust’s allocated gold account at the time such negligence, fraud or willful default is discovered by HSBC and, in the case of the HSBC Unallocated Account Agreement, to the amount of gold credited to the Trust’s unallocated gold account at the time such negligence, fraud or willful default is discovered by HSBC. HSBC is not contractually or otherwise liable for any losses suffered by any Authorized Participant that are not the direct result of its own gross negligence, fraud or willful default in the performance of its duties under the Authorized Participant's unallocated bullion account agreement with HSBC, and in no event will its liability exceed the market value of the balance in the Authorized Participant's unallocated account with HSBC at the time such gross negligence, fraud or willful default is discovered by HSBC.  Under the JPMorgan Custody Agreements, JPMorgan is only liable for losses that are the direct result of its own negligence, fraud or willful misconduct in the performance of its duties, and JPMorgan's liability is limited to the aggregate market value of the Trust's allocated account balances and the Trust's unallocated account balance at the time of such negligence, fraud or willful misconduct. 

 

In addition, neither Custodian will be liable for any delay in performance or any non-performance of any of its obligations under the Custody Agreements by reason of any cause beyond its reasonable control. As a result, the recourse of the Trustee or the investor, under English law, is limited. Furthermore, under English common law, the Custodians or any subcustodian will not be liable for any delay in the performance or any non-performance of its custodial obligations by reason of any cause beyond its reasonable control.

 

Gold bars may be held by one or more subcustodians appointed by the Custodians, or in the case of HSBC, employed by the subcustodians appointed by HSBC, until the gold is transported to the applicable Custodian’s London vault premises. Under the HSBC Custody Agreements, except for an obligation on the part of HSBC to use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain delivery of the Trust’s gold bars from any subcustodians appointed by HSBC, HSBC is not liable for the acts or omissions of its subcustodians unless the selection of such subcustodians was made negligently or in bad faith.

 

The obligations of the Custodians under the Custody Agreements, and the obligations of HSBC under each Authorized Participant’s unallocated bullion account agreement with HSBC, are governed by English law. The Custodians may enter into arrangements with subcustodians, which arrangements may also be governed by English law. The Trust is a New York investment trust. Any federal, New York, or other court situated in the United States may have difficulty interpreting English law (which, insofar as it relates to custody arrangements, is largely derived from court rulings rather than statute), LBMA rules or the customs and practices in the London custody market. It may be difficult or impossible for the Trust to sue a subcustodian in a United States, New York or other court situated in the United States. In addition, it may be difficult, time consuming and/or expensive for the Trust to enforce in a foreign court a judgment rendered by a federal, New York, or other court situated in the United States.

 

 

If any subcustodian which holds gold on a temporary basis does not exercise due care in the safekeeping of the Trust’s gold bars, the ability of the Trustee or the Custodians to recover damages against such subcustodian may be limited to only such recourse, if any, as may be available under applicable English law or other applicable law. If the Trustee’s or a Custodian’s recourse against the subcustodian is so limited, the Trust may not be adequately compensated for the loss. For more information on the Trustee’s and each Custodian’s ability to seek recovery against subcustodians, the use of subcustodians and the subcustodian’s duty to safekeep the Trust’s gold bars, see “Custody of the Trust’s Gold.”

 

If the Trust’s gold bars are lost, damaged, stolen or destroyed under circumstances rendering a party liable to the Trust, the responsible party may not have the financial resources sufficient to satisfy the Trust’s claim. For example, as to a particular event of loss, the only source of recovery for the Trust might be limited to the Custodians or one or more subcustodians, if appointed; or, to the extent identifiable, other responsible third parties (e.g., a thief or terrorist), any of which may not have the financial resources (including liability insurance coverage) to satisfy a valid claim of the Trust.

 

Neither the Shareholders nor any Authorized Participant has a right under the Custody Agreements to assert a claim of the Trustee against the Custodians or any subcustodian; claims under the Custody Agreements may only be asserted by the Trustee on behalf of the Trust.

 

Because the Trustee and the Custodians do not oversee or monitor the activities of subcustodians who may temporarily hold the Trust’s gold bars until transported to a Custodian’s London vault premises, failure by the subcustodians to exercise due care in the safekeeping of the Trust’s gold bars could result in a loss to the Trust.

 

Under the Custody Agreements, each of the Custodians agrees to hold all of the Trust’s gold bars in its own vault premises except when the gold bars have been allocated in a vault other than the Custodian’s vault premises, and in such cases each Custodian agrees that it will use commercially reasonable efforts promptly to transport the gold bars to the Custodian’s London vault, at the Custodian’s cost and risk. Nevertheless, there may be periods of time when some portion of the Trust’s gold bars are held by one or more subcustodians appointed by a Custodian or, in the case of HSBC, by a subcustodian of such subcustodian. The Custody Agreements are described in “Description of the Custody Agreements.”

 

Both Custodians are required to use reasonable care in appointing their subcustodians. While JPMorgan remains liable for any loss suffered by the Trust as a result of any act or omission or insolvency of any subcustodian, including to the extent directly resulting from JPMorgan's fraud or negligence in the appointment of that subcustodian, HSBC does not have any additional responsibility in relation to the subcustodians appointed by it, except to the extent of losses which directly result from HSBC's fraud, negligence or bad faith in the appointment of the relevant subcustodian. Subcustodians appointed by HSBC may appoint further subcustodians, but HSBC is not responsible for the appointment of these further subcustodians.

 

HSBC does not undertake to monitor the performance by subcustodians of their custody functions or their selection of further subcustodians. JPMorgan will notify the Trustee and the Sponsor of any difficulties or problems existing with a subcustodian of which JPMorgan becomes aware, but is not otherwise obligated to monitor the performance of a subcustodian.  The Trustee does not undertake to monitor the performance of any subcustodian. Furthermore, the Trustee may have no right to visit the premises of any subcustodian for the purposes of examining the Trust’s gold bars or any records maintained by the subcustodian, and no subcustodian will be obligated to cooperate in any review the Trustee may wish to conduct of the facilities, procedures, records or creditworthiness of such subcustodian. See “Custody of the Trust’s Gold” for more information about subcustodians that may hold the Trust’s gold.

 

In addition, the ability of the Trustee to monitor the performance of the Custodians may be limited because, under the Custody Agreements, the Trustee has only limited rights to visit the premises of each Custodian for the purpose of examining the Trust’s gold bars and certain related records maintained by the Custodian.

 

The ability of the Trustee and the Custodians to take legal action against subcustodians may be limited, which increases the possibility that the Trust may suffer a loss if a subcustodian does not use due care in the safekeeping of the Trust’s gold bars.

 

If any subcustodian which holds gold on a temporary basis does not exercise due care in the safekeeping of the Trust’s gold bars, the ability of the Trustee or the Custodians to recover damages against such subcustodian may be limited to only such recourse, if any, as may be available under applicable English law or, if the subcustodian is not located in England, under other applicable law. This is because there are expected to be no written contractual arrangements between subcustodians who may hold the Trust’s gold bars and the Trustee or the Custodians, as the case may be. If the Trustee’s or a Custodian’s recourse against the subcustodian is so limited, the Trust may not be adequately compensated for the loss. For more information on the use of subcustodians, the Trustee’s and the Custodians' ability to seek recovery against subcustodians, and the subcustodian’s duty to safekeep the Trust’s gold bars, see “Custody of the Trust’s Gold.”

 

Gold held in the Trust’s unallocated gold accounts with the Custodians and any Authorized Participant’s unallocated gold account with a Custodian or another LPMCL gold clearing bank will not be segregated from the assets of the relevant Custodian or LPMCL gold clearing bank. If a Custodian or another LPMCL gold clearing bank becomes insolvent, its assets may not be adequate to satisfy a claim by the Trust or any Authorized Participant, as applicable. In addition, in the event of a Custodian’s insolvency, there may be a delay and costs incurred in identifying the gold bars held in the Trust’s allocated gold account with the Custodian.

 

Gold which is part of a deposit for a purchase order or part of a redemption distribution will be held for a time in the Trust's unallocated accounts with the Custodians and, previously or subsequently, in the Authorized Participant's unallocated account with a Custodian or another LPMCL gold clearing bank. During those times, the Trust and the Authorized Participant, as the case may be, will have no proprietary rights to any specific bars of gold held by a Custodian or another LPMCL gold clearing bank and will each be an unsecured creditor of the Custodian or the other LPMCL gold clearing bank, as applicable, with respect to the amount of gold held in their respective unallocated accounts. In addition, if a Custodian fails to allocate the Trust’s gold in a timely manner, in the proper amounts or otherwise in accordance with the terms of the unallocated account agreement with the Custodian, or if a subcustodian fails to so segregate gold held by it on behalf of the Trust, unallocated gold will not be segregated from the Custodian’s assets, and the Trust will be an unsecured creditor of the Custodian with respect to the amount so held in the event of the insolvency of the Custodian. In the event a Custodian or another LPMCL gold clearing bank becomes insolvent, the assets of the relevant Custodian or LPMCL gold clearing bank might not be adequate to satisfy a claim by the Trust or the Authorized Participant, as applicable, for the amount of gold held in their respective unallocated gold accounts.

 

 

In the event of the insolvency of a Custodian, a liquidator may seek to freeze access to the gold held in all of the accounts held by the Custodian, including the Trust's allocated account with that Custodian. Although the Trust would retain legal title to the allocated gold bars, the Trust could incur expenses in connection with obtaining control of the allocated gold bars, and the assertion of a claim by such liquidator for unpaid fees due to the Custodian could delay creations and redemptions of Baskets.

 

The gold bullion custody operations of the Custodians are not subject to specific governmental regulatory supervision.

 

Each Custodian is responsible for the safekeeping of the Trust’s gold bullion that the Custodian allocates to the Trust in connection with the creation of Baskets by Authorized Participants. Each Custodian also facilitates the transfer of gold in and out of the Trust through unallocated gold accounts it maintains for the Trust and may maintain for Authorized Participants. Although both Custodians are market makers, clearers and approved weighers under the rules of the LBMA (which sets out good practices for participants in the bullion market), the LBMA is not an official or governmental regulatory body. Furthermore, although the Custodians are subject to general banking regulations by U.S. regulators and generally regulated in the U.K. by the PRA and the FCA, such regulations do not directly cover the Custodians' gold bullion custody operations in the U.K. Accordingly, the Trust is dependent on the Custodians to comply with the best practices of the LBMA and to implement satisfactory internal controls for its gold bullion custody operations in order to keep the Trust’s gold secure.

 

General Risks

 

The Trust relies on the information and technology systems of the Trustee, the Custodians, the Marketing Agent and, to a lesser degree, the Sponsor, which could be adversely affected by information systems interruptions, cybersecurity attacks or other disruptions which could have a material adverse effect on the record keeping and operations of the Trust.

 

The Custodians, the Trustee and the Marketing Agent depend upon information technology infrastructure, including network, hardware and software systems to conduct their business as it relates to the Trust. A cybersecurity incident, or a failure to protect their computer systems, networks and information against cybersecurity threats, could result in a loss of information and adversely impact their ability to conduct their business, including their business on behalf of the Trust. Despite implementation of network and other cybersecurity measures, their security measures may not be adequate to protect against all cybersecurity threats.

 

The Trust as well as the Sponsor and its service providers are vulnerable to the effects of geopolitical events, including the Israel-Hamas war, the continuation of the war in Ukraine and other hostilities.

 

Geopolitical events, including the Israel-Hamas war, the continuation of the war in Ukraine and other hostilities could disrupt and potentially impact the business activities of the Sponsor and its service providers and have an adverse effect on the Trust.

 

On October 7, 2023, militants from Gaza attacked Israeli towns, killed Israeli civilians and soldiers and took hostages.  In response to the attack, Israel declared war against Hamas, attacking Hamas and Islamic targets in Gaza.  The responses of countries and political bodies to these events, the larger overarching tensions, Israel's military response and the potential for wider conflict may increase financial market volatility generally, have adverse effects on regional and global economic markets, and cause volatility in the price of gold and the price of the Shares. In addition, the conflict, along with any global political fallout and implications including sanctions, shipping disruptions, collateral war damage, and a potential expansion of the conflict, could disturb the gold market.

 

In late February 2022, Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine, significantly amplifying already existing geopolitical tensions among Russia and other countries in the region and in the west. On March 7, 2022, the LBMA suspended its accreditation of six Russian precious metals refiners. The LBMA stated that existing bars produced by the refiners before their suspension will still be accepted as good delivery. Following an announcement at the G7 Summit to collectively ban the import of Russian gold, the UK passed regulations which prohibit the direct or indirect (i) import of gold that originated in Russia, (ii) acquisition of gold that originated in Russia or is located in Russia and (iii) supply or delivery of gold that originated in Russia, all after July 21, 2022. Similarly, US regulations prohibit the import of gold of Russian origin into the United States on or after June 28, 2022 and EU regulations prohibit the direct or indirect import, purchase or transfer of gold if it originates in Russia and has been exported from Russia after July 22, 2022.

 

The responses of countries and political bodies to Russia’s actions, the larger overarching tensions, and Ukraine’s military response and the potential for wider conflict may increase financial market volatility generally, have adverse effects on regional and global economic markets, and cause volatility in the price of gold and the price of the Shares. In addition, the conflict in Ukraine, along with global political fallout and implications including sanctions, shipping disruptions, collateral war damage, and a potential expansion of the conflict beyond Ukraine’s borders, could disturb the gold market.

 

The Trust as well as the Sponsor and its service providers are vulnerable to the effects of public health crises such as the coronavirus pandemic (the “COVID-19 pandemic”).

 

Pandemics and other public health crises may cause a curtailment of business activities which may potentially impact the ability of the Sponsor and its service providers to operate. The COVID-19 pandemic or a similar public health threat could adversely impact the Trust by causing operating delays and disruptions, market disruption and shutdowns (including as a result of government regulation and prevention measures). The COVID-19 pandemic, for example, had substantive effects on social, economic and financial systems, including significant uncertainty and volatility in the financial markets. 

 

 

Potential conflicts of interest may arise among the Sponsor or its affiliates and the Trust.

 

Conflicts of interest may arise among the Sponsor and its affiliates, on the one hand, and the Trust and its Shareholders, on the other hand. As a result of these conflicts, the Sponsor may favor its own interests and the interests of its affiliates over the Trust and its Shareholders. As an example, the Sponsor, its affiliates and their officers and employees are not prohibited from engaging in other businesses or activities, including those that might be in direct competition with the Trust.

 

Risks Related to the Shares

 

The value of the Shares relates directly to the value of the gold held by the Trust and fluctuations in the price of gold could materially adversely affect an investment in the Shares.

 

The Shares are designed to mirror as closely as possible the performance of the price of gold, and the value of the Shares relates directly to the value of the gold held by the Trust, less the Trust’s liabilities (including estimated accrued expenses). The price of gold has fluctuated widely over the past several years. Several factors may affect the price of gold, including:

 

•

Global gold supply and demand, which is influenced by such factors as gold’s uses in jewelry, technology and industrial applications, purchases made by investors in the form of bars, coins and other gold products, forward selling by gold producers, purchases made by gold producers to unwind gold hedge positions, central bank purchases and sales, and production and cost levels in major gold-producing countries such as China, the United States and Australia;

 

•

Global or regional political, economic or financial events and situations, especially those unexpected in nature;

 

•

Investors’ expectations with respect to the rate of inflation;

 

•

Currency exchange rates;

 

•

Interest rates;

 

•

Investment and trading activities of hedge funds and commodity funds; and

 

•

Other economic variables such as income growth, economic output, and monetary policies.

 

The Shares have experienced significant price fluctuations. If gold markets continue to be subject to sharp fluctuations, this may result in potential losses if you need to sell your Shares at a time when the price of gold is lower than it was when you made your investment. Even if you are able to hold Shares for the long-term, you may never experience a profit, since gold markets have historically experienced extended periods of flat or declining prices, in addition to sharp fluctuations.

 

In addition, investors should be aware that while gold is used to preserve wealth by investors around the world, there is no assurance that gold will maintain its long-term value in terms of purchasing power in the future. In the event that the price of gold declines, the Sponsor expects the value of an investment in the Shares to decline proportionately.

 

If concerns about the integrity or reliability of the LBMA Gold Price PM arise, even if eventually shown to be without merit, such concerns could adversely affect investor interest in gold and therefore adversely affect the price of gold and the value of an investment in the Shares.

 

Because the net asset value of the Trust is determined using the LBMA Gold Price PM, discrepancies in, or manipulation of the calculation of the LBMA Gold Price PM could have an adverse impact on the value of an investment in the Shares. Furthermore, any concern about the integrity or reliability of the pricing mechanism could disrupt trading in gold and products using the LBMA Gold Price PM, such as the Shares. In addition, these concerns could potentially lead to changes in the manner in which the LBMA Gold Price PM is calculated and/or the discontinuance of the LBMA Gold Price PM altogether. Each of these factors could lead to less liquidity or greater price volatility for gold and products using the LBMA Gold Price PM, such as the Shares, or otherwise could have an adverse impact on the trading price of the Shares.

 

The amount of gold represented by the Shares will continue to be reduced during the life of the Trust due to the sales of gold necessary to pay the Trust’s expenses irrespective of whether the trading price of the Shares rises or falls in response to changes in the price of gold.

 

Each outstanding Share represents a fractional, undivided interest in the gold held by the Trust. The Trust does not generate any income and regularly sells gold to pay for its ongoing expenses. Therefore, the amount of gold represented by each Share has gradually declined over time. This is also true with respect to Shares that are issued in exchange for additional deposits of gold into the Trust, as the amount of gold required to create Shares proportionately reflects the amount of gold represented by the Shares outstanding at the time of creation. Assuming a constant gold price, the trading price of the Shares is expected to gradually decline relative to the price of gold as the amount of gold represented by the Shares gradually declines.

 

 

Investors should be aware that the gradual decline in the amount of gold represented by the Shares will occur regardless of whether the trading price of the Shares rises or falls in response to changes in the price of gold. The estimated ordinary operating expenses of the Trust, which accrue daily commencing after the first day of trading of the Shares, are described in “Trust Expenses.”

 

The Trust is a passive investment vehicle. This means that the value of the Shares may be adversely affected by Trust losses that, if the Trust had been actively managed, it might have been possible to avoid.

 

The Trustee does not actively manage the gold held by the Trust. This means that the Trustee does not sell gold at times when its price is high or acquire gold at low prices in the expectation of future price increases. It also means that the Trustee does not make use of any of the hedging techniques available to professional gold investors to attempt to reduce the risks of losses resulting from price decreases. Any losses sustained by the Trust will adversely affect the value of the Shares.

 

The Shares may trade at a price which is at, above or below the NAV per Share and any discount or premium in the trading price relative to the NAV per Share may widen as a result of non-concurrent trading hours between the COMEX and NYSE Arca.

 

The Shares may trade at, above or below the NAV per Share. The NAV per Share fluctuates with changes in the market value of the Trust’s assets. The trading price of the Shares fluctuates in accordance with changes in the NAV per Share as well as market supply and demand. The amount of the discount or premium in the trading price relative to the NAV per Share may be influenced by non-concurrent trading hours between the COMEX and NYSE Arca. While the Shares trade on NYSE Arca until 8:00 PM New York time, liquidity in the global gold market may be reduced after the close of the COMEX at 1:30 PM New York time. As a result, during this time, trading spreads, and the resulting premium or discount, on the Shares may widen.

 

The sale of the Trust’s gold to pay expenses at a time of low gold prices could adversely affect the value of the Shares.

 

The Trustee sells gold held by the Trust to pay Trust expenses on an as-needed basis irrespective of then-current gold prices. The Trust is not actively managed, and no attempt will be made to buy or sell gold to protect against or to take advantage of fluctuations in the price of gold. Consequently, the Trust’s gold may be sold at a time when the gold price is low, resulting in a negative effect on the value of the Shares.

 

Shareholders do not have the protections associated with ownership of shares in an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or the protections afforded by the Commodity Exchange Act.

 

The Trust is not registered as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and is not required to register under such act. Consequently, Shareholders do not have the regulatory protections provided to investors in registered investment companies. The Trust will not hold or trade in commodity futures contracts regulated by the Commodity Exchange Act (the “CEA”) as administered by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the “CFTC”). Furthermore, the Trust is not a commodity pool for purposes of the CEA, and none of the Sponsor, the Trustee or the Marketing Agent is subject to regulation by the CFTC as a commodity pool operator or a commodity trading advisor in connection with the Shares. Consequently, Shareholders do not have the regulatory protections provided to investors in CEA-regulated instruments or commodity pools.

 

The Trust may be required to terminate and liquidate at a time that is disadvantageous to Shareholders.

 

If the Trust is required to terminate and liquidate, such termination and liquidation could occur at a time which is disadvantageous to Shareholders, such as when gold prices are lower than the gold prices at the time when Shareholders purchased their Shares. In such a case, when the Trust’s gold is sold as part of the Trust’s liquidation, the resulting proceeds distributed to Shareholders will be less than if gold prices were higher at the time of sale.

 

The liquidity of the Shares may be affected by the withdrawal of Authorized Participants.

 

In the event that one of more Authorized Participants which has substantial interests in the Shares withdraws from participation, the liquidity of the Shares will likely decrease, which could adversely affect the market price of the Shares.

 

The lack of an active trading market or a halt in trading of the Shares may result in losses on investment at the time of disposition of the Shares.

 

Although Shares are listed for trading on NYSE Arca, it cannot be assumed that an active trading market for the Shares will be maintained. If an investor needs to sell Shares at a time when no active market for Shares exists, or there is a halt in trading of securities generally or of the Shares, this will most likely adversely affect the price the investor receives for the Shares (assuming the investor is able to sell them).

 

 

Redemption orders are subject to postponement, suspension or rejection by the Trustee under certain circumstances.

 

The Trustee may, in its discretion, and will when directed by the Sponsor, suspend the right of redemption or postpone the redemption settlement date, (1) for any period during which NYSE Arca is closed other than customary weekend or holiday closings, or trading on NYSE Arca is suspended or restricted, (2) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which the delivery, disposal or evaluation of gold is not reasonably practicable, or (3) for such other period as the Sponsor determines to be necessary for the protection of Shareholders. In addition, the Trustee will reject a redemption order if the order is not in proper form as described in the Participant Agreement or if the fulfillment of the order, in the opinion of its counsel, might be unlawful. Any such postponement, suspension or rejection could adversely affect a redeeming Shareholder. For example, the resulting delay may adversely affect the value of the Shareholder’s redemption distribution if the price of the Shares declines during the period of the delay. See “Creation and Redemption of Shares—Redemption Procedures.” Under the Trust Indenture, the Sponsor and the Trustee disclaim any liability for any loss or damage that may result from any such suspension or postponement.

 

Shareholders do not have the rights enjoyed by investors in certain other vehicles.

 

As interests in an investment trust, the Shares have none of the statutory rights normally associated with the ownership of shares of a corporation (including, for example, the right to bring “oppression” or “derivative” actions). In addition, the Shares have limited voting and distribution rights (for example, Shareholders do not have the right to elect directors and will not receive dividends). See “Description of the Shares” for a description of the limited rights of holders of Shares.

 

An investment in the Shares may be adversely affected by competition from other methods of investing in gold.

 

The Trust competes with other financial vehicles, including traditional debt and equity securities issued by companies in the gold industry and other securities backed by or linked to gold, direct investments in gold and investment vehicles similar to the Trust. Market and financial conditions, and other conditions beyond the Sponsor’s control, may make it more attractive to invest in other financial vehicles or to invest in gold directly, which could limit the market for the Shares and reduce the liquidity of the Shares.

 

The Trust’s obligation to reimburse the Marketing Agent and the Authorized Participants for certain liabilities in the event the Sponsor fails to indemnify such parties could adversely affect an investment in the Shares.

 

The Sponsor has agreed to indemnify the Marketing Agent, its partners, directors and officers, and any person who controls the Marketing Agent, and its respective successors and assigns, against any loss, damage, expense, liability or claim that may be incurred by the Marketing Agent in connection with (1) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the registration statement of which this report forms a part (including this report, any preliminary prospectus, any prospectus supplement and any exhibits thereto) or any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (2) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact made by the Sponsor with respect to any representations and warranties or any covenants under the Marketing Agent Agreement, or failure of the Sponsor to perform any agreement or covenant therein; (3) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any materials used in connection with the marketing of the Shares; (4) circumstances surrounding the third party allegations relating to patent and contract disputes; or (5) the Marketing Agent’s performance of its duties under the Marketing Agent Agreement, and to contribute to payments that the Marketing Agent may be required to make in respect thereof. The Trustee has agreed to reimburse the Marketing Agent, solely from and to the extent of the Trust’s assets, for indemnification and contribution due under the preceding sentence to the extent the Sponsor has not paid such amounts directly when due. Under the Participant Agreement, the Sponsor also has agreed to indemnify the Authorized Participants against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act and to contribute to payments that the Authorized Participants may be required to make in respect of such liabilities. The Trustee has agreed to reimburse the Authorized Participants, solely from and to the extent of the Trust’s assets, for indemnification and contribution amounts due from the Sponsor in respect of such liabilities to the extent the Sponsor has not paid such amounts when due. In the event the Trust is required to pay any such amounts, the Trustee would be required to sell assets of the Trust to cover the amount of any such payment and the NAV of the Trust would be reduced accordingly, thus adversely affecting an investment in the Shares.

 

Under the Trust Indenture, the Sponsor may be able to seek indemnification from the Trust for payments it makes in connection with the Sponsor’s activities under the Trust Indenture to the extent its conduct does not disqualify it from receiving such indemnification under the terms of the Trust Indenture. The Sponsor will also be indemnified from the Trust and held harmless against any loss, liability or expense arising under the Marketing Agent Agreement or any Participant Agreement insofar as such loss, liability or expense arises from any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any written statement provided to the Sponsor by the Trustee.

 

 

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 2. Properties

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 3. Legal Proceedings

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures

 

Not applicable.

 

 

PART II

 

Item 5.         Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

 

Market Information

 

The Trust’s Shares have been listed on the NYSE Arca under the symbol “GLD” since December 13, 2007, after a transfer from the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) where the Shares were listed since its initial public offering on November 18, 2004. The Shares have traded on the Mexican Stock Exchange (Bolsa Mexicana de Valores) since August 10, 2006, the Singapore Exchange Limited since October 11, 2006, the Tokyo Stock Exchange since June 30, 2008 and the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited since July 31, 2008.

 

Holders of Record

 

As of October 31, 2023, there were approximately 188 DTC participating shareholders of record of the Trust. Because most of the Trust’s Shares are held by brokers and other institutions on behalf of shareholders, we are unable to estimate the total number of shareholders represented by these record holders.

 

Issuer Purchase of Shares

 

Although the Trust does not purchase Shares directly from its shareholders, in connection with its redemption of Baskets, the Trust redeemed 86,600,000 Shares (866 Baskets) during the year ended September 30, 2023, including 24,000,000 Shares (240 Baskets) for the three months ended September 30, 2023 as set forth in the table below.

 

		Total number of				Average ounces
Period		Shares redeemed				of gold per Share
7/1/23 to 7/31/23			6,400,000				0.09284
8/1/23 to 8/31/23			10,800,000				0.09281
9/1/23 to 9/30/23			6,800,000				0.09278
TOTAL			24,000,000				0.09281

 

Item 6.             [Reserved]

 

Item 7.    Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

 

Trust Overview

 

SPDR® Gold Trust is an investment trust that was formed November 12, 2004. The Trust issues Baskets in exchange for deposits of gold and distributes gold in connection with the redemption of Baskets. The investment objective of the Trust is for the Shares to reflect the performance of the price of gold bullion, less the expenses of the Trust’s operations. The Shares are designed to provide investors with a cost effective and convenient way to invest in gold.

 

Gold is held on behalf of the Trust by HSBC and JPMorgan.

 

As of the date of this annual report, Goldman, Sachs & Co. LLC, Goldman Sachs Execution & Clearing, L.P., HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Merrill Lynch Professional Clearing Corp., Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, RBC Capital Markets LLC, UBS Securities LLC and Virtu Americas LLC are the only Authorized Participants. An updated list of Authorized Participants can be obtained from the Trustee or the Sponsor.

 

 

Investing in the Shares does not insulate the investor from certain risks, including price volatility. The following chart illustrates the movement in the price of the Shares and NAV of the Shares against the corresponding gold price (per 1/10 of an oz. of gold) since the day the Shares first began trading on the NYSE and subsequent transfer to NYSE Arca:

 

Share price & NAV v. gold price – November 18, 2004 to September 30, 2023

 

 

 

The divergence of the price of the Shares and NAV of the Shares from the gold price over time reflects the cumulative effect of the Trust expenses that arise if an investment had been held since inception.

 

Critical Accounting Policy

 

Valuation of Gold, Definition of Net Asset Value

 

The Trustee values the gold held by the Trust and determines the NAV of the Trust on each day the NYSE Arca is open for regular trading, at the earlier of the LBMA Gold Price PM for the day or 12:00 PM New York time. If no LBMA Gold Price PM is announced on a particular evaluation day or if the LBMA Gold Price PM has not been announced by 12:00 PM New York time on a particular evaluation day, the next most recent LBMA Gold Price (AM or PM) is used in the determination of the NAV of the Trust, unless the Trustee, in consultation with the Sponsor, determines that such price is inappropriate to use as the basis for such determination. In the event the Trustee and the Sponsor determine that such price is not an appropriate basis for valuation of the Trust’s gold, they will identify an alternative basis for such valuation to be employed by the Trustee. While we believe that the LBMA Gold Price is an appropriate indicator of the value of gold, there are other indicators that are available that could be different than the LBMA Gold Price. The use of such an alternative indicator could result in materially different fair value pricing of the gold in the Trust which could result in different market adjustments or redemption value adjustments of our outstanding redeemable Shares.

 

Once the value of the gold has been determined, the Trustee subtracts all estimated accrued fees, expenses and other liabilities of the Trust from the total value of the gold and all other assets of the Trust (other than any amounts credited to the Trust’s reserve account, if established). The resulting figure is the NAV of the Trust. The Trustee determines the NAV per Share by dividing the NAV of the Trust by the number of Shares outstanding as of the close of trading on NYSE Arca.

 

Inspectorate conducts two counts each year of the gold bullion held on behalf of the Trust at the vaults of the Custodians. A complete bar count is conducted once per year and coincides with the Trust’s financial year end at September 30^th. Inspectorate concluded the annual full count of the Trust’s gold bullion held by (i) HSBC at its London vault on October 2, 2023, (ii) JPMorgan at its London vault on October 2, 2023 and (iii) JPMorgan at its New York vault on October 2, 2023. The second count is a random sample count and is conducted at a date which falls within the same financial year and was conducted most recently at JPMorgan's London vault on March 24, 2023 and at HSBC's London vault on April 5, 2023. The results can be found on www.spdrgoldshares.com. The Sponsor generally visits the vaults of the Custodians twice a year as part of its due diligence procedures.

 

 

Gold acquired, or disposed of, by the Trust is recorded at average cost. The table below summarizes the impact of unrealized gains/(losses) on the Trust’s gold holdings at September 30, 2023 and 2022:

 

(Amount in 000’s of US$)		Sep-30, 2023				Sep-30, 2022
Investment in gold – cost		$	47,094,463			$	49,274,427
Unrealized gain/(loss) on investment in gold			5,444,698				1,418,830
Investment in gold – market value		$	52,539,161			$	50,693,257

 

Review of Financial Results

 

Financial Highlights

 

		For the				For the				For the
(All amounts in the following table and the subsequent paragraphs are in		year ended				year ended				year ended
000’s of US$)		Sep-30, 2023				Sep-30, 2022				Sep-30, 2021
Net realized and change in unrealized gain/(loss) on investment in gold		$	5,769,797			$	(2,706,033	)		$	(5,488,874	)
Net income/(loss)		$	5,548,188			$	(2,944,530	)		$	(5,746,469	)
Net cash provided by operating activities		$	—			$	—			$	—

 

The Trust’s net realized and change in unrealized gain on investment in gold for the year ended September 30, 2023 is made up of a gain of $26,600 on the sale of gold to pay expenses, a realized gain of $1,717,329 on gold distributed for the redemption of Shares, and a change in unrealized appreciation of $4,025,868 on investment in gold.

 

The Trust’s net realized and change in unrealized loss on investment in gold for the year ended September 30, 2022 is made up of a gain of $30,323 on the sale of gold to pay expenses, a realized gain of $2,091,493 on gold distributed for the redemption of Shares, and a change in unrealized depreciation of $(4,827,849) on investment in gold.

 

The Trust’s net realized and change in unrealized loss on investment in gold for the year ended September 30, 2021 is made up of a gain of $43,413 on the sale of gold to pay expenses, a realized gain of $4,455,284 on gold distributed for the redemption of Shares, and a change in unrealized depreciation of $(9,987,571) on investment in gold.

 

Selected Supplemental Data

 

		Year ended				Year ended				Year ended
(Amounts, except for per ounce and per share, are in 000’s)		Sep-30, 2023				Sep-30, 2022				Sep-30, 2021
Ounces of Gold:
Opening balance			30,323.5				31,830.4				40,796.0
Creations (excluding gold receivable at September 30, 2023 – 0; September 30, 2022 – 0 and September 30, 2021 – 0)			6,042.6				9,128.0				6,325.9
Redemptions (excluding gold payable at September 30, 2023 – 0; September 30, 2022 – 111.1 and September 30, 2021 – 0)			(8,160.1	)			(10,503.0	)			(15,146.2	)
Sales of gold			(117.7	)			(132.0	)			(145.3	)
Closing balance			28,088.3				30,323.5				31,830.4
Gold price per ounce – LBMA Gold Price PM		$	1,870.50			$	1,671.75			$	1,742.80
Market value of gold holdings		$	52,539,161			$	50,693,257			$	55,474,023
Number of Shares (in 000’s):
Opening balance			324,300				340,300				434,400
Creations			65,000				97,800				67,500
Redemptions			(86,600	)			(113,800	)			(161,600	)
Closing balance			302,700				324,300				340,300

 

On the date of inception of the Trust, the Custodian received 30,000 ounces of gold on behalf of the Trust in exchange for 300,000 Shares (3 Baskets). Trading of the Trust’s Shares commenced on November 18, 2004. In the year ended September 30, 2023, an additional 65,000,000 Shares (650 Baskets), were created in exchange for 6,042,651 ounces of gold, and 86,600,000 Shares (866 Baskets) were redeemed in exchange for 8,048,977 ounces of gold. For accounting purposes, the Trust reflects creations and the gold receivable with respect to such creations on the date of receipt of a notification of a creation but does not deliver Shares until the requisite amount of gold is received. Upon a redemption, the Trust delivers gold upon receipt of Shares. All references in this discussion to gold receivable and gold payable relate to creations and redemptions that had not been completed. These creations and redemptions were completed in the normal course of business, including the receipt and payment of the gold by the Custodian.

 

 

As at September 30, 2023, the amount of gold owned by the Trust and held by the Custodians on behalf of the Trust in their vaults was 28,088,298 ounces, 100% of which is allocated gold in the form of London Good Delivery gold bars with a market value of $52,539,160,689 based on the LBMA Gold Price PM on September 30, 2023 (cost —$47,094,462,787).

 

As at September 30, 2022, the amount of gold owned by the Trust and held by HSBC, as the only custodian at the time, in its vault was 30,323,468 ounces, 100% of which is allocated gold in the form of London Good Delivery gold bars with a market value of $50,693,257,111 based on the LBMA Gold Price PM on September 30, 2022 (cost —$49,274,427,022).

 

As at September 30, 2021, the amount of gold owned by the Trust and held by HSBC, as the only custodian at the time, in its vault was 31,830,401 ounces, 100% of which is allocated gold in the form of London Good Delivery gold bars with a market value of $55,474,022,504 based on the LBMA Gold Price PM on September 30, 2021 (cost —$49,227,343,846).

 

Cash Flow from Operations

 

The Trust had no net cash flow from operations in the years ended September 30, 2023, 2022 and 2021. Cash received in respect of gold sold to pay expenses in the years ended September 30, 2023, 2022 and 2021 was the same as those expenses, resulting in a zero cash balance at September 30, 2023, 2022 and 2021.

 

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

 

The Trust is not a party to any off-balance sheet arrangements.

 

Cash Resources and Liquidity

 

At September 30, 2023 and 2022 the Trust did not have any cash balances. When selling gold to pay expenses, the Trustee endeavors to sell the exact amount of gold needed to pay expenses in order to minimize the Trust’s holdings of assets other than gold. As a consequence, we expect that the Trust will not record any cash flow from its operations and that its cash balance will be zero at the end of each reporting period.

 

Analysis of Movements in the Price of Gold

 

As movements in the price of gold are expected to directly affect the price of the Trust’s Shares, investors should understand what the recent movements in the price of gold have been. Investors, however, should also be aware that past movements in the gold price are not indicators of future movements. This section identifies recent movements in the gold price.

 

The following chart provides historical background on the price of gold. The chart illustrates movements in the price of gold in U.S. dollars per ounce over the period from October 1, 2018 to September 30, 2023 and is based on the LBMA Gold Price PM.

 

Daily Gold Price – October 1, 2018 – September 30, 2023

LBMA Gold Price PM USD

 

 

 

The average high, low and end-of-period gold prices for the three and twelve-month periods over the prior three years and for the period from November 12, 2004 (the date of inception of the Trust) through September 30, 2023, based on the LBMA Gold Price when available from March 20, 2015 and previously the London Fix, were:

 

																			Last
																End of			business
Period		Average				High			Date		Low			Date		period			day(1)
Three months to December 31, 2020		$	1,874.23			$	1,940.80		Nov 6, 2020		$	1,762.55		Nov 30, 2020		$	1,891.10		Dec 31, 2020	(2)
Three months to March 31, 2021		$	1,794.01			$	1,943.20		Jan 4, 2021		$	1,683.95		Mar 30, 2021		$	1,691.05		Mar 31, 2021
Three months to June 30, 2021		$	1,816.48			$	1,902.75		Jun 2, 2021		$	1,726.05		Apr 1, 2021		$	1,763.15		Jun 30, 2021
Three months to September 30, 2021		$	1,789.52			$	1,829.30		Jul 29, 2021		$	1,723.35		Aug 10, 2021		$	1,742.80		Sep 30, 2021
Three months to December 31, 2021		$	1,795.25			$	1,864.90		Nov 17, 2021		$	1,753.20		Oct 5, 2021		$	1,820.10		Dec 31, 2021	(2)
Three months to March 31, 2022		$	1,877.16			$	2,039.05		Mar 8, 2022		$	1,788.15		Jan 28, 2022		$	1,942.15		Mar 31, 2022
Three months to June 30, 2022		$	1,870.58			$	1,976.75		Apr 13, 2022		$	1,809.50		May 16, 2022		$	1,817.00		Jun 30, 2022
Three months to September 30, 2022		$	1,728.91			$	1,808.40		Jul 4, 2022		$	1,634.30		Sep 27, 2022		$	1,671.75		Sep 30, 2022
Three months to December 31, 2022		$	1,725.85			$	1,823.55		Dec 13, 2022		$	1,628.75		Nov 3, 2022		$	1,812.35		Dec 30, 2022	(2)
Three months to March 31, 2023		$	1,889.92			$	1,993.80		Mar 24, 2023		$	1,810.95		Feb 24, 2023		$	1,979.70		Mar 31, 2023
Three months to June 30, 2023		$	1,975.93			$	2,048.45		Apr 13, 2023		$	1,899.60		Jun 29, 2023		$	1,912.25		Jun 30, 2023
Three months to September 30, 2023		$	1,928.23			$	1,976.10		Jul 20, 2023		$	1,870.50		Sep 29, 2023		$	1,870.50		Sep 29, 2023
Twelve months ended September 30, 2021		$	1,818.12			$	1,943.20		Jan 4, 2021		$	1,683.95		Mar 30, 2021		$	1,742.80		Sep 30, 2021
Twelve months ended September 30, 2022		$	1,817.08			$	2,039.05		Mar 8, 2022		$	1,634.30		Sep 27, 2022		$	1,671.75		Sep 30, 2022
Twelve months ended September 30, 2023		$	1,880.36			$	2,048.45		Apr 13, 2023		$	1,628.75		Nov 3, 2022		$	1,870.50		Sep 29, 2023
November 12, 2004 to September 30, 2023		$	1,267.53			$	2,067.15		Aug 6, 2020		$	411.10		Feb 8, 2005		$	1,870.50		Sep 29, 2023

---

(1)	The end of period gold price is the LBMA Gold Price PM on the last business day of the period. This is in accordance with the Trust Indenture and the basis used for calculating the Net Asset Value of the Trust.

(2)

There was no LBMA Gold Price PM on the last business day of December 2022, 2021 or 2020. The LBMA Gold Price AM on the last business day of December 2022, 2021 and 2020 was $1,812.35, $1,820.10 and $1,891.10 respectively. The Net Asset Value of the Trust on December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020 was calculated using the LBMA Gold Price AM, in accordance with the Trust Indenture.

 

Item 7A.    Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk

 

The Trust Indenture does not authorize the Trustee to borrow for payment of the Trust’s ordinary expenses. The Trust does not engage in transactions in foreign currencies which could expose the Trust or holders of Shares to any foreign currency related market risk. The Trust does not invest in any derivative financial instruments or long-term debt instruments.

 

Item 8.    Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

 

See Index to Financial Statements on page F-1 for a list of the financial statements being filed therein.

 

Item 9.    Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure

 

There have been no changes in accountants and no disagreements with accountants on any matter of accounting principles or practices or financial statement disclosures during the year ended September 30, 2023.

 

Item 9A.    Controls and Procedures

 

Conclusion Regarding the Effectiveness of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

 

The Trust maintains disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in its Exchange Act reports is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial and Accounting Officer of the Sponsor, and to the audit committee of the Board of Directors of the Sponsor, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

 

Under the supervision and with the participation of the Principal Executive Officer and the Principal Financial and Accounting Officer of the Sponsor, the Sponsor conducted an evaluation of the Trusts disclosure controls and procedures, as defined under Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(e). Based on this evaluation, the Principal Executive Officer and the Principal Financial and Accounting Officer of the Sponsor concluded that, as of September 30, 2023, the Trust’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective.

 

 

Change in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

 

There was no change in the Trust’s internal controls over financial reporting that occurred during the Trust’s most recently completed fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2023 that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, these internal controls.

 

Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting

 

The Sponsor’s management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as defined under Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f). The Trust’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. Internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that: (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the Trust’s assets, (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that the Trust’s receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with appropriate authorizations; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the Trust’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

 

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become ineffective because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

 

The Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial and Accounting Officer of the Sponsor assessed the effectiveness of the Trust’s internal control over financial reporting as of September 30, 2023. In making this assessment, they used the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) in Internal Control—Integrated Framework (2013). Their assessment included an evaluation of the design of the Trust’s internal control over financial reporting and testing of the operational effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting. Based on their assessment and those criteria, the Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial and Accounting Officer of the Sponsor concluded that the Trust maintained effective internal control over financial reporting as of September 30, 2023.

 

KPMG LLP, the independent registered public accounting firm that audited and reported on the financial statements as of and for the year ended September 30, 2023 included in this Form 10-K, as stated in their report which is included herein, issued an attestation report on the effectiveness of the Trust’s internal control over financial reporting as of September 30, 2023.

 

November 22, 2023

 

 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

To the Shareholders and the Trustee of SPDR® Gold Trust and the Board of Directors of World Gold Trust Services, LLC:

 

Opinion on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

 

We have audited SPDR® Gold Trust’s (the Trust) internal control over financial reporting as of September 30, 2023, based on criteria established in Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. In our opinion, the Trust maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of September 30, 2023, based on criteria established in Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.

 

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the statements of financial condition of the Trust, including the schedules of investment, as of September 30, 2023 and 2022, the related statements of operations, cash flows, and changes in net assets for each of the years in the three-year period ended September 30, 2023, and the related notes (collectively, the financial statements), and our report dated November 22, 2023 expressed an unqualified opinion on those financial statements.

 

Basis for Opinion

 

The management of World Gold Trust Services, LLC (the Trust’s sponsor) is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Trust’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Trust in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

 

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audit also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

Definition and Limitations of Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

 

An entity’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. An entity’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the entity; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the entity are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the entity; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the entity’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

 

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

 

/s/ KPMG LLP

 

New York, New York

November 22, 2023

 

 

Item 9B.    Other Information

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 9C.    Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections.

 

Not applicable.

 

 

PART III

 

Item 10.     Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance

 

The Trust does not have any directors, officers or employees. The following persons, in their respective capacities as directors or executive officers of the Sponsor, a Delaware limited liability company, perform certain functions with respect to the Trust that, if the Trust had directors or executive officers, would typically be performed by them.

 

Joseph R. Cavatoni is the Principal Executive Officer and Amanda Krichman is the Principal Financial and Accounting Officer of the Sponsor. The Board of Directors of the Sponsor consists of five individuals, of whom four serve on its Audit Committee. The Audit Committee has the responsibility for overseeing the financial reporting process of the Trust, including the risks and controls of that process and such other oversight functions as are typically performed by an audit committee of a public company.

 

Joseph R. Cavatoni, age 55, is the Principal Executive Officer of the Sponsor. Mr. Cavatoni is also the Principal Executive Officer of WGC USA Asset Management Company, LLC, an affiliate of the Sponsor (“WGCAM”), and the Chief Market Strategist (North America) at World Gold Council (“WGC”). Prior to joining WGC as Managing Director USA and ETFs in September 2016, from April 2009 to December 2015, Mr. Cavatoni served with BlackRock Investments, LLC, as part of BlackRock, Inc., a publicly traded investment management firm, first as the head of iShares Capital Markets in Asia Pacific (2009) and as Head of iShares Capital Markets and Product Development in the same region (2009-2011). From November 2011 to December 2015, Mr. Cavatoni served as a BlackRock Managing Director and Head of iShares Capital Markets, Americas. From August 2003 to April 2009, Mr. Cavatoni served with UBS Securities Asia Limited, first as Executive Director, Head of Swaps, Asia (2003-2006) and then as Managing Director, Head of Equity Finance APAC (2006-2009). Prior to that, he served with Merrill Lynch & Company, Inc. from June 1994 to May 2003 as Senior Credit Analyst, Credit and Risk Management Team in New York (1994-1995), Vice President, Credit and Risk Management Team, Hong Kong (1995-2000) and Director, Head of Prime Brokerage Asia, Japan and Australia (2000-2003). Mr. Cavatoni received his Bachelor of Business Administration degree from The George Washington University and his Master of Business Administration degree from Northwestern University and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

 

Amanda Krichman, age 32, is the is the Principal Financial and Accounting Officer of the Sponsor. Ms. Krichman is also the Principal Financial and Accounting Officer of WGCAM and the Funds Chief Operating Officer at WGC. Prior to joining WGC in October 2022, Ms. Krichman was Vice President and Head of US Registered Funds Services at Goldman Sachs Asset Management from December 2021 to October 2022. Ms. Krichman was Director of ETF Product Development from September 2021 to December 2021, and Senior Associate of ETF Product Development from December 2018 to September 2021 at New York Life Investments. Prior to that she held various roles at Goldman Sachs Asset Management from July 2013 to November 2018. Ms. Krichman received her Bachelor degree from Syracuse University and her Master of Business Administration degree from New York University.

 

William J. Shea, age 75, has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Sponsor since January 2013 and is a member of the Board’s Audit Committee. Mr. Shea has also served as a Director on the Board of Directors of WGCAM since January 2017 and is a member of that board’s Audit Committee. He has more than 35 years of experience in the financial services industry and in business restructurings. He was elected to the Board of Directors of Caliber ID, Inc. in 2001 and was appointed Chairman in December 2010. Prior to his appointment to the Board of Caliber ID, he served as Executive Chairman of Royal & Sun Alliance (RSA), USA from January 2005 to December 2006, and oversaw its divestiture from RSA, a large public insurance company headquartered in the United Kingdom. From 2001 to 2004, he was Chief Executive Officer of Conseco, Inc., a publicly held diversified insurance and financial services firm that he guided through the federal bankruptcy and restructuring process. From January 1997 to February 2001, he oversaw the turnaround of Centennial Technologies, Inc., a high technology manufacturing company in the flash memory business. Mr. Shea served as Vice Chairman of BankBoston Corporation from January 1993 to August 1998. He was the Vice Chairman and a Senior Partner of Coopers & Lybrand (now PricewaterhouseCoopers), an international public accounting firm, for whom he worked from June 1974 to December 1992. Mr. Shea sits on the boards of AIG SunAmerica, a mutual funds company, and is Chairman of the Board of Demoulas Supermarkets, Inc., a privately held retail grocery store chain in New England. He was a board member of Boston Private Financial Holdings, a public bank holding company, and its related bank from June 2004 to May 2014. Mr. Shea has served on the boards of the Boston Children’s Hospital, Northeastern University, NASDAQ OMXBX, and the Boston Stock Exchange. Mr. Shea holds both a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Arts degree in Economics.

 

The Sponsor has concluded that Mr. Shea should serve as Director because of the knowledge and extensive experience he gained in a variety of leadership roles with different financial institutions and an international public accounting firm, his extensive experience in business restructurings, and the experience he has gained serving as a director of WGCAM.

 

 

Molly Duffy, age 53, has served as a Director on the Board of Directors of the Sponsor since April 2022, and is a member of the Board’s Audit Committee. Ms. Duffy has also served as a Director on the Board of Directors of WGCAM since April 2022 and is a member of that board’s Audit Committee. Ms. Duffy is the Head of Financial Markets, Europe and Americas at Standard Chartered Bank. Based in New York, Ms. Duffy leads the strategy and governance of the Europe and Americas regions across Foreign Exchange, Rates, Credit, Commodities, Debt Capital Markets, Loan Syndication, Leveraged & Acquisition Finance, Project & Export Finance, Aviation Finance, and Securities Services businesses. In addition, Ms. Duffy is responsible for delivering coordinated solutions and senior relationship management to the Bank’s most complex and significant financial institutions and corporate clients across Europe and Americas. Ms. Duffy is a member of the Global Financial Markets Management Team, UK/Europe Regional Management Team, and US Management Team. Ms. Duffy is also CEO of the US Broker Dealer, Standard Chartered Securities North America LLC. Prior to joining Standard Chartered in 2017, Ms. Duffy was a Managing Director in the Global Markets Key Account Management Group at Credit Suisse. During her career at Credit Suisse, Ms. Duffy also held several senior production and management roles, including Head of Macro Sales Americas and Head of Global Currencies & Emerging Markets Sales Americas. Ms. Duffy holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Boston College.

 

The Sponsor has concluded that Ms. Duffy should serve as Director because of her knowledge and extensive experience in leadership roles at Standard Chartered Bank and the experience she has gained serving as a director of WGCAM.

 

James Lam, age 62, has served as a Director on the Board of Directors of the Sponsor since September 2023, and is a member of the Board’s Audit Committee. Mr. Lam has also served as a Director on the Board of Directors of WGCAM since September 2023 and is a member of that board’s Audit Committee. Since April 2002, Mr. Lam has been President of James Lam & Associates, a risk management consulting firm serving global clients across all major industry sectors. In a Euromoney survey, he was nominated by clients and peers as one of the world’s leading risk consultants. Previously, Mr. Lam served as Founder and President of ERisk, Partner of Oliver Wyman, and Chief Risk Officer of Fidelity Investments. In recognition for his leadership in the risk management community, Mr. Lam received the inaugural Risk Manager of the Year Award from the Global Association of Risk Professionals in 1997. Mr. Lam is currently serving as a board director of the FAIR Institute. His previous public and private board experience includes E*TRADE Financial, E*TRADE Bank, RiskLens, Recology, Covarity, and ERisk. Mr. Lam has served in board leadership roles including chairman of the board, vice chairman of the board, risk committee chairman, audit committee chairman, and compliance committee chairman. In recognition for his leadership in the corporate board community, Mr. Lam was named in the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) Directorship 100 in 2017 and 2018. Mr. Lam is the author of Enterprise Risk Management (Wiley, 2003; second edition, 2014), which has ranked #1 best-selling among 25,000 risk management titles on Amazon. The book has been translated into Chinese, Indonesian, Japanese, and Korean. His second book, Implementing Enterprise Risk Management, was published by Wiley in 2017. Mr. Lam graduated summa cum laude with a B.B.A. from Baruch College and received an M.B.A. with honors from UCLA.

 

The Sponsor has concluded that Mr. Lam should serve as Director because of the knowledge and extensive experience he has in risk management and has gained from his public and private board experience including as a director of WGCAM.

 

Carlos Rodriguez, age 51, has served as a Director on the Board of Directors of the Sponsor since February 2019 and is Chairman of the Board’s Audit Committee. Mr. Rodriguez has also served as a Director on the Board of Directors of WGCAM since February 2019 and is a member of that board’s Audit Committee. Mr. Rodriguez began his career on Wall Street in the Public Finance Department of Merrill Lynch in 1996, where he focused on interest rate hedging strategies for municipal clients and non-for-profit institutions. After working several years covering banking clients, he shifted his focus to trading, where he rose to manage Merrill Lynch’s proprietary municipal investments portfolio until December 2000. Mr. Rodriguez has since worked at WestLB, from December 2000 to May 2003, where he managed the bank’s complex guaranteed reinvestment contract business, and BNP Paribas, from May 2003 to May 2004, where he served as Director and Head of Municipals. From May 2004 to August 2010, Mr. Rodriguez served as Director and Managing Director of Deutsche Bank and worked to establish the bank’s public finance efforts. As Managing Director, Mr. Rodriguez subsequently led Credit Suisse’s global rates structuring effort in London from August 2010 until June 2016. Mr. Rodriguez retired from banking in June 2016, and remained retired until March 2017, when he launched a private equity fund that focuses on lower middle market companies. He also devotes his time to personal investing as well as volunteering for local causes and mentoring local entrepreneurs.

 

The Sponsor has concluded that Mr. Rodriguez should serve as Director because of the knowledge and extensive experience he gained in a variety of leadership roles with different financial institutions and the experience he has gained serving as a director of WGCAM.

 

David Tait, age 61, has served as a Director on the Board of Directors of the Sponsor and WGCAM since February 25, 2019. Mr. Tait has also served as the Chief Executive Officer of WGC since January 2019. Prior to joining WGC, Mr. Tait served as Executive Producer with EMU Films from April 2016 to January 2019. Mr. Tait served as the Global Head of Fixed Income Macro Products at Credit Suisse from January 2012 until April 2016. Mr. Tait also served as a Managing Director of Union Bank of Switzerland from October 2009 until December 2011. He is currently an Independent Member of the Bank of England’s FICC Market Standards Board, which he joined in July 2017. Mr. Tait is also a major supporter of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and has raised over £1 million by climbing Mount Everest on five occasions. He was awarded an MBE by the Queen for his services to the charity.

 

The Sponsor has concluded that Mr. Tait should serve as Director because of the knowledge and extensive experience he gained in a variety of leadership roles with different financial institutions and the experience he has gained serving as the Chief Executive Officer of World Gold Council and director of WGCAM.

 

 

The Sponsor has a code of ethics (the “Code of Ethics”) that applies to its executive officers and agents, including its Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial and Accounting Officer, who perform certain functions with respect to the Trust that, if the Trust had executive officers would typically be performed by them. The Code of Ethics is available by writing the Sponsor at 685 Third Avenue, Suite 2702, New York, NY 10017 or calling the Sponsor at (212) 317-3800. The Sponsor’s Code of Ethics is intended to be a codification of the business and ethical principles that guide the Sponsor, and to deter wrongdoing, to promote honest and ethical conduct, to avoid conflicts of interest, and to foster compliance with applicable governmental laws, rules and regulations, the prompt internal reporting of violations and accountability for adherence to this code.

 

Item 11.    Executive Compensation

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters

 

Securities Authorized for Issuance under Equity Compensation Plans and Related Stockholder Matters

 

Not applicable.

 

Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 13.    Certain Relationships and Related Transactions and Director Independence

 

Not applicable.

 

 

 

PART IV

 

Item 15.    Exhibits and Financial Statements Schedules

 

1.    Financial Statements

 

See Index to Financial Statements on Page F-1 for a list of the financial statements being filed herein.

 

2.    Financial Statement Schedules

 

Schedules have been omitted since they are either not required, not applicable, or the information has otherwise been included.

 

3.    Exhibits

 

Exhibit Number		Exhibit Description		Incorporated by Reference
				Form		Exhibit		Filing Date/Period End Date
4.1		Trust Indenture dated November 12, 2004.		10-K		4.1		9/30/07
4.1.1		Amendment No. 1 to Trust Indenture dated November 26, 2007.		8-K		4.1		12/13/07
4.1.2		Amendment No. 2 to Trust Indenture dated May 20, 2008.		10-K		4.1.2		9/30/08
4.1.3		Amendment No. 3 to Trust Indenture dated June 1, 2011.		8-K		4.1		6/1/11
4.1.4		Amendment No. 4 to Trust Indenture dated June 18, 2014.		8-K		4.1		6/19/14
4.1.5		Amendment No. 5 to Trust Indenture dated March 20, 2015.		8-K		4.1.5		3/20/15
4.1.6		Amendment No. 6 to Trust Indenture dated April 14, 2015.		8-K		4.1.6		7/14/15
4.1.7		Amendment No. 7 to Trust Indenture dated September 5, 2017.		8-K		4.1.7		9/11/17
4.1.8		Amendment No. 8 to Trust Indenture dated February 6, 2020.		10-Q		4.1.8		2/7/20
4.1.9		Amendment No. 9 to Trust Indenture dated November 30, 2022.		8-K		4.1.9		11/30/22
4.2*		Form of Participant Agreement.
4.2.1		Amendment No. 1 to Participant Agreements.		8-K		4.2		12/13/07
4.2.2		Amendment No. 2 to Participant Agreements dated May 20, 2008.		10-K		4.2.2		9/30/08
4.2.3		Amendment No. 3 to Participant Agreements dated July 18, 2014.		8-K		4.2.3		7/22/14
4.2.4		Amendment No. 4 to Participant Agreements dated September 5, 2017.		10-K		4.2.4		9/30/17
4.2.5		Amendment No. 5 to Participant Agreements dated May 10, 2022.		S-3		4.2.5		9/20/22
4.2.6		Amendment No. 6 to Participant Agreements dated November 30, 2022.		8-K		4.2.6		11/30/22
4.3		Sponsor Payment and Reimbursement Agreement dated November 12, 2004.		10-K		4.3		9/30/07
4.4*		Description of the Securities Registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

 

Exhibit Number		Exhibit Description		Incorporated by Reference
				Form		Exhibit		Filing Date/Period End Date
10.1		Fourth Amended and Restated Allocated Bullion Account Agreement dated February 28, 2023 between HSBC Bank plc and The Bank of New York Mellon.		8-K		10.1.2		3/1/23
10.2		Second Amended and Restated Unallocated Bullion Account Agreement dated July 17, 2015 between HSBC Bank plc and The Bank of New York Mellon.		8-K		10.2		7/17/15
10.2.1		Amendment No. 1 to the Second Amended and Restated Unallocated Bullion Account Agreement dated February 28, 2023 between HSBC Bank plc and The Bank of New York Mellon.		8-K		10.2.1		3/1/23
10.3		Form of Participant Unallocated Bullion Account Agreement.		S-1		4.2 (Attachment B)		11/8/04
10.3.1		Form of Amendment to Participant Unallocated Bullion Account Agreement dated November 26, 2007.		10-K		10.3.1		9/30/08
10.3.2		Form of Amendment No. 2 to Participant Unallocated Bullion Account Agreement effective May 20, 2008.		S-3		10.3.1		5/20/08
10.4		Depository Agreement dated November 11, 2004.		10-K		10.4		9/30/07
10.5		License Agreement		S-1		10.5		9/26/03
10.6		Amended and Restated Marketing Agent Agreement dated July 17, 2015.		8-K		10.6		7/17/15
10.6.1		First Amendment to the Amended and Restated Marketing Agent Agreement dated May 4, 2018.		10-Q		10.6.1		8/7/18
10.6.2		Second Amendment to the Amended and Restated Marketing Agent Agreement dated November 30, 2022.		8-K		10.6.2		11/30/22
10.8		WGC/WGTS License Agreement dated November 16, 2004.		10-K		10.8		9/30/07
10.8.1		Amendment No. 1 to WGC/WGTS License Agreement dated May 20, 2008.		10-K		10.8.1		9/30/08
10.10		Marketing Agent Reimbursement Agreement dated November 16, 2004.		10-K		10.10		9/30/07
10.12		SPDR Sublicense Agreement dated May 20, 2008.		10-K		10.12		9/30/08
10.13		Novation Agreement dated June 4, 2014.		8-K		10.13		11/21/14
10.14		Allocated Precious Metal Account Agreement dated November 30, 2022 between JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and The Bank of New York Mellon.		8-K		11.1		11/30/22
10.15		Unallocated Precious Metal Account Agreement dated November 30, 2022 between JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and The Bank of New York Mellon.		8-K		11.2		11/30/22
23.1*		Consent of KPMG LLP.
23.2*		Consent of Carter Ledyard & Milburn LLP.
31.1*		Certification of Principal Executive Officer Pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
31.2*		Certification of Principal Financial and Accounting Officer Pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
32.1*		Certification of Principal Executive Officer Pursuant to Section 1350 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
32.2*		Certification of Principal Financial and Accounting Officer Pursuant to Section 1350 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

 

 

Exhibit Number		Exhibit Description		Incorporated by Reference
				Form		Exhibit		Filing Date/Period End Date
101.INS*		Inline XBRL Instance Document
101.SCH*		Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
101.CAL*		Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document
101.DEF*		Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document
101.LAB*		Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document
101.PRE*		Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document
104.1		Cover Page Interactive Data File – The cover page interactive data file does not appear in the interactive data file because its XBRL tags are embedded within the inline XBRL document.

 

*         Filed herewith.

 

Item 16. Form 10-K Summary.

 

Not applicable.

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned in the capacities* indicated thereunto duly authorized.

 

WORLD GOLD TRUST SERVICES, LLC Sponsor of the SPDR® Gold Trust                    (Registrant)

/s/ Joseph R. Cavatoni

Joseph R. Cavatoni Principal Executive Officer*

/s/ Amanda Krichman

Amanda Krichman Principal Financial and Accounting Officer*

/s/ William J. Shea

William J. Shea Director*

/s/ Molly Duffy

Molly Duffy Director*

/s/ James Lam

James Lam Director*

/s/ Carlos Rodriguez

Carlos Rodriguez Director*

/s/ David Tait

David Tait Director*

 

Date: November 22, 2023

 

*         The registrant is a trust and the persons are signing in their capacities as officers or directors of World Gold Trust Services, LLC, the Sponsor of the registrant.

 

 

SPDR® GOLD TRUST

 

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AS OF September 30, 2023

 

INDEX

 

	Page
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm	F-2
Statements of Financial Condition at September 30, 2023 and 2022	F-4
Schedules of Investment at September  30, 2023 and 2022	F-5
Statements of Operations for the years ended September 30, 2023, 2022 and 2021	F-6
Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended September 30, 2023, 2022 and 2021	F-7
Statements of Changes in Net Assets for the years ended September 30, 2023, 2022 and 2021	F-8
Notes to the Financial Statements	F-9

 

 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

To the Shareholders and the Trustee of SPDR® Gold Trust and the Board of Directors of World Gold Trust Services, LLC:

 

Opinion on the Financial Statements

 

We have audited the accompanying statements of financial condition of SPDR® Gold Trust (the Trust), including the schedules of investment, as of September 30, 2023 and 2022, the related statements of operations, cash flows, and changes in net assets for each of the years in the three-year period ended September 30, 2023 and the related notes (collectively, the financial statements). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Trust as of September 30, 2023 and 2022, and the results of its operations, its cash flows, and changes in its net assets for each of the years in the three-year period ended September 30, 2023, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

 

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the Trust’s internal control over financial reporting as of September 30, 2023, based on criteria established in Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission, and our report dated November 22, 2023 expressed an unqualified opinion on the effectiveness of the Trust’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

Basis for Opinion

 

These financial statements are the responsibility of World Gold Trust Services, LLC (the Trust’s sponsor). Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Trust in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

 

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

Critical Audit Matter

 

The critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising from the current period audit of the financial statements that was communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relates to accounts or disclosures that are material to the financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of a critical audit matter does not alter in any way our opinion on the financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matter below, providing a separate opinion on the critical audit matter or on the accounts or disclosures to which it relates.

 

Evaluation of the evidence pertaining to the existence of the gold holdings

 

As disclosed in the schedule of investment, as of September 30, 2023, the Trust’s market value of gold holdings was $52.5 billion, representing 100% of the Trust’s total assets. All of the gold holdings, which were 28.1 million ounces as of September 30, 2023, were held by third-party custodians (the custodians).

 

 

We identified the evaluation of the evidence pertaining to the existence of the gold holdings as a critical audit matter. Given the nature and volume of the gold holdings, subjective auditor judgment was required to evaluate the extent and nature of evidence obtained to assess the quantity of gold held by the custodians as of September 30, 2023.

 

The following are the primary procedures we performed to address this critical audit matter. We evaluated the design and tested the operating effectiveness of certain internal controls over the Trust’s gold holdings process, including controls over (1) the comparison of the Trust’s records of gold held to the custodians' records and (2) the approval of gold deposits and withdrawals by the trustee of the Trust. We obtained a schedule directly from the custodians of the Trust’s gold holdings held by the custodians as of September 30, 2023. We compared the total ounces on such schedule to the Trust’s record of gold holdings. We also attended and observed part of the physical count of the Trust’s gold holdings performed at the custodians' locations by a third party engaged by the Trust’s sponsor. We obtained the physical count result of that third party and reconciled it to both the Trust’s and the custodians' records.

 

/s/ KPMG LLP

 

We have served as the Trust’s auditor since 2010.

 

New York, New York

November 22, 2023

 

 

SPDR® GOLD TRUST

 

Statements of Financial Condition

at September 30, 2023 and 2022

 

 

---

⁽¹⁾      Authorized share capital is unlimited and the par value of the Shares is $0.00.

 

See notes to the financial statements.

 

 

SPDR® GOLD TRUST

 

Schedules of Investment

 

(Amounts in 000’s except for percentages)

 

September 30, 2023		Ounces of gold				Cost				Fair Value				% of Net Assets
Investment in Gold			28,088			$	47,094,463			$	52,539,161				100.03	%
Total Investment						$	47,094,463			$	52,539,161				100.03	%
Liabilities in excess of other assets											(17,892	)			(0.03	)%
Net Assets										$	52,521,269				100.00	%

 

September 30, 2022		Ounces of gold				Cost				Fair Value				% of Net Assets
Investment in Gold			30,324			$	49,274,427			$	50,693,257				100.40	%
Total Investment						$	49,274,427			$	50,693,257				100.40	%
Liabilities in excess of other assets											(202,797	)			(0.40	)%
Net Assets										$	50,490,460				100.00	%

 

See notes to the financial statements.

 

---

 

SPDR® GOLD TRUST

 

Statements of Operations

For the years ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, and 2021

 

 

See notes to the financial statements.

 

 

SPDR® GOLD TRUST

 

Statements of Cash Flows

For the years ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, and 2021

 

 

 

See notes to the financial statements.

 

 

SPDR® GOLD TRUST

 

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

For the years ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, and 2021

 

 

See notes to the financial statements.

 

 

Notes to the Financial Statements

 

1.	Organization

 

The SPDR® Gold Trust (the “Trust”) is an investment trust formed on November 12, 2004 under New York law pursuant to a trust indenture (the “Trust Indenture”). The fiscal year end for the Trust is September 30^th. The Trust holds gold and is expected from time to time to issue shares (“Shares”) (in minimum denominations of 100,000 Shares, also referred to as “Baskets”) in exchange for deposits of gold and to distribute gold in connection with redemption of Baskets. The investment objective of the Trust is for the Shares to reflect the performance of the price of gold bullion, less the Trust’s expenses. World Gold Trust Services, LLC is the sponsor of the Trust (the “Sponsor”). BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, a division of The Bank of New York Mellon, is the trustee of the Trust (the “Trustee”). State Street Global Advisors Funds Distributors, LLC is the marketing agent of the Trust (the “Marketing Agent”). HSBC Bank plc ("HSBC") and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. ("JPMorgan") are the custodians of the Trust (each a "Custodian" and together, the “Custodians”).

 

The Shares trade on the NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “NYSE Arca”) under the symbol “GLD”, providing investors with an efficient means to obtain market exposure to the price of gold bullion. The Shares are also listed on the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited, the Mexican Stock Exchange (Bolsa Mexicana de Valores), the Singapore Exchange Limited and the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

 

The Trustee does not actively manage the gold held by the Trust. This means that the Trustee does not sell gold at times when its price is high or acquire gold at low prices in the expectation of future price increases. It also means that the Trustee does not make use of any of the hedging techniques available to professional gold investors to attempt to reduce the risk of losses resulting from price decreases. Any losses sustained by the Trust will adversely affect the value of the Shares.

 

2.	Significant Accounting Policies

 

The preparation of financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) requires those responsible for preparing financial statements to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts and disclosures. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The following is a summary of significant accounting policies followed by the Trust.

 

2.1.	Basis of Accounting

 

For accounting purposes only, the Trust is an investment company and, therefore, applies the specialized accounting and reporting guidance in Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 946, Financial Services—Investment Companies. The Trust is not registered as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

2.2.	Fair Value Measurement

 

FASB Accounting Standards Codification Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures, provides a single definition of fair value, a hierarchy for measuring fair value and expanded disclosures about fair value adjustments.

 

The Trust does not hold any derivative instruments, and its assets only consist of allocated gold bullion and, from time to time, (i) gold receivable, representing gold covered by contractually binding orders for the creation of Shares where the gold has not yet been transferred to the Trust’s account and (ii) cash, which is used to pay expenses.

 

U.S. GAAP defines fair value as the price the Trust would receive to sell an asset or pay to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The Trust’s policy is to value its investments at fair value.

 

Various inputs are used in determining the fair value of assets and liabilities. Inputs may be based on independent market data (“observable inputs”) or they may be internally developed (“unobservable inputs”). These inputs are categorized into a disclosure hierarchy consisting of three broad levels for financial reporting purposes. The level of a value determined for an asset or liability within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of any input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are as follows:

 

Level 1 – Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities;

 

Level 2 – Inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability either directly or indirectly, including quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not considered to be active, inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability and inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data by correlation or other means; and

 

Level 3 – Inputs that are unobservable for the asset or liability, including the Trust’s assumptions used in determining the fair value of investments.

 

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The following table summarizes the Trust’s investments at fair value:

 

(Amounts in 000’s of US$)
September 30, 2023		Level 1				Level 2				Level 3
Investment in Gold		$	52,539,161			$	—			$	—
Total		$	52,539,161			$	—			$	—

 

(Amounts in 000’s of US$)
September 30, 2022		Level 1				Level 2				Level 3
Investment in Gold		$	50,693,257			$	—			$	—
Total		$	50,693,257			$	—			$	—

 

There were no transfers between Level 1 and other Levels for the years ended September 30, 2023 and 2022.

 

The Trustee values the gold held by the Trust on the basis of the price of an ounce of gold as determined by the ICE Benchmark Administration Limited (“IBA”), a benchmark administrator, which provides an independently administered auction process as well as the overall administration and governance for the London Bullion Market Association (“LBMA”). In determining the net asset value (“NAV”) of the Trust, the Trustee values the gold held by the Trust on the basis of the price of an ounce of gold determined by the IBA 3:00 PM auction process (“LBMA Gold Price PM”), which is an electronic auction, with the imbalance calculated, and the price adjusted in rounds (30 seconds in duration). The auction runs twice daily at 10:30 AM and 3:00 PM London time. The Trustee determines the NAV of the Trust on each day the NYSE Arca is open for regular trading, at the earlier of the LBMA Gold Price PM for the day or 12:00 PM New York time. If no LBMA Gold Price is made on a particular evaluation day or if the LBMA Gold Price has not been announced by 12:00 PM New York time on a particular evaluation day, the next most recent LBMA Gold Price (AM or PM) is used in the determination of the NAV of the Trust, unless the Trustee, in consultation with the Sponsor, determines that such a price is inappropriate to use as the basis for such determination.

 

2.3.	Custody of Gold

 

Gold is held by the Custodians on behalf of the Trust, 100% of which is allocated gold in the form of good delivery gold bars. A current list of all gold held by the Custodians, including any held with a subcustodian, is available on the Sponsor’s website at www.spdrgoldshares.com.

 

2.4.	Gold Receivable

 

Gold receivable represents the quantity of gold covered by contractually binding orders for the creation of Shares where the gold has not yet been transferred to the Trust’s account. Generally, ownership of the gold is transferred within two business days of the trade date.

 

(Amounts in 000’s of US$)		Sep-30, 2023				Sep-30, 2022
Gold receivable		$	—			$	—

 

2.5.	Gold Payable

 

Gold payable represents the quantity of gold covered by contractually binding orders for the redemption of Shares where the gold has not yet been transferred out of the Trust’s account. Generally, ownership of the gold is transferred within two business days of the trade date.

 

(Amounts in 000’s of US$)		Sep-30, 2023				Sep-30, 2022
Gold payable		$	—			$	185,723

 

2.6.	Creations and Redemptions of Shares

 

The Trust creates and redeems Shares from time to time, but only in one or more Baskets (a Basket equals a block of 100,000 Shares). The Trust issues Shares in Baskets to certain authorized participants (“Authorized Participants”) on an ongoing basis. The creation and redemption of Baskets is only made in exchange for the delivery to the Trust or the distribution by the Trust of the amount of gold and any cash represented by the Baskets being created or redeemed, the amount of which will be based on the combined net asset value of the number of Shares included in the Baskets being created or redeemed determined on the day the order to create or redeem Baskets is properly received.

 

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As the Shares of the Trust are redeemable in Baskets at the option of the Authorized Participants, the Trust has classified the Shares as Net Assets for financial reporting purposes. Activity in the number and value of Shares created and redeemed for the years ended September 30, 2023, 2022 and 2021 are as follows:

 

		Year Ended				Year Ended				Year Ended
(Amounts are in 000’s)		Sep-30, 2023				Sep-30, 2022				Sep-30, 2021
Activity in Number of Shares Created and Redeemed:
Creations			65,000				97,800				67,500
Redemptions			(86,600	)			(113,800	)			(161,600	)
Net Change in Number of Shares Created and Redeemed			(21,600	)			(16,000	)			(94,100	)

 

		Year Ended				Year Ended				Year Ended
(Amounts in 000’s of US$)		Sep-30, 2023				Sep-30, 2022				Sep-30, 2021
Activity in Value of Shares Created and Redeemed:
Creations		$	11,487,838			$	17,115,534			$	11,694,069
Redemptions			(15,005,217	)			(19,135,818	)			(27,444,877	)
Net change in Value of Shares Created and Redeemed		$	(3,517,379	)		$	(2,020,284	)		$	(15,750,808	)

 

2.7.	Income and Expense (Amounts in 000’s of US$)

 

The Trustee will, at the direction of the Sponsor or in its own discretion, sell the Trust’s gold as necessary to pay the Trust’s expenses. When selling gold to pay expenses, the Trustee will endeavor to sell the smallest amount of gold needed to pay expenses in order to minimize the Trust’s holdings of assets other than gold. Unless otherwise directed by the Sponsor, the Trustee will sell gold to the Custodians at the next LBMA Gold Price PM following the sale order. A gain or loss is recognized based on the difference between the selling price and the average cost of the gold sold, and such amounts are reported as net realized gain/(loss) from investment in gold sold to pay expenses on the Statements of Operations.

 

The Trust’s net realized and change in unrealized gain/(loss) on investment in gold for the year ended September 30, 2023 of $5,769,797 is made up of a realized gain of $26,600 from the sale of gold to pay expenses, a realized gain of $1,717,329 from gold distributed for the redemption of Shares, and a change in unrealized gain/(loss) of $4,025,868 on investment in gold.

 

The Trust’s net realized and change in unrealized gain/(loss) on investment in gold for the year ended September 30, 2022 of $(2,706,033) is made up of a realized gain of $30,323 from the sale of gold to pay expenses, a realized gain of $2,091,493 from gold distributed for the redemption of Shares, and a change in unrealized gain/(loss)

of $(4,827,849) on investment in gold.

 

2.8.	Income Taxes

 

The Trust is classified as a “grantor trust” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Trust itself will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax. Instead, the Trust’s income and expenses will “flow through” to the Shareholders, and the Trustee will report the Trust’s proceeds, income, deductions, gains, and losses to the Internal Revenue Service on that basis. The Sponsor of the Trust has evaluated whether or not there are uncertain tax positions that require financial statement recognition and has determined that no reserves for uncertain tax positions are required as of September 30, 2023 or 2022.

 

The Sponsor evaluates tax positions taken or expected to be taken in the course of its tax treatment, and its tax reporting to its shareholders, of these positions to determine whether the tax positions are “more-likely-than-not” to be sustained by the applicable tax authority. Tax positions not deemed to meet that threshold would be recorded as an expense in the current year. The Trust is required to analyze all open tax years. Open tax years are those years that are open for examination by the relevant income taxing authority. As of September 30, 2023, the 2022, 2021, and 2020 tax years remain open for examination. There were no examinations in progress at period end.

 

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3.	Quarterly Statements of Operations

 

Year Ended September 30, 2023		Three Months Ended (unaudited)
																		Year Ended
(Amounts in 000’s of US$, except per share data)		Dec 31, 2022				Mar 31, 2023				Jun 30, 2023				Sep 30, 2023				Sep 30, 2023
EXPENSES
Sponsor fees		$	51,496			$	54,875			$	59,093			$	56,145			$	221,609
Total expenses			51,496				54,875				59,093				56,145				221,609
Net investment loss			(51,496	)			(54,875	)			(59,093	)			(56,145	)			(221,609	)
Net realized and change in unrealized gain/(loss) on investment in gold
Net realized gain/(loss) from investment in gold sold to pay expenses			2,693				6,534				9,804				7,569				26,600
Net realized gain/(loss) from gold distributed for the redemption of shares			175,717				312,163				674,988				554,461				1,717,329
Net change in unrealized gain/(loss) on investment in gold			3,903,862				4,559,082				(2,708,536	)			(1,728,540	)			4,025,868
Net realized and change in unrealized gain/(loss) on investment in gold			4,082,272				4,877,779				(2,023,744	)			(1,166,510	)			5,769,797
Net income/(loss)		$	4,030,776			$	4,822,904			$	(2,082,837	)		$	(1,222,655	)		$	5,548,188
Net income/(loss) per share		$	12.70			$	15.21			$	(6.46	)		$	(3.93	)		$	17.50
Weighted average number of shares (in 000’s)			317,265				317,031				322,625				310,962				316,955

 

Year Ended September 30, 2022		Three Months Ended (unaudited)
																		Year Ended
(Amounts in 000’s of US$, except per share data)		Dec 31, 2021				Mar 31, 2022				Jun 30, 2022				Sep 30, 2022				Sep 30, 2022
EXPENSES
Sponsor fees		$	57,105			$	61,058			$	64,772			$	55,562			$	238,497
Total expenses			57,105				61,058				64,772				55,562				238,497
Net investment loss			(57,105	)			(61,058	)			(64,772	)			(55,562	)			(238,497	)
Net realized and change in unrealized gain/(loss) on investment in gold
Net realized gain/(loss) from investment in gold sold to pay expenses			7,317				8,878				9,851				4,277				30,323
Net realized gain/(loss) from gold distributed for the redemption of shares			302,742				440,331				924,875				423,545				2,091,493
Net change in unrealized gain/(loss) on investment in gold			2,093,694				3,535,070				(5,329,581	)			(5,127,032	)			(4,827,849	)
Net realized and change in unrealized gain/(loss) on investment in gold			2,403,753				3,984,279				(4,394,855	)			(4,699,210	)			(2,706,033	)
Net income/(loss)		$	2,346,648			$	3,923,221			$	(4,459,627	)		$	(4,754,772	)		$	(2,944,530	)
Net income/(loss) per share		$	6.95			$	11.09			$	(12.01	)		$	(13.93	)		$	(8.39	)
Weighted average number of shares (in 000’s)			337,516				353,898				371,198				341,353				350,920

 

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4.	Related Parties – Sponsor and Trustee

 

The Trust’s only recurring fixed expense is the Sponsor’s fee which accrues daily at an annual rate equal to 0.40% of the daily NAV, in exchange for the Sponsor assuming the responsibility to pay all ordinary fees and expenses of the Trust which include fees and expenses of the Trustee, fees and expenses of the Custodians for the custody of the Trust’s gold bars, fees and expenses of the Sponsor, certain taxes, fees of the Marketing Agent, printing and mailing costs, legal and audit fees, registration fees, NYSE Arca listing fees and other marketing costs and expenses. Additionally, under a separate agreement with JPMorgan, the Sponsor has agreed to pay or reimburse JPMorgan for any value added, sales or similar tax chargeable on the services provided by JPMorgan as a Custodian, including any such taxes otherwise payable by the Trust.

 

Affiliates of the Trustee may from time to time act as Authorized Participants or purchase or sell gold or Shares for their own account, as agent for their customers and for accounts over which they exercise investment discretion.

 

5.	Concentration of Risk

 

The Trust’s sole business activity is the investment of gold. Various factors could affect the price of gold including: (i) global supply and demand, which is influenced by such factors as gold’s uses in jewelry, technology and industrial applications, purchases made by investors in the form of bars, coins and other gold products, forward selling by gold producers, purchases made by gold producers to unwind gold hedge positions, central bank purchases and sales, and production and cost levels in major gold-producing countries such as China, Australia, and the United States; (ii) investors’ expectations with respect to the rate of inflation; (iii) currency exchange rates; (iv) interest rates; (v) investment and trading activities of hedge funds and commodity funds; (vi) other economic variables such as income growth, economic output, and monetary policies; and (vii) global or regional political, economic or financial events and situations, especially those that are unexpected in nature. In addition, while gold is used to preserve wealth by investors around the world, there is no assurance that gold will maintain its long-term value in terms of purchasing power in the future. In the event that the price of gold declines, the Sponsor expects the value of an investment in the Shares to decline proportionately. Each of these events could have a material effect on the Trust’s financial position and results of operations.

 

6.	Indemnification

 

The Sponsor, and its shareholders, members, directors, officers, employees, affiliates and subsidiaries, are indemnified by the Trust and held harmless against certain losses, liabilities or expenses incurred in the performance of their duties under the Trust Indenture without gross negligence, bad faith, willful misconduct, willful malfeasance or reckless disregard of the indemnified party’s obligations and duties under the Trust Indenture. Such indemnity includes payment by the Trust of the costs and expenses incurred in defending against any claim or liability under the Trust Indenture. Under the Trust Indenture, the Sponsor may be able to seek indemnification by the Trust for payments it makes in connection with the Sponsor’s activities under the Trust Indenture to the extent its conduct does not disqualify it from receiving such indemnification under the terms of the Trust Indenture. The Sponsor is also indemnified by the Trust and held harmless against any loss, liability or expense arising under the Amended and Restated Marketing Agent Agreement between the Sponsor and the Marketing Agent effective July 17, 2015, as amended, or any agreement entered into with an Authorized Participant which provides the procedures for the creation and redemption of Baskets and for the delivery of gold and any cash required for creations and redemptions insofar as such loss, liability or expense arises from any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any written statement provided to the Sponsor by the Trustee. Any amounts payable to the Sponsor are secured by a lien on the Trust’s assets.

 

The Sponsor has agreed to indemnify certain parties against certain liabilities and to contribute to payments that such parties may be required to make in respect of those liabilities. The Trustee has agreed to reimburse such parties, solely from and to the extent of the Trust’s assets, for indemnification and contribution amounts due from the Sponsor in respect of such liabilities to the extent the Sponsor has not paid such amounts when due. The Sponsor has agreed that, to the extent the Trustee pays any amount in respect of the reimbursement obligations described in the preceding sentence, the Trustee, for the benefit of the Trust, will be subrogated to and will succeed to the rights of the party so reimbursed against the Sponsor.

 

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7.	Financial Highlights

 

The Trust is presenting the following financial highlights related to investment performance and operations of a Share outstanding for the years ended September 30, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The total return at net asset value is based on the change in net asset value of a Share during the period and the total return at market value is based on the change in market value of a Share on the NYSE Arca during the period. An individual investor’s return and ratios may vary based on the timing of capital transactions.

 

		Year Ended				Year Ended				Year Ended
		Sep-30, 2023				Sep-30, 2022				Sep-30, 2021
Net Asset Value
Net asset value per Share, beginning of period		$	155.69			$	162.96			$	177.15
Net investment income/(loss)			(0.70	)			(0.68	)			(0.68	)
Net Realized and Change in Unrealized Gain/(Loss)			18.52				(6.59	)			(13.51	)
Net Income/(Loss)			17.82				(7.27	)			(14.19	)
Net asset value per Share, end of period		$	173.51			$	155.69			$	162.96
Market value per Share, beginning of period		$	154.67			$	164.22			$	177.12
Market value per Share, end of period		$	171.45			$	154.67			$	164.22
Ratio to average net assets
Net investment loss			(0.40	)%			(0.40	)%			(0.40	)%
Gross expenses			0.40	%			0.40	%			0.40	%
Net expenses			0.40	%			0.40	%			0.40	%
Total Return, at net asset value			11.45	%			(4.46	)%			(8.01	)%
Total Return, at market value			10.85	%			(5.82	)%			(7.28	)%

 

Exhibit 4.2

 

SPDR® GOLD TRUST

FORM OF PARTICIPANT AGREEMENT

 

This SPDR® Gold Trust Participant Agreement (the “Agreement”), dated as of _______________, 202__, is entered into by and between ________________________________ (the “Authorized Participant”), BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, a division of The Bank of New York Mellon, not in its individual capacity but solely as trustee (the “Trustee”) of the SPDR® Gold Trust (the “Trust”), and World Gold Trust Services, LLC, as sponsor (the “Sponsor”) of the Trust.

 

SUMMARY

 

The Trustee serves as the trustee of the Trust pursuant to the Trust Indenture dated as of November 12, 2004, as amended from time to time, between the Sponsor and the Trustee (the “Trust Indenture”). As provided in the Trust Indenture and described in the Prospectus (defined below), units of fractional undivided beneficial interest in and ownership of the Trust (the “Shares”) may be created or redeemed by the Trustee for an Authorized Participant in aggregations of one hundred thousand (100,000) Shares (each aggregation, a “Basket”). Baskets are offered only pursuant to the most recent registration statement of the Trust on Form S-3, as declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and as the same may be amended from time to time thereafter (collectively, the “Registration Statement”) together with the prospectus of the Trust (the “Prospectus”) included therein. Under the Trust Indenture, the Trustee is authorized to issue Baskets to, and redeem Baskets from, Authorized Participants, only through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or a successor depository, and only in exchange for an amount of Gold that is transferred between the Authorized Participant and the Trust through the Participant Unallocated Account (defined below) and the Trust Unallocated Account. This Agreement sets forth the specific procedures by which the Authorized Participant may create or redeem Baskets (i) with HSBC Bank Plc (“HSBC”), as a Custodian, pursuant to the procedures set forth in Attachment A (“HSBC’s Procedures”) or (ii) with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (“JPM”), as a Custodian, pursuant to the procedures set forth in Attachment D (“JPM’s Procedures” and, together with HSBC’s Procedures, the “Procedures”). Under the Trust Indenture, when the Trustee issues Baskets in exchange for Gold, the Gold transferred by an Authorized Participant to the Participant Unallocated Account is transferred to the Trust Unallocated Account and then transferred and allocated to the Trust Allocated Account by the Custodian, and when the Trustee redeems Baskets tendered for redemption by an Authorized Participant in exchange for Gold, the Gold held in the Trust Allocated Account is to be deallocated and transferred to the Trust Unallocated Account and then transferred from the Trust Unallocated Account to the Participant Unallocated Account by the Custodian. The foregoing Gold transfers are also governed by the Trust’s Allocated Bullion Account Agreement and Unallocated Bullion Account Agreement with HSBC, as a Custodian, and the Trust’s Allocated Precious Metal Account Agreement and Unallocated Precious Metal Account Agreement with JPM, as a Custodian (collectively, the “Custody Agreements”) and the Participant Unallocated Bullion Account Agreement. This Agreement sets forth the specific procedures by which an Authorized Participant may create or redeem Baskets.

 

 

Because new Shares can be created and issued on an ongoing basis, at any point during the life of the Trust, a ‘‘distribution,’’ as such term is used in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“1933 Act”), may be occurring. The Authorized Participant is cautioned that some of its activities may result in its being deemed a participant in a distribution in a manner which would render it a statutory underwriter and subject it to the prospectus-delivery and liability provisions of the 1933 Act. The Authorized Participant should review the “Plan of Distribution” portion of the Prospectus and consult with its own counsel in connection with entering into this Agreement and placing an Order (defined below).

 

Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Agreement shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Trust Indenture. To the extent there is a conflict between any provision of this Agreement and the provisions of the Trust Indenture, the provisions of the Trust Indenture shall control.

 

To give effect to the foregoing premises and in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements set forth below, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

Section 1.     Order Placement. To place orders for the Trustee to create or redeem one or more Baskets, Authorized Participants must follow the procedures for creation and redemption referred to in Section 3 of this Agreement and the Procedures, as each may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time.

 

Section 2.    Status of Authorized Participant. The Authorized Participant represents and warrants and covenants the following:

 

(a)         The Authorized Participant is a participant of DTC (as such a participant, a “DTC Participant”). If the Authorized Participant ceases to be a DTC Participant, the Authorized Participant shall give immediate notice to the Trustee of such event, and this Agreement shall terminate immediately as of the date the Authorized Participant ceased to be a DTC Participant.

 

(b)         Unless Section 2(c) applies, the Authorized Participant either (i) is registered as a broker-dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“1934 Act”), and is a member in good standing of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), or (ii) is exempt from being, or otherwise is not required to be, licensed as a broker-dealer or a member of FINRA, and in either case is qualified to act as a broker or dealer in the states or other jurisdictions where the nature of its business so requires. The Authorized Participant will maintain any such registrations, qualifications and membership in good standing and in full force and effect throughout the term of this Agreement. The Authorized Participant will comply with all applicable federal laws, the laws of the states or other jurisdictions concerned, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and with the Constitution, By-Laws and Conduct Rules of FINRA (if it is a FINRA member), and will not offer or sell Shares in any state or jurisdiction where they may not lawfully be offered and/or sold.

 

(c)         If the Authorized Participant is offering or selling Shares in jurisdictions outside the several states, territories and possessions of the United States and is not otherwise required to be registered, qualified or a member of FINRA as set forth in Section 2(b) above, the Authorized Participant will (i) observe the applicable laws of the jurisdiction in which such offer and/or sale is made, (ii) comply with the full disclosure requirements of the 1933 Act, and the regulations promulgated thereunder, and (iii) conduct its business in accordance with the spirit of the FINRA Conduct Rules.

 

 

(d)         The Authorized Participant is in compliance with the money laundering and related provisions of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT ACT) Act of 2001, and the regulations promulgated thereunder, if the Authorized Participant is subject to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT ACT.

 

(e)         The Authorized Participant shall establish with the Custodian (if the Custodian is HSBC) or with any Gold clearing bank of London Precious Metals Clearing Limited (“LPMCL”) (if the Custodian is JPM) (the “Participant’s Custodian”), in London or at such other location as the Sponsor and the Trustee agree, an account in relation to Gold which shall be maintained on an Unallocated Basis (the “Participant Unallocated Account”). Additionally, if the Custodian is HSBC, the Participant Unallocated Account shall be used only to effect transactions between the Authorized Participant and the Trust and shall be in addition to any separate Gold account maintained for the Authorized Participant on an Unallocated Basis by the Participant’s Custodian. If the Custodian is HSBC, (i) the Participant Unallocated Account shall be established and maintained pursuant to a Participant Unallocated Bullion Account Agreement with the Participant’s Custodian in the form attached to this Agreement as Attachment B, as the same may be amended from time to time, and (ii), if the Authorized Participant does not already have a Gold account maintained for it on an Unallocated Basis by the Participant’s Custodian (separate from the Participant Unallocated Account), the Authorized Participant must establish such an account, which shall be established and maintained pursuant to such agreement as it and the Participant’s Custodian shall agree. If the Custodian is JPM, the Participant Unallocated Account shall be established and maintained pursuant to such agreement as the Authorized Participant and the Participant’s Custodian shall agree (the “Clearing Bank Unallocated Account Agreement”)..

 

(f)         The Authorized Participant has the capability to send and receive communications via authenticated telecommunication facility to and from the Trustee, the Custodian and the Participant’s Custodian. The Authorized Participant shall confirm such capability to the satisfaction of the Trustee and the Custodian by the end of the Business Day before placing its first order with the Trustee (whether such order is to create or to redeem Baskets). If required by the Custodian with respect to authorized telecommunications by telephonic facsimile , (i) if the Custodian is HSBC, the Authorized Participant shall enter into a separate agreement with the Custodian indemnifying the Custodian with respect to the Authorized Participant’s communications by telephonic facsimile, substantially in the form attached as Attachment C, as the same may be amended from time to time, and (ii) if the Custodian is JPM, the Authorized Participant shall enter into any agreement concerning communications by telephonic facsimile as the Participant’s Custodian may require.

 

Section 3.    Orders. (a) All orders to create or redeem Baskets shall be made in accordance with the terms of the Trust Indenture, the Custody Agreements, this Agreement and the Procedures. Each party will comply with such foregoing terms and procedures to the extent applicable to it. The Authorized Participant hereby consents to the use of recorded telephone lines whether or not such use is reflected in the Procedures. The Trustee and Sponsor may issue additional or other procedures from time to time relating to the manner of creating or redeeming Baskets which are not related to the Procedures, and the Authorized Participant will comply with such procedures.

 

 

(b)         The Authorized Participant acknowledges and agrees on behalf of itself and any party for which it is acting (whether such party is a customer or otherwise) that each order to create a Basket (a “Purchase Order”) and each order to redeem a Basket (a “Redemption Order”, and each Purchase Order and Redemption Order, an “Order”) may not be revoked by the Authorized Participant upon its delivery to the Trustee. A form of Purchase/Redemption Order is attached hereto as Exhibit B.

 

(c)         The Trustee shall have the absolute right, but shall have no obligation, to reject any Purchase Order or Creation Basket Deposit (i) determined by the Trustee not to be in proper form; (ii) that the Sponsor has determined and advised the Trustee would have adverse tax consequences to the Trust or to the Beneficial Owners; (iii) the acceptance or receipt of which would, in the opinion of counsel to the Sponsor acceptable to the Trustee, be unlawful; or (iv) if circumstances outside the control of the Trustee, the Custodian or the Sponsor make it for all practical purposes not feasible to process creations of Creation Baskets. Neither the Trustee nor the Sponsor shall be liable to any person by reason of the rejection of any Purchase Order or Creation Basket Deposit.

 

(d)         The Trustee shall reject any Redemption Order (i) determined by the Trustee not to be in proper form or (ii) the fulfillment of which its counsel advises may be illegal under applicable laws and regulations, and the Trustee shall have no liability to any person for rejecting a Redemption Order in such circumstances.

 

(e)         The Trustee may, in its discretion, and will when so directed by the Sponsor, suspend the right of redemption, or postpone the applicable redemption settlement date, (i) for any period during which the Exchange is closed other than for customary weekend or holiday closings, or trading is suspended or restricted; (ii) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which delivery, disposal or evaluation of the Gold is not reasonably practicable; or (iii) for such other period as the Sponsor determines to be necessary for the protection of the Beneficial Owners. Neither the Sponsor nor the Trustee shall be liable to any person or in any way for any loss or damages that may result from any such suspension or postponement.

 

(f)         Until otherwise notified, all orders to create Baskets shall be placed with JPM and all orders to redeem Baskets shall be placed with HSBC. If there is more than one Custodian with whom Authorized Participants may deposit Gold with in connection with the creation of Baskets or receive Gold from in connection with the redemption of Baskets, the Sponsor shall, from time to time, identify to the Authorized Participants and the Trustee which Custodian or Custodians Authorized Participants may or shall deposit Gold with in connection with the creation of Baskets or receive Gold from in connection with the redemption of Baskets. Such identification may be carried out by the Sponsor instructing the Trustee from time to time to indicate through the Trustee’s electronic ordering system which Custodian or Custodians the Authorized Participant shall deposit Gold with in connection with the creation of Baskets or receive Gold from in connection with the redemption of Baskets.

 

 

Section 4.    Gold Transfers. (a) Any Gold to be transferred in connection with any Order shall be transferred between the Participant Unallocated Account and the Trust Unallocated Account and between the Trust Unallocated Account and the Trust Allocated Account in accordance with the Procedures. The Authorized Participant shall be responsible for all costs and expenses relating to or connected with any transfer of Gold between its Participant Unallocated Account and the Trust Unallocated Account.

 

(b)         Each of the Trust, the Sponsor and the Trustee will have no liability for loss or damages suffered by an Authorized Participant in respect of the Authorized Participant’s Participant Unallocated Account. The liability of the Participant’s Custodian with respect to any such loss or damage will be governed (i) if the Custodian is HSBC, by the terms of the Participant Unallocated Bullion Account Agreement entered into between the Participant’s Custodian and the Authorized Participant and (ii) if the Custodian is JPM, by the terms of the Clearing Bank Unallocated Account Agreement.. The Authorized Participant acknowledges that it is an unsecured creditor of the Participant’s Custodian with respect to the Gold held in the Authorized Participant’s Participant Unallocated Account and that such Gold is at risk in the event of the Participant’s Custodian’s insolvency.

 

Section 5.    Gold Standards. All Gold to be transferred between the Trust and the Authorized Participant in connection with any Order shall meet the applicable standards and specifications for gold bullion set forth in the good delivery rules (the “Good Delivery Rules”) promulgated by the London Bullion Market Association (the “LBMA”) from time to time, which include standards for fineness. As provided in (i), if the Custodian is HSBC, the Authorized Participant’s Participant Unallocated Bullion Account Agreement and the Trust’s Unallocated Bullion Account Agreement or (ii), if the Custodian is JPM, the Clearing Bank Unallocated Account Agreement and the Trust’s Unallocated Precious Metal Account Agreement with JPM, amounts of Gold standing to the credit of an Authorized Participant’s Participant Unallocated Account or the Trust Unallocated Account, as the case may be, are held on an Unallocated Basis, which, as provided by those agreements, means only that each of the Authorized Participant or the Trust, as the case may be, is entitled to call on the Participant’s Custodian or the Custodian, as the case may be, to deliver in accordance with the Good Delivery Rules an amount of Gold equal to the amount of Gold standing to the credit of the Authorized Participant’s or the Trust’s relevant unallocated bullion account, as the case may be, but neither the Authorized Participant nor the Trust has any ownership interest in any Gold that the Participant’s Custodian or the Custodian, as the case may be, owns or holds. The Sponsor and the Trustee may, from time to time, pursuant to the Trust Indenture and as disclosed in the Prospectus, specify other gold bullion to be held by the Trust and which therefore may be transferred between the Trust and an Authorized Participant in connection with any Order, provided that such other gold bullion meets the standard of fineness specified under the Good Delivery Rules. A copy of the Good Delivery Rules may be obtained from the LBMA.

 

Section 6.     Fees. In connection with each Order by an Authorized Participant to create or redeem one or more Baskets, the Trustee shall charge, and the Authorized Participant shall pay to the Trustee, the Transaction Fee prescribed in the Trust Indenture applicable to such creation or redemption. The initial Transaction Fee shall be two thousand dollars ($2,000). The Transaction Fee may be adjusted from time to time as set forth in the Prospectus. As described in the Procedures, in the case of a Redemption Order that is held open until the third Business Day following the Redemption Order Date, for each day (whether or not a Business Day) the Redemption Order is held open, the Authorized Participant will be charged by the Trustee the greater of (i) $300 and (ii) $30 times the number of Baskets covered by the Redemption Order.

 

 

Section 7.     Authorized Persons. Concurrently with the execution of this Agreement and from time to time thereafter, the Authorized Participant shall deliver to the Trustee notarized and duly certified as appropriate by its secretary or other duly authorized official, a certificate in the form of Exhibit A setting forth the names and signatures of all persons authorized to give instructions relating to activity contemplated hereby or by any other notice, request or instruction given on behalf of the Authorized Participant (each, an “Authorized Person”). The Trustee may accept and rely upon such certificate as conclusive evidence of the facts set forth therein and shall consider such certificate to be in full force and effect until the Trustee receives a superseding certificate bearing a subsequent date. Upon the termination or revocation of authority of any Authorized Person by the Authorized Participant, the Authorized Participant shall give immediate written notice of such fact to the Trustee and such notice shall be effective upon receipt by the Trustee. The Trustee shall issue to each Authorized Person a unique personal identification number (the “PIN Number”) by which such Authorized Person shall be identified and by which instructions issued by the Authorized Participant hereunder shall be authenticated. The PIN Number shall be kept confidential by the Authorized Participant and shall only be provided to the Authorized Person. If, after issuance, the Authorized Person’s PIN Number is changed, the new PIN Number shall become effective on a date mutually agreed upon by the Authorized Participant and the Trustee.

 

Section 8.     Redemption. The Authorized Participant represents and warrants that it will not obtain an Order Number (as described in the Procedures) from the Trustee for the purpose of redeeming a Basket unless it first ascertains that (i) it or its customer, as the case may be, owns outright or has full legal authority and legal and beneficial right to tender for redemption the Baskets to be redeemed and to receive the entire proceeds of the redemption, and (ii) such Baskets have not been loaned or pledged to another party and are not the subject of a repurchase agreement, securities lending agreement or any other arrangement which would preclude the delivery of such Baskets to the Trustee the second Business Day following the Redemption Order Date.

 

Section 9.     Role of Authorized Participant. (a) The Authorized Participant acknowledges that, for all purposes of this Agreement and the Trust Indenture, the Authorized Participant is and shall be deemed to be an independent contractor and has and shall have no authority to act as agent for the Trust, the Sponsor, the Trustee, the Custodian, or the Participant’s Custodian in any matter or in any respect.

 

(b)         The Authorized Participant will make itself and its employees available, upon request, during normal business hours to consult with the Trustee, the Custodian, the Participant’s Custodian or their designees concerning the performance of the Authorized Participant’s responsibilities under this Agreement.

 

(c)         With respect to any creation or redemption transaction made by the Authorized Participant pursuant to this Agreement for the benefit of any customer or any other DTC Participant or Indirect Participant, or any other Beneficial Owner, the Authorized Participant shall extend to any such party all of the rights, and shall be bound by all of the obligations, of a DTC Participant in addition to any obligations that it undertakes hereunder or in accordance with the Trust Indenture.

 

 

(d)         The Authorized Participant will maintain records of all sales of Shares made by or through it and will furnish copies of such records to the Sponsor upon the reasonable request of the Sponsor.

 

Section 10.    Indemnification.

 

(a)          The Authorized Participant hereby indemnifies and holds harmless the Trustee, the Custodian, the Participant’s Custodian, the Trust, the Sponsor, their respective direct or indirect affiliates (as defined below) and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents (each, an “AP Indemnified Party”) from and against any losses, liabilities, damages, costs and expenses (including attorney’s fees and the reasonable cost of investigation) incurred by such AP Indemnified Party as a result of or in connection with: (i) any breach by the Authorized Participant of any provisions of this Agreement, including its representations, warranties and covenants; (ii) any failure on the part of the Authorized Participant to perform any of its obligations set forth in this Agreement; (iii) any failure by the Authorized Participant to comply with applicable laws and the rules and regulations of self-regulatory organizations; (iv) any actions of such AP Indemnified Party in reliance upon any instructions issued in accordance with the Procedures believed by the AP Indemnified Party to be genuine and to have been given by the Authorized Participant; or (v) (A) any representation by the Authorized Participant, its employees or its agents or other representatives about the Shares, any AP Indemnified Party or the Trust that is not consistent with the Trust’s then-current Prospectus made in connection with the offer or the solicitation of an offer to buy or sell Shares and (B) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any research reports, marketing material and sales literature described in Section 14(b) or any alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading to the extent that such statement or omission relates to the Shares, any AP Indemnified Party or the Trust, unless, in either case, such representation, statement or omission was made or included by the Authorized Participant at the written direction of the Sponsor or is based upon any omission or alleged omission by the Sponsor to state a material fact in connection with such representation, statement or omission necessary to make such representation, statement or omission not misleading.

 

(b)          The Sponsor hereby agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Authorized Participant, its respective subsidiaries, affiliates, directors, officers, employees and agents, and each person, if any, who controls such persons within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (each, a “Sponsor Indemnified Party”) from and against any losses, liabilities, damages, costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees and the reasonable cost of investigation) incurred by such Sponsor Indemnified Party as a result of (i) any breach by the Sponsor of any provision of this Agreement that relates to the Sponsor; (ii) any failure on the part of the Sponsor to perform any obligation of the Sponsor set forth in this Agreement; (iii) any failure by the Sponsor to comply with applicable laws; or (iv) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the registration statement of the Trust as originally filed with the SEC or in any amendment thereof, or in any prospectus, or in any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or arising out of or based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except those statements in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus based on information furnished in writing by or on behalf of the Authorized Participant expressly for use in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus.

 

 

(c)          This Section 10 shall not apply to the extent any such losses, liabilities, damages, costs and expenses are incurred as a result or in connection with any gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the AP Indemnified Party or the Sponsor Indemnified Party, as the case may be. The term “affiliate” in this Section 10 shall include, with respect to any person, entity or organization, any other person, entity or organization which directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with such person, entity or organization.

 

(d)          If the indemnification provided for in this Section 10 is unavailable to an indemnified party under Sections 10(a) or 10(b) or insufficient to hold an indemnified party harmless in respect of any losses, liabilities, damages, costs and expenses referred to therein, then each applicable indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, liabilities, damages, costs and expenses (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Sponsor and the Trust, on the one hand, and by the Authorized Participant, on the other hand, from the services provided hereunder or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Sponsor and the Trust, on the one hand, and of the Authorized Participant, on the other hand, in connection with, to the extent applicable, the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, damages, costs and expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Sponsor and the Trust, on the one hand, and the Authorized Participant, on the other hand, shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the amount of gold transferred to the Trust under this Agreement on the one hand (expressed in dollars) bears to the amount of economic benefit received by the Authorized Participant in connection with this Agreement on the other hand. To the extent applicable, the relative fault of the Sponsor on the one hand and of the Authorized Participant on the other shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission relates to information supplied by the Sponsor or by the Authorized Participant and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, liabilities, damages, costs and expenses referred to in this Section 10(d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating, preparing to defend or defending any action, suit or proceeding (each a “Proceeding”) related to such losses, liabilities, damages, costs and expenses.

 

(e)          The Sponsor and the Authorized Participant agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 10 were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in Section 10(d) above. The Authorized Participant shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares created by the Authorized Participant and distributed to the public exceeds the amount of any damage which the Authorized Participant has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

 

 

(f)          The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section 10 shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Authorized Participant, its partners, stockholders, members, directors, officers, employees and or any person (including each partner, stockholder, member, director, officer or employee of such person) who controls the Authorized Participant within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, or by or on behalf of the Sponsor, its partners, stockholders, members, directors, officers, employees or any person who controls the Sponsor within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, and shall survive any termination of this Agreement. The Sponsor and the Authorized Participant agree promptly to notify each other of the commencement of any Proceeding against it and, in the case of the Sponsor, against any of the Sponsor’s officers or directors, in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares or in connection with the Registration Statement or the Prospectus.

 

(g)          Pursuant to the Trust Indenture, the Trustee, solely from and to the extent of the assets of the Trust, hereby agrees to reimburse any Sponsor Indemnified Party to the extent the Sponsor does not pay such amounts when due under this Section 10 (including any amount in contribution thereof that may be owed to such Sponsor Indemnified Party pursuant to Section 10 hereof), and to pay any and all expenses (including reasonable and documented counsel fees and expenses) incurred by the Sponsor Indemnified Party in enforcing its rights under this Section 10(g). In connection with enforcing its rights, each Sponsor Indemnified Party shall use the same legal counsel which shall be selected by the Authorized Participant and be reasonably acceptable to the Sponsor.

 

Section 11.    (a) Limitation of Liability. None of the Sponsor, the Trustee, the Authorized Participant, the Participant’s Custodian and the Custodian shall be liable to each other or to any other person, including any party claiming by, through or on behalf of the Authorized Participant, for any losses, liabilities, damages, costs or expenses arising out of any mistake or error in data or other information provided to any of them by each other or any other person or out of any interruption or delay in the electronic means of communications used by them.

 

(b)         Tax Liability. The Authorized Participant shall be responsible for the payment of any transfer tax, sales or use tax, stamp tax, recording tax, value added tax and any other similar tax or government charge applicable to the creation or redemption of any Basket made pursuant to this Agreement, regardless of whether or not such tax or charge is imposed directly on the Authorized Participant. To the extent the Trustee, the Sponsor or the Trust is required by law to pay any such tax or charge, the Authorized Participant agrees to promptly indemnify such party for any such payment, together with any applicable penalties, additions to tax or interest thereon.

 

Section 12.    Acknowledgment. The Authorized Participant acknowledges receipt of a (i) copy of the Trust Indenture and (ii) the current Prospectus of the Trust and represents that it has reviewed and understands such documents.

 

 

Section 13.    Effectiveness and Termination. Upon the execution of this Agreement by the parties hereto, this Agreement shall become effective in this form as of the date first set forth above, and may be terminated at any time by any party upon thirty (30) days prior written notice to the other parties unless earlier terminated: (i) in accordance with Section 2(a); (ii) upon notice to the Authorized Participant by the Trustee in the event of a breach by the Authorized Participant of this Agreement or the procedures described or incorporated herein; (iii) immediately in the circumstances described in Section 20(j); or (iv) at such time as the Trust is terminated pursuant to the Trust Agreement.

 

Section 14.    Certain Covenants of the Sponsor. The Sponsor, on its own behalf and as sponsor of the Trust, covenants and agrees:

 

(a)          to advise the Authorized Participant promptly of the happening of any event during the term of this Agreement which could require the making of any change in the Prospectus then being used so that the Prospectus would not include an untrue statement of material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading, and, during such time, to prepare and furnish, at the expense of the Trust, to the Authorized Participant promptly such amendments or supplements to such Prospectus as may be necessary to reflect any such change;

 

(b)          to furnish to the Authorized Participant, at each time (i) the Registration Statement or the Prospectus is amended or supplemented by the filing of a post-effective amendment, (ii) a new Registration Statement is filed to register additional Shares in reliance on Rule 429, and (iii) there is financial information incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, an opinion of Carter Ledyard & Milburn LLP, counsel for the Sponsor, addressed to the Authorized Participant and dated such dates in form and substance satisfactory to the Authorized Participant, stating that:

 

1.

the Trust is validly existing as an investment trust under the laws of the State of New York, as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and has all power and authority to issue and deliver the Shares as contemplated therein and to execute and deliver this Agreement;

 

2.

the Sponsor has been duly organized and is validly existing as a limited liability company in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with full corporate power and authority to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and to execute and deliver this Agreement;

 

3.

the Sponsor is duly qualified and is in good standing in each jurisdiction where the conduct of its business requires such qualification;

 

4.

this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Sponsor;

 

5.

the Shares issuable by the Trust as described in the Registration Statement, when issued in accordance with the terms of the Trust Indenture as described in the Registration Statement, will have been duly authorized and validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable;

 

 

6.

the Shares conform to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus;

 

7.

the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (except as to the financial statements and schedules and other financial information contained therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act;

 

8.

the Registration Statement has become effective under the 1933 Act and, to such counsel’s knowledge, no stop order proceedings with respect thereto are pending or threatened under the 1933 Act and any required filing of the Prospectus and any supplement thereto pursuant to Rule 424 under the 1933 Act has been made in the manner and within the time period required by such Rule 424;

 

9.

no approval, authorization, consent or order of or filing with any federal, or New York State governmental or regulatory commission, board, body, authority or agency is required in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares and consummation by the Sponsor of the transactions contemplated in the Prospectus other than registration of the Shares under the 1933 Act (except such counsel need express no opinion as to any necessary qualification under the state securities or blue sky laws of any state or the laws of any jurisdictions outside the United States);

 

10.

the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Sponsor, the issuance and delivery of the Shares by the Trust and the consummation by the Sponsor and the Trustee on behalf of the Trust of the transactions contemplated hereby do not and will not conflict with, result in any breach or violation of or constitute a default under (nor constitute any event which with notice, lapse of time or both would result in any breach or violation of or constitute a default under) the amended and restated limited liability company agreement of the Sponsor or the Trust Indenture, or any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, bank loan or credit agreement or other evidence of indebtedness, or any license, lease, contract or other agreement or instrument known to such counsel after reasonable investigation (based on a certificate of an officer of the Sponsor) to which the Sponsor or the Trustee is a party or by which either of them or any of their respective properties may be bound or affected, or any federal, or New York State law, regulation or rule or any decree, judgment or order applicable to the Sponsor or the Trust and known to such counsel;

 

11.

to such counsel’s knowledge, neither the Sponsor nor the Trust is in breach or violation of or in default under (nor has any event occurred which with notice, lapse of time, or both would result in any breach or violation of, or constitute a default under) their respective constitutive documents, or any federal or New York State law, regulation or rule applicable to the Sponsor or the Trust;

 

12.

to such counsel’s knowledge, there are no affiliate transactions, off-balance sheet transactions, contracts, licenses, agreements, leases or documents of a character which are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement which have not been so described or filed;

 

 

13.

to such counsel’s knowledge, there are no actions, suits, claims, investigations or proceedings pending, or threatened to which the Sponsor or the Trustee is or would be a party or to which any of their respective properties is or would be subject at law or in equity, before or by any federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory commission, board, body, authority or agency which are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus but are not so described;

 

14.

the Trust is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares, will not be an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company,” as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”); and

 

15.

the information in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus under the headings “Risk Factors—Competing claims over ownership of intellectual property rights related to the Trust could adversely affect the Trust and an investment in the Shares,” “Business of the Trust—License Agreement,” “Description of the Shares,” “United States Federal Tax Consequences,” “Description of the Trust Indenture,” “Description of the Custody Agreements” and “Legal Proceedings” insofar as such statements constitute a summary of documents or matters of law are accurate in all material respects and present fairly the information required to be shown.

 

In addition, such counsel shall state that such counsel has participated in conferences with officers and other representatives of the Sponsor, representatives of the independent public accountants of the Trust and representatives of the Authorized Participant at which the contents of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus were discussed and, although such counsel is not passing upon and does not assume responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (except as and to the extent stated in subparagraphs (6) and (15) above), on the basis of the foregoing nothing has come to the attention of such counsel that causes them to believe that the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto at the time such Registration Statement or amendment became effective contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or that the Prospectus or any supplement thereto at the date of such Prospectus or such supplement, and at the time of purchase of the Shares by the Authorized Participant hereunder, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (it being understood that such counsel need express no opinion with respect to the financial statements and schedules and other financial information included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus);

 

(c)  to cause KPMG LLP to deliver, at each time (i) the Registration Statement or the Prospectus is amended or supplemented by the filing of a post-effective amendment, (ii) a new Registration Statement is filed to register additional Shares in reliance on Rule 429, and (iii) there is financial information incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, letters dated such dates and addressed to the Authorized Participant, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants' letters to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and other financial information contained in or incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and the Prospectus;

 

 

(d)          to deliver to the Authorized Participant, at each time (i) the Registration Statement or the Prospectus is amended or supplemented by the filing of a post-effective amendment, (ii) a new Registration Statement is filed to register additional Shares in reliance on Rule 429, and (iii) there is financial information incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, a certification by a duly authorized officer of the Sponsor in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C.

 

In addition, any certificate signed by any officer of the Sponsor and delivered to the Authorized Participant or counsel for the Authorized Participant pursuant hereto shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Sponsor as to matters covered thereby to the Authorized Participant;

 

(e)          to furnish to the Authorized Participant, at each time (i) the Registration Statement or the Prospectus is amended or supplemented by the filing of a post-effective amendment, (ii) a new Registration Statement is filed to register additional Shares in reliance on Rule 429, and (iii) there is financial information incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, such documents and certificates in the form as reasonably requested by the Marketing Agent pursuant to Section 4.1(q) of the Marketing Agent Agreement; and

 

(f)         to cause the Trust to file a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement no less frequently than once per calendar quarter on or about the same time that the Trust files a quarterly or annual report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act (including the information contained in such report), until such time as the Trust’s reports filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.

 

Section 15.     Marketing Materials; Representations Regarding Shares; Identification in Registration Statement.

 

(a)         The Authorized Participant represents, warrants and covenants that (i), without the written consent of the Sponsor, the Authorized Participant will not make, or permit any of its representatives to make, any representations concerning the Shares or any AP Indemnified Party other than representations contained (A) in the then-current Prospectus of the Trust, (B) in printed information approved by the Sponsor as information supplemental to such Prospectus or (C) in any promotional materials or sales literature furnished to the Authorized Participant by the Sponsor, and (ii) the Authorized Participant will not furnish or cause to be furnished to any person or display or publish any information or material relating to the Shares, any AP Indemnified Person or the Trust that are not consistent with the Trust’s then current Prospectus. Copies of the then current Prospectus of the Trust and any such printed supplemental information will be supplied by the Sponsor to the Authorized Participant in reasonable quantities upon request.

 

(b)         Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Authorized Participant may without the written approval of the Sponsor prepare and circulate in the regular course of its business research reports, marketing material and sales literature that includes information, opinions or recommendations relating to the Shares (i) for public dissemination, provided that such research reports, marketing material or sales literature compare the relative merits and benefits of Shares with other products; and (ii) for internal use by the Authorized Participant. The Authorized Participant will file all such research reports, marketing material and sales literature related to the Shares with FINRA to the extent required by the FINRA Conduct Rules.

 

 

(c)         The Authorized Participant and its affiliates may prepare and circulate in the regular course of their businesses, without having to refer to the Shares or the Trust’s then-current Prospectus, data and information relating to the price of gold.

 

(d)         The Authorized Participant hereby agrees that for the term of this Agreement the Sponsor may deliver the then-current Prospectus, and any supplements or amendments thereto or recirculation thereof, to the Authorized Participant in Portable Document Format (“PDF”) via electronic mail in lieu of delivering the Prospectus in paper form. The Authorized Participant may revoke the foregoing agreement at any time by delivering written notice to the Sponsor and, whether or not such agreement is in effect, the Authorized Participant may, at any time, request reasonable quantities of the Prospectus, and any supplements or amendments thereto or recirculation thereof, in paper form from the Sponsor. The Authorized Participant acknowledges that it has the capability to access, view, save and print material provided to it in PDF and that it will incur no appreciable extra costs by receiving the Prospectus in PDF instead of in paper form. The Sponsor will when requested by the Authorized Participant make available at no cost the software and technical assistance necessary to allow the Authorized Participant to access, view and print the PDF version of the Prospectus.

 

(e)          For as long as this Agreement is effective, the Authorized Participant agrees to be identified as an authorized participant of the Trust (i) in the section of the Prospectus included within the Registration Statement entitled “Creation and Redemption of Shares” and in any other section as may be required by the SEC and (ii) on the Trust’s website. Upon the termination of this Agreement, (i) during the period prior to when the Sponsor qualifies and elects to file on Form S-3, the Sponsor will remove such identification from the Prospectus in the amendment of the Registration Statement next occurring after the date of the termination of this Agreement and, during the period after when the Sponsor qualifies and elects to file on Form S-3, the Sponsor will promptly file a current report on Form 8-K indicating the withdrawal of the Authorized Participant as an authorized participant of the Trust and (ii) the Sponsor will promptly update the Trust’s website to remove any identification of the Authorized Participant as an authorized participant of the Trust.

 

Section 16.    Title To Gold. The Authorized Participant represents and warrants on behalf of itself and any party for which it acts that upon delivery of a Creation Basket Deposit to the Trustee in accordance with the terms of the Trust Indenture and this Agreement, the Trust will acquire good and unencumbered title to the Gold which is the subject of such Creation Basket Deposit, free and clear of all pledges, security interests, liens, charges, taxes, assessments, encumbrances, equities, claims, options or limitations of any kind or nature, fixed or contingent, and not subject to any adverse claims, including any restriction upon the sale or transfer of all or any part of such Gold which is imposed by any agreement or arrangement entered into by the Authorized Participant or any party for which it is acting in connection with a Purchase Order.

 

 

Section 17.    Third Party Beneficiaries. Each AP Indemnified Party and each Sponsor Indemnified Party, to the extent it is not a party to this Agreement, is a third-party beneficiary of this Agreement (each, a “Third Party Beneficiary”) and may proceed directly against any indemnifying party (including by bringing proceedings against such indemnifying party in its own name) to enforce any obligation of such indemnifying party under this Agreement which directly or indirectly benefits such Third Party Beneficiary.

 

Section 18.    Force Majeure. No party to this Agreement shall incur any liability for any delay in performance, or for the non-performance, of any of its obligations under this Agreement by reason of any cause beyond its reasonable control. This includes any act of God or war or terrorism, any breakdown, malfunction or failure of transmission in connection with or other unavailability of any wire, communication or computer facilities, any transport, port, or airport disruption, industrial action, acts and regulations and rules of any governmental or supra national bodies or authorities or regulatory or self-regulatory organization or failure of any such body, authority or organization for any reason, to perform its obligations.

 

Section 19.    Ambiguous Instructions. If a Purchase Order Form or a Redemption Order Form otherwise in good form contains order terms that differ from the information provided in the telephone call at the time of issuance of the applicable order number, the Trustee will attempt to contact one of the Authorized Persons of the Authorized Participant to request confirmation of the terms of the Order. If an Authorized Person confirms the terms as they appear in the Order, then the Order will be accepted and processed. If an Authorized Person contradicts the Order terms, the Order will be deemed invalid, and a corrected Order must be received by the Trustee, as the case may be, not later than the earlier of: (i) within 15 minutes of such contact with the Authorized Person; or (ii) 45 minutes after the Order Cut-Off Time (as described in the Procedures). If the Trustee is not able to contact an Authorized Person, then the Order shall be accepted and processed in accordance with its terms notwithstanding any inconsistency from the terms of the telephone information. In the event that an Order contains terms that are illegible, the Order will be deemed invalid and the Trustee will attempt to contact one of the Authorized Persons of the Authorized Participant to request retransmission of the Order. A corrected Order must be received by the Trustee not later than the earlier of (i) within 15 minutes of such contact with the Authorized Person or (ii) 45 minutes after the Order Cut-Off Time, as the case may be.

 

Section 20.    Miscellaneous.

 

(a)         Amendment and Modification. This Agreement, the Procedures and the Exhibits hereto may be amended, modified or supplemented by the Trustee and the Sponsor, without consent of any Beneficial Owner or Authorized Participant from time to time by the following procedure. After the amendment, modification or supplement has been agreed to, the Trustee will mail or email a copy of the proposed amendment, modification or supplement to the Authorized Participant. For the purposes of this Agreement, (i) mail will be deemed received by the recipient thereof on the third (3rd) day following the deposit of such mail into the United States postal system and (ii) if the email is sent during normal business hours on a Business Day, the email will be deemed received on such Business Day and, if the email is not sent during business hours on a Business Day or not on a Business Day, the email will be deemed received on the next Business Day. Within ten (10) calendar days after its deemed receipt, the amendment, modification or supplement will become part of this Agreement, the Attachments or the Exhibits, as the case may be, in accordance with its terms. If at any time there is any material amendment, modification or supplement of any SPDR® Gold Trust Participant Agreement (other than this Agreement), the Trustee will promptly mail or email a copy of such amendment, modification or supplement to the Authorized Participant.

 

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, any amendment, modification or supplement to any creation or redemption procedural item (i) in HSBC’s Procedures which is also set forth in either of the Custody Agreements with HSBC or in the Participant Unallocated Bullion Account Agreement attached as Attachment B shall be made in accordance with the terms of such agreements and (ii) in JPM’s Procedures which is also set forth in either of the Custody Agreements with JPM shall be made in accordance with the terms of such agreements. After the amendment, modification or supplement has been agreed to, the Trustee will mail a copy of the amendment, modification or supplement to the Authorized Participant.

 

The form of agreement of the Custodian concerning its respective indemnification by the Authorized Participant for communications by telephone facsimile attached as Attachment C may be amended from time to time by the Custodian.

 

(b)         Waiver of Compliance. Any failure of any of the parties to comply with any obligation, covenant, agreement or condition herein may be waived by the party entitled to the benefits thereof only by a written instrument signed by the party granting such waiver, but any such written waiver, or the failure to insist upon strict compliance with any obligation, covenant, agreement or condition herein, shall not operate as a waiver of, or estoppel with respect to, any subsequent or other failure.

 

(c)         Notices. Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement, all notices required or permitted to be given pursuant to this Agreement shall be given in writing and delivered by personal delivery, by postage prepaid registered or certified United States first class mail, return receipt requested, by nationally recognized overnight courier (delivery confirmation received) or by electronic mail or telephonic facsimile or similar means of same day delivery (transmission confirmation received), with a confirming copy regular mail, postage prepaid. Unless otherwise notified in writing, all notices to the Trust shall be given or sent to the Trustee. All notices shall be directed to the address, electronic mail address or telephone or facsimile numbers indicated below the signature line of the parties on the signature page hereof.

 

(d)        Successors and Assigns. This Agreement and all of the provisions hereof shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns.

 

(e)         Assignment. Neither this Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations hereunder shall be assigned by any party without the prior written consent of the other parties, except that any entity into which a party hereto may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated or any entity resulting from any merger, conversion, or consolidation to which such party hereunder shall be a party, or any entity succeeding to all or substantially all of the business of the party, shall be the successor of the party under this Agreement. The party resulting from any such merger, conversion, consolidation or succession shall notify the other parties hereto of the change. Any purported assignment in violation of the provisions hereof shall be null and void. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement shall be automatically assigned to any successor Trustee or Sponsor at such time such successor qualifies as a successor Trustee or Sponsor under the terms of the Trust Indenture.

 

 

(f)         Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York (regardless of the laws that might otherwise govern under applicable New York conflict of laws principles) as to all matters, including matters of validity, construction, effect, performance and remedies. Each party hereto irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York and of any federal court located in the Borough of Manhattan in such State in connection with any action, suit or other proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any action taken or omitted hereunder, and waives any claim of forum non conveniens and any objections as to laying of venue. Each party further waives personal service of any summons, complaint or other process and agrees that service thereof may be made by certified or registered mail directed to such party at such party’s address for purposes of notices hereunder.

 

(g)         Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which will be deemed to be an original copy of this Agreement and all of which, when taken together, will be deemed to constitute one and the same agreement, and it shall not be necessary in making proof of this Agreement as to any party hereto to produce or account for more than one such counterpart executed and delivered by such party.

 

(h)         Interpretation. The article and section headings contained in this Agreement are solely for the purpose of reference, are not part of the agreement of the parties and shall not in any way affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

 

(i)          Entire Agreement. This Agreement and the Trust Indenture, along with any other agreement or instrument delivered pursuant to this Agreement and the Trust Indenture, supersede all prior agreements and understandings between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, provided, however, that the Authorized Participant shall not be deemed by this provision to be a party to the Trust Indenture.

 

(j)         Severance. If any provision of this Agreement is held by any court or any act, regulation, rule or decision of any other governmental or supra national body or authority or regulatory or self-regulatory organization to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason, it shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable only to the extent so held and shall not affect the validity, legality or enforceability of the other provisions of this Agreement and this Agreement will be construed as if such invalid, illegal, or unenforceable provision had never been contained herein, unless the Sponsor determines in its discretion, after consulting with the Trustee, that the provision of this Agreement that was held invalid, illegal or unenforceable does affect the validity, legality or enforceability of one or more other provisions of this Agreement, and that this Agreement should not be continued without the provision that was held invalid, illegal or unenforceable, and in that case, upon the Sponsor’s notification of the Trustee of such a determination, this Agreement shall immediately terminate and the Trustee will so notify the Authorized Participant immediately.

 

 

(k)          No Strict Construction. The language used in this Agreement will be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent, and no rule of strict construction will be applied against any party.

 

(l)            Survival. Sections 10 (Indemnification) and 17 (Third Party Beneficiaries) hereof shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

 

(m)       Other Usages. The following usages shall apply in interpreting this Agreement: (i) references to a governmental or quasigovernmental agency, authority or instrumentality shall also refer to a regulatory body that succeeds to the functions of such agency, authority or instrumentality; and (ii) “including” means “including, but not limited to.”

 

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Authorized Participant, the Sponsor and the Trustee, on behalf of the Trust, have caused this Agreement to be executed by their duly authorized representatives as of the date first set forth above.

 

BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, a division of The Bank of New York Mellon, not in its individual capacity, but solely as Trustee of the SPDR® Gold Trust
			Authorized Participant
By:			By:
Name:			Name:
Title:			Title:
Address:	240 Greenwich Street 8th Floor New York, NY 10286 Attention: ETF Services			(if two signatures are required, please also sign below)
			By:
			Name:
			Title:
Telephone:	212-815-2698		Address:
Facsimile:	732-667-9478 or 9549		Telephone:
Email:	etfcsm@bnymellon.com		Facsimile:
			Email:
			Name of Authorized Participant’s Participant Unallocated Bullion Account:
World Gold Trust Services, LLC
Sponsor of the SPDR® Gold Trust
By:
Name:
Title:
Address:	685 Third Avenue, 27th Floor New York, New York 10017
Telephone:	(212) 317-3800
Facsimile:	(212) 688-0410
Email:	legalnotices@gold.org

 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

SPDR® GOLD TRUST

 

FORM OF CERTIFIED AUTHORIZED PERSONS OF AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT

 

The following are the names, titles and signatures of all persons (each an “Authorized Person”) authorized to give instructions relating to any activity contemplated by the Participant Agreement or any other notice, request or instruction on behalf of the Authorized Participant pursuant to the SPDR® Gold Trust Participant Agreement.

 

Authorized Participant:         ________________________________

 

Name:			Name:
Title:			Title:
Signature:			Signature:
Name:			Name:
Title:			Title:
Signature:			Signature:

 

 

The undersigned, [name], [title] of [company], does hereby certify that the persons listed above have been duly elected to the offices set forth beneath their names, that they presently hold such offices, that they have been duly authorized to act as Authorized Persons pursuant to the SPDR® Gold Trust Participant Agreement by and between [Authorized Participant] and the Trustee and the Sponsor of the SPDR® Gold Trust, dated [date], and that their signatures set forth above are their own true and genuine signatures.

 

In Witness Whereof, the undersigned has hereby set his/her hand and the seal of [company] on the date set forth below.

 

Subscribed and sworn to before me this ___ day of ____________, 20__		By:
		Name:
		Title:
		Date:
Notary Public

 

 

EXHIBIT B

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, TRUSTEE

CREATION/REDEMPTION ORDER FORM

SPDR GOLD TRUST ETF

_____________________________________________________________________

CONTACT INFORMATION FOR ORDER EXECUTION:

BNY Mellon ETF Order Desk

Telephone Order Number:         (844) 545-1258

Fax Order Number:                    (732) 667-9478 or 9549

Email Order Address:          BNYMETFOrderDesk@bnymellon.com

Custodian Instructions                  

______________________________________________________________________________

Authorized Participant must complete all items in Part 1. The Trustee, in its discretion, may reject any order not submitted in complete form.

 

I.         TO BE COMPLETED BY AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT:

 

Date:_____________________________                            Broker Name: ______________________                       AP Unallocated Account Name:__________________                   Telephone Number:____________________	Time:______________________ AP Firm Name:___________________ DTC Participant Number:______________ Fax Number:__________________
Type of order (Check Creation or Redemption please)	(One CU = 100,000 GLD)

 

Creation of GLD’s         ____                                       # Of Creation Units (CU) Transacted:                              Order # __________________

Redemption of GLD’s         ___   Number:______________   Number written out: ______________

 

Please indicate gold clearing agent:

 

HSBC ___                   Other (please specify clearing agent): ____________________________

 

Account Number for gold delivery: ______________________________

 

 

This Order is subject to the terms and conditions of the Trust Indenture of the SPDR Gold Trust as currently in effect and the Participant Agreement between the Authorized Participant, the Trustee and the Sponsor named therein. All representations and warranties of the Authorized Participant set forth in such Trust Indenture and Participant Agreement are incorporated herein by reference and are true and accurate as of the date hereof.

 

The undersigned does hereby certify as of the date set forth below that he/she is an Authorized Representative under the Participant Agreement and that he/she is authorized to deliver this Order to the Trustee on behalf of the Authorized Participant. The Authorized Participant enters into this agreement based on an estimated Basket disseminated the previous business day and recognizes the final Basket ounces of Gold represented will be decreased based on the Trust’s daily accrual. When a final NAV is calculated it will be disseminated to all Authorized Participants, and the Basket and or cash required for the Order entered into on this day will be finalized and this Order Form will serve as a legally binding contract for settlement in 2 business days.

 

Date		Authorized Person’s Signature

 

II.         TO BE COMPLETED BY TRUSTEE:

 

This certifies that the above order has been:

___________Accepted by the Trustee

___________Declined-Reason: ___________________________________

 

Final # of Ounces ______________         Final # of GLD Shares ____________

 

Final Cash Due to BNY_2,000.00_____         Final Cash Due to AP ____________

 

___________                  ________         ____________________________

Date                             Time                  Authorized Signature of Trustee

 

 

EXHIBIT C

 

SPDR® GOLD TRUST

 

WORLD GOLD TRUST SERVICES, LLC

 

OFFICER’S CERTIFICATE

 

The undersigned, a duly authorized officer of World Gold Trust Services, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Sponsor”), and pursuant to Section 15(d) of the SPDR® Gold Trust Participant Agreement (the “Agreement”), dated as of __________, by and between the Sponsor, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, a division of The Bank of New York Mellon, not in its individual capacity but solely as Trustee (the "Trustee") of the SPDR® Gold Trust (the "Trust"), and __________ (the “Authorized Participant”), hereby certifies that:

 

1.

For purposes hereof, the term “Registration Statement” shall mean the automatic shelf Registration Statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-_______) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “1933 Act”) on [______], 20__ . The Registration Statement relates to the registration under the 1933 Act of shares of fractional undivided beneficial interest in and ownership of the Trust (the “Shares”). The term “Prospectus” shall mean the Prospectus filed on [______], 20__.

 

2.

Each of the following representations and warranties of the Sponsor is true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof:

 

(a)

the Prospectus does not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; the Registration Statement complies in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the Prospectus complies in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and any statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement have been so described or filed; the conditions to the use of Form S-1 or S-3, if applicable, have been satisfied; the Registration Statement does not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and the Prospectus does not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the Sponsor makes no warranty or representation with respect to any statement contained in the Registration Statement or any Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information concerning the Authorized Participant and furnished in writing by or on behalf of the Authorized Participant to the Sponsor expressly for use in the Registration Statement or such Prospectus; and neither the Sponsor nor any person known to the Sponsor acting on behalf of the Trust has distributed nor will distribute any offering material other than the Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus;

 

 

(b)

the Trust has been duly formed and is validly existing as an investment trust under the laws of the State of New York, as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and the Trust Indenture authorizes the Trustee to issue and deliver the Shares to the Authorized Participant hereunder as contemplated in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus;

 

(c)

the Sponsor has been duly organized and is validly existing as a limited liability company in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with full power and authority to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and has all requisite power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement;

 

(d)

the Sponsor is duly qualified and is in good standing in each jurisdiction where the conduct of its business requires such qualification; and the Trust is not required to so qualify in any jurisdiction;

 

(e)

complete and correct copies of the Trust Indenture, and any and all amendments thereto, have been delivered to the Authorized Participant, and no changes thereto have been made;

 

(f)

the outstanding Shares have been duly and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and free of statutory and contractual preemptive rights, rights of first refusal and similar rights;

 

(g)

the Shares conform in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and the holders of the Shares will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders;

 

(h)

this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Sponsor and constitutes the valid and binding obligations of the Sponsor, enforceable against the Sponsor in accordance with its terms;

 

 

(i)

neither the Sponsor nor the Trustee on behalf of the Trust is in breach or violation of or in default under (nor has any event occurred which with notice, lapse of time or both would result in any breach or violation of, constitute a default under or give the holder of any indebtedness (or a person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a part of such indebtedness under) its respective constitutive documents, or any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, bank loan or credit agreement or other evidence of indebtedness, or any license, lease, contract or other agreement or instrument to which the Sponsor or the Trustee on behalf of the Trust is a party or by which any of them or any of their properties may be bound or affected, and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the issuance and sale of Shares to the Authorized Participant hereunder and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby does not conflict with, result in any breach or violation of or constitute a default under (nor constitute any event which with notice, lapse of time or both would result in any breach or violation of or constitute a default under), respectively, the amended and restated limited liability company agreement of the Sponsor or the Trust Indenture, or any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, bank loan or credit agreement or other evidence of indebtedness, or any license, lease, contract or other agreement or instrument to which the Sponsor or the Trustee on behalf of the Trust is a party or by which, respectively, the Sponsor or any of its properties or the Trustee or the property of the Trust may be bound or affected, or any federal, state, local or foreign law, regulation or rule or any decree, judgment or order applicable to the Sponsor, the Trust or the Trustee;

 

(j)

no approval, authorization, consent or order of or filing with any federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory commission, board, body, authority or agency is required in connection with the issuance and sale of Shares to the Authorized Participant hereunder or the consummation by the Sponsor, the Trust and the Trustee on behalf of the Trust of the transactions contemplated hereunder other than registration of the Shares under the 1933 Act, which has been effected, and any necessary qualification under the securities or blue sky laws of the various jurisdictions in which the Shares are being offered or under the rules and regulations of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”);

 

(k)

except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (i) no person has the right, contractual or otherwise, to cause the Trust to issue or sell to it any Shares or other equity interests of the Trust, and (ii) no person has the right to act as an underwriter or as a financial advisor to the Trust in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares, in the case of each of the foregoing clauses (i), and (ii), whether as a result of the filing or effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the sale of the Shares as contemplated thereby or otherwise; no person has the right, contractual or otherwise, to cause the Sponsor on behalf of the Trust or the Trust to register under the 1933 Act any other equity interests of the Trust, or to include any such shares or interests in the Registration Statement or the offering contemplated thereby, whether as a result of the filing or effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the sale of the Shares as contemplated thereby or otherwise;

 

 

(l)

each of the Sponsor and the Trust has all necessary licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals and has made all necessary filings required under any federal, state, local or foreign law, regulation or rule, and has obtained all necessary authorizations, consents and approvals from other persons, in order to conduct its respective business; neither the Sponsor nor the Trustee on behalf of the Trust is in violation of, or in default under, or has received notice of any proceedings relating to revocation or modification of, any such license, authorization, consent or approval or any federal, state, local or foreign law, regulation or rule or any decree, order or judgment applicable to the Sponsor or the Trustee on behalf of the Trust;

 

(m)

all legal or governmental proceedings, affiliate transactions, off-balance sheet transactions, contracts, licenses, agreements, leases or documents of a character required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement have been so described or filed as required;

 

(n)

except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there are no actions, suits, claims, investigations or proceedings pending or threatened or contemplated to which the Sponsor, the Trust or the Trustee on behalf of the Trust, or any of the Sponsor’s directors or officers, is or would be a party or of which any of their respective properties are or would be subject at law or in equity, before or by any federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory commission, board, body, authority or agency;

 

(o)

KPMG LLP, whose report on the audited financial statements of the Trust is filed with the SEC as part of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, are independent public accountants as required by the 1933 Act;

 

(p)

the audited financial statement(s) included in the Prospectus, together with the related notes and schedules, presents fairly the financial position of the Trust as of the date indicated and has been prepared in compliance with the requirements of the 1933 Act and in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles; there are no financial statements (historical or pro forma) that are required to be included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that are not included as required; and the Trust does not have any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations), not disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus;

 

(q)

subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there has not been (i) any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change affecting the Sponsor or the Trust, (ii) any transaction which is material to the Sponsor or the Trust taken as a whole, (iii) any obligation, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations), incurred by the Sponsor, the Trust or the Trustee on behalf of the Trust, which is material to the Trust, (iv) any change in the Shares purchased by the Authorized Participant or outstanding indebtedness of the Sponsor or the Trust or (v) any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made on such Shares;

 

 

(r)

the Trust is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares, will not be an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company,” as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act;

 

(s)

except as set forth or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Sponsor and the Trust own, or have obtained, valid and enforceable licenses for, or other rights to use, the inventions, patent applications, patents, trademarks (both registered and unregistered), tradenames, copyrights, trade secrets and other proprietary information described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as being owned or licensed by them or which are necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses, (collectively, “Intellectual Property”); (i) to the knowledge of the Sponsor or the Trust, there are no third parties who have or will be able to establish rights to any Intellectual Property, except for the ownership rights of the owners of the Intellectual Property which is licensed to the Sponsor or the Trust; (ii) to the knowledge of the Sponsor or the Trust, there is no infringement by third parties of any Intellectual Property other than third parties infringing the Sponsor’s trademark for “GLD” by incorporating “GLD” in other trading symbols; (iii) there is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Sponsor or the Trust, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the Sponsor’s or the Trust’s rights in or to any Intellectual Property, and the Sponsor and the Trust are unaware of any facts which could form a reasonable basis for any such claim; (iv) there is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Sponsor or the Trust, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the validity or scope of any Intellectual Property, other than the patents and patent applications licensed to the Sponsor by the Bank of New York, as to which the Sponsor and the Trust have no knowledge of any such pending or threatened claims, and the Sponsor and the Trust are unaware of any facts which could form a reasonable basis for any such claim; (v) there is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Sponsor or the Trust, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others that the Sponsor or the Trust infringes or otherwise violates any patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret or other proprietary rights of others, and the Sponsor and the Trust are unaware of any facts which could form a reasonable basis for any such claim; (vi) to the knowledge of the Sponsor or the Trust, there is no patent or patent application that contains claims that interfere with the issued or pending claims of any of the Intellectual Property; and (vii) to the knowledge of the Sponsor or the Trust, there is no prior art that may render any patent application licensed to the Sponsor by The Bank of New York unpatentable;

 

 

(t)

all tax returns required to be filed by the Sponsor have been filed, and all taxes and other assessments of a similar nature (whether imposed directly or through withholding) including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto due or claimed to be due from such entities have been paid; and no tax returns or tax payments are due with respect to the Trust as of the date of this Agreement;

 

(u)

neither the Sponsor nor the Trustee on behalf of the Trust has sent or received any communication regarding termination of, or intent not to renew, any of the contracts or agreements referred to or described in, or filed as an exhibit to, the Registration Statement, and no such termination or non-renewal has been threatened by the Sponsor, the Trustee on behalf of the Trust or any other party to any such contract or agreement;

 

(v)

with respect to its activities on behalf of the Trust, as provided for in the Trust Indenture, the Trustee maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with the Trust Indenture and the Trustee’s duties thereunder; (ii) transactions with respect to the Trust are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain accountability for assets; and (iii) assets are held for the Trust by the Custodian in accordance with the Trust Indenture;

 

(w)

on behalf of the Trust, the Sponsor has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-14 and 15d-14 under the 1934 Act, giving effect to the rules and regulations, and SEC staff interpretations (whether or not public), thereunder)); such disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that material information relating to the Trust, is made known to the Sponsor, and such disclosure controls and procedures are effective to perform the functions for which they were established; on behalf of the Trust, the Sponsor has been advised of: (i) any significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal controls which could adversely affect the Trust’s ability to record, process, summarize, and report financial data; and (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a role in the Trust’s internal controls; any material weaknesses in internal controls have been identified for the Trust’s auditors;

 

(x)

any statistical and market-related data included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Sponsor believes to be reliable and accurate, and the Sponsor has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources to the extent required; and

 

 

(y)

neither the Sponsor, nor any of the Sponsor’s directors, members, officers, affiliates or controlling persons (but excluding the members of the World Gold Council and their controlling persons) nor the Trustee has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed, or which has constituted or might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the 1934 Act or otherwise, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security or asset of the Trust to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares; and there are no affiliations or associations between any member of FINRA and any of the Sponsor’s officers, directors or 5% or greater security holders, except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

 

2.

Each of the obligations of the Sponsor to be performed by it on or before the date hereof pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, and each of the provisions thereof to be complied with by the Sponsor on or before the date hereof, has been duly performed and complied with in all material respects.

 

Capitalized terms used, but not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Agreement.

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE TO FOLLOW]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto, on behalf of the Sponsor, subscribed my name as of the date first set forth above.

 

 

 

	By:
	Name:
	Title:

 

 

 

 

I, _______________, in my capacity as [Secretary], hereby certify that _______________ is the duly elected [Principal Executive Officer] of the Sponsor, and that the signature set forth immediately above is [his/her] genuine signature.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand as of the date first set forth above.

 

 

	By:
	Name:
	Title:

          

 

 

SPDR® GOLD TRUST

PARTICIPANT AGREEMENT

 

ATTACHMENT A

 

SPDR® GOLD TRUST PROCEDURES FOR HSBC BANK PLC

 

CREATION AND REDEMPTION OF SPDR® GOLD SHARES AND RELATED GOLD TRANSACTIONS

 

Scope of Procedures and Overview

 

These procedures (the “Procedures”) describe the processes by which one or more Baskets of SPDR® Gold Trust shares (the “Shares”) issuable by BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, a division of The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee (the “Trustee”) of the SPDR® Gold Trust (the “Trust”), may be purchased or, once Shares have been issued, redeemed by an Authorized Participant (a “Participant”). Shares may be created or redeemed only in blocks of 100,000 Shares (each such block, a “Basket”). Because the issuance and redemption of Baskets also involve the transfer of Gold between the Participant and the Trust, certain processes relating to the underlying Gold transfers also are described.

 

Under these Procedures, Baskets may be issued only with respect to Gold transferred to and held in the Trust’s allocated Gold accounts maintained in London, England by HSBC Bank plc, as custodian (the “Custodian”). Capitalized terms used in these Procedures without further definition have the meanings assigned to them in the Trust Indenture (the “Indenture”), dated as of November 12, 2004, as amended November 26, 2007, May 20, 2008, June 1, 2011, June 18, 2014, March 20, 2015, April 14, 2015, September 5, 2017, February 6, 2020 and November 30, 2022 and as may be further amended from time to time, between the Trustee and World Gold Trust Services, LLC (the “Sponsor”) or the Participant Agreement entered into by each Participant with the Sponsor and the Trustee.

 

For purposes of these Procedures, a “Business Day” is defined as any day other than (i) a day on which the Exchange is closed for regular trading or (ii), if the transaction involves the receipt or delivery of Gold or confirmation thereof in the United Kingdom or in some other jurisdiction, (a) a day on which banking institutions in the United Kingdom or in such other jurisdiction, as the case may be, are authorized by law to close or a day on which the London gold market is closed or (b) a day on which banking institutions in the United Kingdom or in such other jurisdiction, as the case may be, are authorized to be open for less than a full business day or the London gold market is open for trading for less than a full business day and transaction procedures required to be executed or completed before the close of the business day may not be so executed or completed.

 

Baskets are issued pursuant to the Prospectus, which will be delivered by the Sponsor to each Participant prior to its execution of the Participant Agreement, and are issued and redeemed in accordance with the Indenture and the Participant Agreement. Baskets may be issued and redeemed on any Business Day by the Trustee in exchange for Gold, which the Trustee receives from Participants or transfers to Participants, in each case on behalf of the Trust. Participants will be required to pay a nonrefundable per order transaction fee of $2,000 to the Trustee (the “Transaction Fee”).

 

 

Participants and the Trust transfer Gold between each other using the unallocated bullion account system of the London bullion market. Transfers of Gold to and from the Trust are effected pursuant to (i) the SPDR® Gold Trust Allocated Bullion Account Agreement (the “Trust Allocated Agreement”) between the Trustee and the Custodian establishing the Trust’s allocated account (the “Trust Allocated Account”) and the SPDR® Gold Trust Unallocated Bullion Account Agreement (the “Trust Unallocated Agreement”) between the Trustee and the Custodian establishing the Trust’s unallocated account (the “Trust Unallocated Account”; the Trust Allocated Agreement and the Trust Unallocated Agreement are collectively referred to as the “Trust Custody Agreements”) and (ii) the SPDR® Gold Trust Participant Unallocated Bullion Account Agreement (the “Participant Unallocated Agreement”) between the Participant and HSBC Bank plc, establishing the Participant’s unallocated account (the “Participant Unallocated Account”).

 

Gold is transferred between the Trust and Participants through the Trust Unallocated Account. When Gold is to be transferred to the Trust from a Participant (in exchange for the issuance of Baskets), the Gold is transferred from the Participant Unallocated Account to the Trust Unallocated Account and then transferred from there to the Trust Allocated Account. When Gold is to be transferred to a Participant (in connection with the redemption of Baskets), the Gold is transferred from the Trust Allocated Account to the Trust Unallocated Account and is transferred from there to the Participant Unallocated Account.

 

The Participant Unallocated Account is only to be used in connection with the creation and redemption of Baskets. Use of the Participant Unallocated Account for transferring Gold to the Trust does not require Participants to acquire Gold from HSBC Bank plc, or to maintain Gold in the Participant Unallocated Account longer than the time required to create or redeem Baskets as described in these Procedures. Each Participant is responsible for ensuring that the Gold it intends to transfer to the Trust in exchange for Baskets is available for transfer to the Trust in the manner and at the times described in these Procedures. In meeting this responsibility, the Participant may make such independent arrangements as it sees fit, including the borrowing of Gold, to ensure that the relevant amount(s) of Gold is credited in time.

 

Upon acceptance of the Participant Agreement by the Sponsor and the Trustee, the Trustee will assign a personal identification number (a “PIN number”) to each Authorized Person authorized to act for the Participant. This will allow the Participant through its Authorized Person(s) to place Purchase Order(s) or Redemption Order(s) for Baskets.

 

Important Notes:

 

●

Any Order is subject to rejection by the Trustee for the reasons set forth in the Indenture or the Participant Agreement.

 

●

All Orders are subject to the provisions of the Indenture, the Trust Custody Agreements and the Participant Agreement relating to unclear or ambiguous instructions.

 

 

CREATION PROCESS

 

An order to purchase one or more Baskets placed by a Participant with the Trustee by 4:00 p.m. N.Y. time on a Business Day (such day, “CREATION T”) results in the following taking place, in most instances, by 11:00 a.m. N.Y. time (usually 4:00 p.m. London time) on CREATION T+2:

 

●

Transfer to the Trust Allocated Account of Gold satisfying the LBMA Good Delivery Rules in the amount corresponding to the Baskets to be issued; and

 

●

Transfer to the Participant’s account at The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) of the number of Baskets corresponding to the Gold the Participant has transferred to the Trust.

 

CREATION PROCEDURES

 

PLACEMENT OF CREATION ORDER T

 

1.

Participants shall place a Purchase Order with the Trustee no later than 3:59:59 p.m. (New York time) (the “Order Cutoff Time”) on any Business Day. Purchase Orders received by the Trustee on or after the Order Cutoff Time on a Business Day will not be accepted.

 

2.

For purposes of Paragraph 1 above, a Purchase Order shall be deemed “received” by the Trustee only when either of the following has occurred no later than the Order Cutoff Time:

 

a.

Telephone/fax Order — An Authorized Person of the Participant calls the Trustee at (844) 545-1258 to notify the Trustee that the Participant wishes to place a Purchase Order with the Trustee to create an identified number of Baskets and to request that the Trustee provide an order number (an “Order Number”). The Authorized Person provides a PIN number as identification to the Trustee. The Trustee provides the Participant with an Order Number for the Participant’s Purchase Order Form. The Participant then completes and sends by fax or email to the Trustee the Purchase Order Form included as Exhibit B to the Participant Agreement. The Purchase Order Form must include the Authorized Person’s signature, the number of Baskets being purchased, and the Order Number previously provided by the Trustee, or

 

b.

Web-based Order — An Authorized Person of the Participant shall have accessed the Trustee’s online services (https://connect.bnymellon.com), the use of which shall be subject to the Order Entry System Terms and Conditions attached hereto as Annex A and incorporated herein by reference.

 

3.

If the Trustee has not received the Purchase Order Form from the Participant within 15 minutes after the Trustee receives the phone call from the Participant referenced in item (1)(a) above, the Trustee places a phone call to the Participant to enquire about the status of the Order. If the Participant does not send by fax or email the Purchase Order Form to the Trustee within 15 minutes after the Trustee’s phone call, the Participant’s Order is cancelled. The Trustee will then notify the Participant that the Order has been cancelled by telephone call.

 

 

4.

If the Trustee has received the Participant’s Purchase Order Form on time in accordance with the preceding timing rules, then by 5:00 p.m. N.Y. time the Trustee returns to the Participant a copy of the Purchase Order Form submitted, marking it “Affirmed.” The Trustee also indicates on the Purchase Order Form the amount of Gold and cash, if any, necessary for the Creation Deposit, and provides details of the method of payment required for the Transaction Fee and the cash portion, if any, of the Creation Deposit.

 

5.

Based on the Purchase Orders placed with it on CREATION T, the Trustee sends an authenticated electronic message (Swift MT699) to the Custodian indicating the total ounces of Gold for which the Trustee will require an allocation into the Trust Allocated Account on CREATION T+2. In addition, the authenticated electronic message (Swift MT699) will separately identify all expected unallocated Gold receipts from each Participant. If the Trustee rejects a Purchase Order pursuant to the Indenture or the Participant Agreement after the foregoing messages are given to the Custodian, the Trustee will notify the Custodian of such rejection, identifying the Participant whose Purchase Order was rejected and the number of ounces of Gold contained in the rejected Purchase Order.

 

6.

By the close of business (usually 5:00 p.m. N.Y. time), each Participant acquiring Baskets on CREATION T+2 sends an authenticated electronic message (Swift MT604) to HSBC Bank plc, with a copy to the Trustee, to transfer on CREATION T+2 from the Participant’s Participant Unallocated Account Gold in the relevant amount(s) to the Trust Unallocated Account. If the Participant’s instruction does not conform to the Trustee’s instruction specified in the preceding item 4, the Trustee will either (i) send a correcting authenticated electronic message (Swift MT699) to the Custodian which specifies the delivery of an amount of Gold which conforms to the Participant’s Purchase Order and the Participant’s instruction or (ii) send the Participant an email message notifying the Participant of the discrepancy.

 

7.

By the close of business (usually 5:00 p.m. N.Y. time), each Participant acquiring Baskets on CREATION T+2 sends an authenticated electronic message (Swift MT605) to HSBC Bank plc, identifying that Participant’s Participant Unallocated Account into which Gold, in the relevant amount(s), is to be received on CREATION T+1.

 

CREATION T+1

 

1.	By the close of business in London (usually 4:00 p.m. London time), each Participant submitting a Purchase Order must ensure that Gold in the relevant amount(s) is credited to the Participant’s Participant Unallocated Account.

 

2.

If by 4:00 p.m. (London time) either (i), unless otherwise resolved beforehand by a correcting authenticated electronic message from the Trustee (Swift MT699) or a correcting authenticated electronic message from the Participant (Swift MT604) to the satisfaction of the Custodian, the amount of Gold specified in the Participant’s instruction given under item (5) of CREATION T to transfer Gold from the Participant’s Participant Unallocated Account to the Trust Unallocated Account is not the same as the amount of Gold specified in the advice given by the Trustee under item (4) of CREATION T with regard to the expected unallocated Gold receipts from each Participant or (ii) sufficient Gold to permit the Custodian to effect such Participant’s instruction is not credited to the Participant’s Participant Unallocated Account, such Participant’s instruction shall be automatically revoked as of 4:00 p.m. London time and the Custodian will notify the Participant of such revocation.

 

 

3.

The Custodian will send the Trustee an email message by 5:00 p.m. London time (usually 12:00 noon N.Y. time) identifying each Participant’s instruction that has been revoked pursuant to the preceding item 2. The relevant Participant’s Purchase Order shall be automatically cancelled as of 4:00 p.m. London time upon such revocation and the Trustee will send an email message to each Participant with a cancelled Purchase Order informing the Participant of such cancellation.

 

CREATION T+2

 

1.	The Custodian transfers the relevant amount(s) of Gold from the Participant’s Participant Unallocated Account to the Trust Unallocated Account.

 

2.

As of 2:00 p.m. London time (usually 9:00 a.m. N.Y. time), the Custodian will notify the Trustee by email and fax of the status of the allocation process, including (i) the amount of Gold transferred to the Trust Unallocated Account from each Participant’s Participant Unallocated Account, separately stated; (ii) the amount of Gold that has been transferred into the Trust Allocated Account from the Trust Unallocated Account, and (iii) the amount of Gold, if any, remaining in the Trust Unallocated Account. In the event there is any need for clarification of the status of the allocation process, the Trustee will telephone the Custodian to obtain such clarification. This notice does not reflect the official transfer record of the Custodian, which is completed as of the conclusion of the Custodian’s Business Day.

 

3.

At 11:00 a.m. N.Y. time (usually 4:00 p.m. London time), following receipt of the notice from the Custodian of the status of the allocation process described in item (2) above, the Trustee authorizes the creation and issuance of the Baskets ordered by each Participant on CREATION T for which the Trustee has received confirmation from the Custodian that the relevant amount(s) of Gold have been transferred from the Trust Unallocated Account to the Trust Allocated Account. If the Custodian is unable to complete the allocation of Gold from the Trust Unallocated Account to the Trust Allocated Account by such time, the Trustee will issue Baskets as soon as practical after the Custodian has notified the Trustee by email and fax that it has completed the allocation of Gold to the Trust Allocated Account in the relevant amount(s). The creation and issuance of Baskets will occur through the DTC system known as “Deposit and Withdrawal at Custodian” or “DWAC.”

 

 

[Redemption Process Follows on Next Page]

 

 

REDEMPTION PROCESS

 

An order to redeem one or more Baskets placed by a Participant with the Trustee by 4:00 p.m. N.Y. time on a Business Day (such day, “REDEMPTION T”) results in the following taking place by 11:00 a.m. N.Y. time (usually 4:00 p.m. London time) on REDEMPTION T+2:

 

●

Transfer to the Trustee’s account at DTC and the subsequent cancellation of the relevant number of the Participant’s Baskets; and

 

●

Transfer to the Participant by credit to the Participant’s Participant Unallocated Account of Gold and cash, if any, in the relevant amount(s) corresponding to the Baskets delivered for redemption (the “Redemption Distribution”).

 

REDEMPTION PROCEDURES

 

PLACEMENT OF REDEMPTION ORDER T

 

1.

Participants shall place a Redemption Order with the Trustee no later than 3:59:59 p.m. (New York time) (the “Order Cutoff Time”) on any Business Day. Redemption Orders received by the Trustee on or after the Order Cutoff Time on a Business Day will not be accepted.

 

2.

For purposes of Paragraph 1 above, a Redemption Order shall be deemed “received” by the Trustee only when either of the following has occurred no later than the Order Cutoff Time:

 

a.

Telephone/fax Order — An Authorized Person of the Participant calls the Trustee at (718) 315-7500 to notify the Trustee that the Participant wishes to place a Redemption Order with the Trustee to redeem an identified number of Baskets and to request that the Trustee provide an Order Number. The Authorized Person provides a PIN number as identification to the Trustee. The Trustee provides the Participant with an Order Number for the Participant’s Redemption Order Form. The Participant then completes and sends by fax or email to the Trustee the Redemption Order Form included as Exhibit B to the Participant Agreement. The Redemption Order Form must include the Authorized Person’s signature, the number of Baskets being redeemed, and the Order Number previously provided by the Trustee., or

 

b.

Web-based Order — An Authorized Person of the Participant shall have accessed the Trustee’s online services (https://connect.bnymellon.com), the use of which shall be subject to the Order Entry System Terms and Conditions attached hereto as Annex A and incorporated herein by reference.

 

3.

If the Trustee has not received the Redemption Order Form from the Participant within 15 minutes after the Trustee receives the phone call from the Participant referenced in item (1)(a) above, the Trustee places a phone call to the Participant to enquire about the status of the Order. If the Participant does not send by fax or email to the Trustee the Redemption Order Form within 15 minutes after the Trustee’s phone call, the Participant’s Order is cancelled. The Trustee will then notify the Participant that the Order has been cancelled by telephone call.

 

 

4.

If the Trustee has received the Participant’s Redemption Order Form on time in accordance with the preceding timing rules, then by 5:00 p.m. N.Y. time the Trustee returns to the Participant a copy of the Redemption Order Form submitted, marking it “Affirmed.” The Trustee also indicates on the Redemption Order Form the amount of Gold and cash, if any, to be delivered in the Redemption Distribution, and provides details of the method of payment to be used for the Transaction Fee and the method of delivery of the cash portion, if any, of the Redemption Distribution.

 

5.

By the close of business (usually 5:00 p.m. N.Y. time), each Participant redeeming Baskets on REDEMPTION T+2 sends an authenticated electronic message (Swift MT605) to HSBC Bank plc, identifying that Participant’s Participant Unallocated Account into which Gold, in the relevant amount(s), is to be received on REDEMPTION T+2.

 

6.

By the close of business (usually 5:00 p.m. N.Y. time), the Trustee sends an authenticated electronic message (SWIFT MT699) containing instructions to the Custodian to transfer on REDEMPTION T+2 from the Trust Allocated Account to the Trust Unallocated Account (“deallocate”) the total amount of Gold required to settle the Redemption Orders received by the Trustee on REDEMPTION T. If the Trustee rejects a Redemption Order pursuant to the Indenture or the Participant Agreement after the foregoing message is sent, the Trustee will notify the Custodian of such rejection, identifying the Participant whose Redemption Order was rejected and the number of ounces of Gold contained in the rejected Redemption Order.

 

REDEMPTION T+2

 

1.	Between 9:00 a.m. London time and 2:00 p.m. London time, the Custodian deallocates Gold in the amount(s) specified in the Trustee’s instructions sent on REDEMPTION T.

 

2.	By 9:00 a.m. N.Y. time, the Participant delivers free to the Trustee’s Participant account at DTC (#2209) the Baskets to be redeemed.

 

3.

If the Trustee does not receive from a redeeming Participant all Shares comprising the Baskets being redeemed by 9:00 a.m. N.Y. time, the Trustee will (i) settle the Redemption Order to the extent of whole Baskets received from the Participant and (ii) keep the redeeming Participant’s Redemption Order open until 9:00 a.m. N.Y. time on the following Business Day (REDEMPTION T+3) as to the balance of the Redemption Order (such balance, the “Suspended Redemption Order”). For each day (whether or not a Business Day) the Redemption Order is held open, the Participant will be charged by the Trustee the greater of $300 or $30 times the number of Baskets included in the Suspended Redemption Order.

 

 

4.

By 10:00 a.m. New York time (usually 3:00 p.m. London time), the Trustee sends an authenticated electronic message (Swift MT699) to the Custodian directing the Custodian to transfer Gold in the relevant amount from the Trust Unallocated Account to the Participant Unallocated Account. When London is, and New York is not, on daylight savings time, such message must be received by the Custodian no later than 3:30 p.m. London time. The Custodian will make reasonable commercial efforts to allocate Gold remaining in the Trust Unallocated Account after this transfer to the Trust Allocated Account by the close of business in London, in accordance with the standing instruction in the Trust Custody Agreements.

 

5.

By close of business in New York (usually 5:00 p.m. N.Y. time), the Trustee sends an authenticated electronic message (Swift MT699) containing instructions to the Custodian to transfer the total amount of Gold involved in that day’s Suspended Redemption Order(s) from the Trust Allocated Account to the Trust Unallocated Account by 9:00 a.m. N.Y. time (usually 2:00 p.m. London time) the following Business Day. This amount will be in addition to any amount being transferred pursuant to an existing instruction to deallocate in respect of redemptions settling in the normal schedule, for which the following day will be REDEMPTION T+2.

 

6.

By the close of business in New York (usually 5:00 p.m. N.Y. time), each Participant redeeming Baskets on REDEMPTION T+3 with respect to a Suspended Redemption Order sends an authenticated electronic message (Swift MT699) to HSBC Bank plc, identifying that Participant’s Participant Unallocated Account into which Gold, in the relevant amount(s), is to be received on REDEMPTION T+3.

 

SUSPENDED REDEMPTION ORDER T+3

 

1.

By 9:00 a.m. N.Y. time (usually 2:00 p.m. London time), the redeeming Participant must deliver free to the Trustee’s Participant account at DTC (#2209) the Basket(s) comprising the Suspended Redemption Order. The Trustee will settle the Suspended Redemption Order to the extent of whole Baskets received. Any balance of the Suspended Redemption Order will be cancelled.

 

2.	The sequence of instructions and events related to the settlement of the Suspended Redemption Order on REDEMPTION T+3 will be made in the manner provided for a Redemption Order under REDEMPTION T+2.

 

 

* * * *

 

 

ANNEX A TO ATTACHMENT A

 

 

ORDER ENTRY SYSTEM TERMS AND CONDITIONS

 

This Annex shall govern use by an Authorized Participant of the electronic order entry system for placing Purchase Orders and Redemption Orders for Shares (the “System”). Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Agreement or the Procedures. In the event of any conflict between the terms of this Annex A and either the Agreement or the Procedures with respect to the placing of Purchase Orders and Redemption Orders, the terms of this Annex A shall control.

 

1.         (a) Authorized Participant shall provide to The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York corporation authorized to do banking business (the “Transfer Agent”) a duly executed authorization letter, in a form satisfactory to Transfer Agent, identifying those Authorized Persons who will access the System. Authorized Participant shall notify the Transfer Agent promptly in writing, including, but not limited to, by electronic mail, in the event that any person’s status as an Authorized Person is revoked or terminated, in order to give the Transfer Agent a reasonable opportunity to terminate such Authorized Person’s access to the System. The Transfer Agent shall promptly revoke access of such Authorized Person to the electronic entry systems through which Purchase Orders and Redemption are submitted by such person on behalf of the Authorized Participant.

 

(b) It is understood and agreed that each Authorized Person shall be designated as an authorized user of Authorized Participant for the purpose of the Agreement. Upon termination of the Agreement, the Authorized Participant’s and each Authorized Person’s access rights with respect to System shall be immediately revoked.

 

2.         Transfer Agent grants to Authorized Participant a personal, nontransferable and nonexclusive license to use the System solely for the purpose of transmitting Purchase Orders and Redemption Orders and otherwise communicating with Transfer Agent in connection with the same. Authorized Participant shall use the System solely for its own internal and proper business purposes. Except as set forth herein, no license or right of any kind is granted to Authorized Participant with respect to the System. Authorized Participant acknowledges that Transfer Agent and its suppliers retain and have title and exclusive proprietary rights to the System. Authorized Participant further acknowledges that all or a part of the System may be copyrighted or trademarked (or a registration or claim made therefor) by Transfer Agent or its suppliers. Authorized Participant shall not take any action with respect to the System inconsistent with the foregoing acknowledgments. Authorized Participant may not copy, distribute, sell, lease or provide, directly or indirectly, the System or any portion thereof to any other person or entity without Transfer Agent’s prior written consent. Authorized Participant may not remove any statutory copyright notice or other notice included in the System. Authorized Participant shall reproduce any such notice on any reproduction of any portion of the System and shall add any statutory copyright notice or other notice upon Transfer Agent’s request.

 

 

3.         (a)          Authorized Participant acknowledges that any user manuals or other documentation (whether in hard copy or electronic form) (collectively, the “Material”), which is delivered or made available to Authorized Participant regarding the System is the exclusive and confidential property of Transfer Agent. Authorized Participant shall keep the Material confidential by using the same care and discretion that Authorized Participant uses with respect to its own confidential property and trade secrets, but in no event less than reasonable care. Authorized Participant may make such copies of the Material as is reasonably necessary for Authorized Participant to use the System and shall reproduce Transfer Agent’s proprietary markings on any such copy. The foregoing shall not in any way be deemed to affect the copyright status of any of the Material which may be copyrighted and shall apply to all Material whether or not copyrighted. TRANSFER AGENT AND ITS SUPPLIERS MAKE NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, CONCERNING THE MATERIAL OR ANY PRODUCT OR SERVICE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

 

(b)          Upon termination of the Agreement for any reason, Authorized Participant shall return to Transfer Agent all copies of the Material which is in Authorized Participant’s possession or under its control.

 

4.         Authorized Participant agrees that it shall have sole responsibility for maintaining adequate security and control of the user IDs, passwords and codes for access to the System, which shall not be disclosed to any third party without the prior written consent of Transfer Agent. Transfer Agent shall be entitled to rely on the information received by it from the Authorized Participant and Transfer Agent may assume that all such information was transmitted by or on behalf of an Authorized Person regardless of by whom it was actually transmitted, unless the Authorized Participant shall have notified the Transfer Agent a reasonable time prior that such person is not an Authorized Person.

 

5.         Transfer Agent shall have no liability in connection with the use of the System, the access granted to the Authorized Participant and its Authorized Persons hereunder, or any transaction effected or attempted to be effected by the Authorized Participant hereunder, except for damages incurred by the Authorized Participant as a direct result of Transfer Agent’s negligence or willful misconduct. WITHOUT LIMITING THE GENERALITY OF THE FOREGOING, IT IS HEREBY AGREED THAT IN NO EVENT SHALL TRANSFER AGENT OR ANY MANUFACTURER OR SUPPLIER OF EQUIPMENT, SOFTWARE OR SERVICES BE RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES WHICH THE AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT MAY INCUR OR EXPERIENCE BY REASON OF ITS HAVING ENTERED INTO OR RELIED ON THIS AGREEMENT, OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE ACCESS GRANTED TO THE AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT HEREUNDER, OR ANY TRANSACTION EFFECTED OR ATTEMPTED TO BE EFFECTED BY THE AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT HEREUNDER, EVEN IF TRANSFER AGENT OR SUCH MANUFACTURER OR SUPPLIER HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, NOR SHALL TRANSFER AGENT OR ANY SUCH MANUFACTURER OR SUPPLIER BE LIABLE FOR ACTS OF GOD, MACHINE OR COMPUTER BREAKDOWN OR MALFUNCTION, INTERRUPTION OR MALFUNCTION OF COMMUNICATION FACILITIES, LABOR DIFFICULTIES OR ANY OTHER SIMILAR OR DISSIMILAR CAUSE BEYOND SUCH PERSON’S REASONABLE CONTROL.

 

 

6.         Transfer Agent reserves the right to revoke Authorized Participant’s access to the System, with written notice, upon any breach by the Authorized Participant of the terms and conditions of this Annex A.

 

7.         Transfer Agent shall acknowledge through the System its receipt of each Purchase Order or Redemption Order communicated through the System, and in the absence of such acknowledgment Transfer Agent shall not be liable for any failure to act in accordance with such orders and Authorized Participant may not claim that such Purchase Order or Redemption Order was received by Transfer Agent. Transfer Agent may in its discretion decline to act upon any instructions or communications that are insufficient or incomplete or are not received by Transfer Agent in sufficient time for Transfer Agent to act upon, or in accordance with such instructions or communications.

 

8.         Authorized Participant agrees to use reasonable efforts consistent with its own procedures used in the ordinary course of business to prevent the transmission through the System of any software or file which contains any viruses, worms, harmful component or corrupted data and agrees not to use any device, software, or routine to interfere or attempt to interfere with the proper working of the Systems.

 

9.         Authorized Participant acknowledges and agrees that encryption may not be available for every communication through the System, or for all data. Authorized Participant agrees that Transfer Agent may deactivate any encryption features at any time, without notice or liability to Authorized Participant, for the purpose of maintaining, repairing or troubleshooting its systems.

 

 

 

SPDR® GOLD TRUST

PARTICIPANT AGREEMENT

 

ATTACHMENT B

 

 

 

 

HSBC BANK PLC

 

and

 

[NAME OF Participant]

 

 

 

 

 

______________________________________________

 

 

SPDR® Gold Trust

Participant Unallocated Bullion Account Agreement

 

______________________________________________

 

 

 

THIS AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) is made on _______________, 20__

 

BETWEEN

 

(1)	HSBC Bank PLC, a company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales, whose principal place of business is at 8 Canada Square, London E14 5HQ (“we” or “us”); and

 

(2)	[NAME OF Participant] a company incorporated under the laws of [ ], whose [registered office][principal place of business] is at [ ] (“you”).

 

INTRODUCTION

 

We have agreed to open and maintain for you an Unallocated Account (defined below) in connection with your being a Participant with respect to the SPDR® Gold Trust, and to provide other services to you in connection with the Unallocated Account. This agreement sets out the terms under which we will provide those services to you and the arrangements which will apply in connection with those services.

 

IT IS AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

 

1.         INTERPRETATION

 

1.1         Definitions: In this agreement:

 

“Account Balance” means the balance from time to time standing to your credit in your Unallocated Account.

 

“Availability Date” means the Business Day on which you wish to transfer Precious Metal to us for deposit into the Unallocated Account.

 

“Bullion” means the Precious Metal standing to your credit in your Unallocated Account.

 

“Business Day” means a day other than (i) a day on which the Exchange (as defined in the Trust Indenture) is closed for regular trading or (ii), if the transaction involves the receipt or delivery of gold or confirmation thereof in the United Kingdom or in some other jurisdiction, (a) a day on which banking institutions in the United Kingdom or in such other jurisdiction, as the case may be, are authorized by law to close or a day on which the London gold market is closed or (b) a day on which banking institutions in the United Kingdom or in such other jurisdiction, as the case may be, are authorized to be open for less than a full business day or the London gold market is open for trading for less than a full business day and transaction procedures required to be executed or completed before the close of the business day may not be so executed or completed.

 

 

“SPDR® Gold Share” means each unit of fractional undivided beneficial interest in and ownership of the SPDR® Trust, as the same shall be created and issued pursuant to the Trust Indenture.

 

“SPDR® Gold Trust” means the Trust created under the Trust Indenture.

 

“LBMA Gold Price AM” means the price of an ounce of gold as fixed by The ICE Benchmark Administration Limited on or about 10:30 a.m. London, England, time.

 

“LBMA Gold Price PM” means the price of an ounce of gold as fixed The ICE Benchmark Administration Limited on or about 3:00 p.m. London, England, time.

 

“LBMA” means The London Bullion Market Association or its successors.

 

“Participant” means a Participant as defined in the Trust Indenture.

 

“Participant Agreement” means that certain Participant Agreement in effect from time to time between you and the Trustee on behalf of the Trust, pursuant to the Trust Indenture.

 

“Point of Delivery” means such date and time that the recipient or its agent acknowledges in written form its receipt of delivery of Precious Metal.

 

“Precious Metal” means gold.

 

“Rules” means the rules, regulations, practices and customs of the LBMA (including the rules of the LBMA as to good delivery), the Bank of England and such other regulatory authority or body as shall affect the activities contemplated by this agreement.

 

“Sponsor” means World Gold Trust Services, LLC.

 

“Trustee” means BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, a division of The Bank of New York Mellon.

 

“Trust Indenture” means that certain Trust Indenture of the SPDR® Gold Trust dated as of November 12, 2004, as amended from time to time, between the Sponsor and the Trustee.

 

“Trust Unallocated Account” means the account maintained by us for the SPDR® Gold Trust in relation to Gold (as defined in the Trust Indenture) pursuant to the Trust Unallocated Bullion Account Agreement (as defined in the Trust Indenture).

 

“Unallocated Account” means the account maintained by us in your name on an Unallocated Basis pursuant to this agreement.

 

“Unallocated Basis” means, with respect to a Precious Metal account maintained with us, that the person in whose name the account is held is entitled to call on us to deliver in accordance with the Rules an amount of Precious Metal equal to the amount of Precious Metal standing to the credit of the person’s account but has no ownership interest in any Precious Metal that we own or hold.

 

 

“VAT” means value added tax as provided for in the Value Added Tax Act 1994 (as amended or re-enacted from time to time) and legislation supplemental thereto and any other tax (whether imposed in the United Kingdom in substitution thereof or in addition thereto or elsewhere) of a similar fiscal nature.

 

“Withdrawal Date” means the Business Day on which you wish to withdraw Precious Metal from your Unallocated Account.

 

1.2	Headings: The headings in this agreement do not affect its interpretation.

 

1.3	Singular and plural; other usages: References to the singular include the plural and vice versa. A reference to “A or B” means “A or B or both A and B”. “Including” means “including but not limited to”.

 

2.	UNALLOCATED ACCOUNTS

 

2.1	Opening Unallocated Account:  We shall open and maintain an Unallocated Account for you under this Agreement solely in respect of Bullion to be transferred between you and the SPDR® Gold Trust or withdrawn in accordance with clause 4.

 

2.2	Denomination of Unallocated Account: The Unallocated Account shall evidence and record the amount of Bullion standing to your credit therein, and increases and decreases to that amount. The Unallocated Account shall be denominated in fine ounces of gold to three decimal places.

 

2.3	Reports: We will provide you with monthly statements of your Account Balance and debit and credit advices will be sent to you following each deposit into and withdrawal from the Unallocated Accounts.

 

2.4	Reversal of entries: We at all times reserve the right to reverse any provisional or erroneous entries to your Unallocated Account with effect back-valued to the date upon which the final or correct entry (or no entry) should have been made.

 

3.

DEPOSITS

 

3.1

Procedure:  You may at any time notify us of your intention to deposit Precious Metal in your Unallocated Account. A deposit may be made (in the manner and accompanied by such documentation as we may require) only by transfer from an account of yours relating to the same kind of Precious Metal and having the same denomination as that to which this Unallocated Account relates. We will not accept physical delivery of Precious Metal into this account.

 

 

3.2	Notice requirements: Any notice relating to a deposit of Precious Metal must be in writing and:

 

(a)

be received by us no later than 2.00 p.m. (London time) on the Availability Date unless otherwise agreed;

 

(b)

specify the details of the account from which the Precious Metal will be transferred; and

 

(c)

specify the amount (in the appropriate denomination) of the Precious Metal to be credited to the Unallocated Account, the Availability Date and any other information which we may from time to time require.

 

3.3	Timing: A deposit of Precious Metal will not be credited to an Unallocated Account until an account of ours with any bank, broker or other firm has been credited with an amount of Precious Metal equal to the amount of such deposit.

 

3.4

Right to refuse Precious Metal or amend procedure: We may refuse to accept Precious Metal, amend the procedure in relation to the deposit of Precious Metal or impose such additional procedures in relation to the deposit of Precious Metal as we may from time to time consider appropriate. Any such refusal, amendment or additional procedures will be promptly notified to you.

 

4.	WITHDRAWALS

 

4.1

Procedure:  You may at any time notify us of your intention to withdraw Precious Metal standing to the credit of your Unallocated Account. We will transfer Bullion from your Unallocated Account only at such times and on such terms as specified in your instructions to us. A withdrawal may be made (in the manner and accompanied by such documentation as we may require) by:

 

(a)

transfer to an account of yours relating to the same kind of Precious Metal and having the same denomination as that to which the Unallocated Account relates; or

 

(b)

the collection by you of Precious Metal from us at our vault premises, or as we may direct, at your expense and risk; or

 

(c)

by delivery of Precious Metal to you at such location as you direct, at your expense and risk; or

 

(d)

transfer to the Trust Unallocated Account.

 

Any Precious Metal made available to you pursuant to clause 4.1 (b) or (c) will be in a form which complies with the Rules or in such other form as may be agreed between us. We are entitled to select the Precious Metal to be made available to you pursuant to clause 4.1(b) or (c) which in all cases will comprise one or more whole bars selected by us (or other form as agreed), the combined fine weight of which will not exceed the number of fine ounces of Bullion you have instructed us to withdraw. In connection with any withdrawal pursuant to clause 4.1(d) you must have sufficient Precious Metal in the Unallocated Account by 4:00 p.m. (London time) on the day before the Withdrawal Date to permit us to complete the withdrawal. Anything in this agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, and without limiting your right to withdraw Bullion, we shall not be obliged to effect any requested delivery if, in our reasonable opinion, this would cause us or our agents to be in breach of the Rules or other applicable law, court order or regulation, the costs incurred would be excessive or delivery is impracticable for any reason. When pursuant to your instruction Bullion is physically withdrawn from your Unallocated Account, all right, title, risk and interest in and to the Bullion withdrawn shall pass to you at the Point of Delivery.

 

 

4.2

Notice and instruction requirements:  Any notice or instruction relating to a withdrawal of Precious Metal must be in writing and specify the amount (in the appropriate denomination) of the Precious Metal to be debited to the Unallocated Account, the Withdrawal Date and any other information which we may from time to time require. The following rules determine when we must receive your notice or instruction to withdraw Precious Metal:

 

(a)

if the notice or instruction relates to a withdrawal pursuant to clause 4.1(d) to effect a transfer of Precious Metal to the Trust Unallocated Account in accordance with the Participant Agreement, it must received by us no later than 9.00 a.m. (London time) not less than two Business Days prior to the Withdrawal Date and specify the details of the Trust Unallocated Account to which the Precious Metal is to be transferred;

 

(b)

if the notice or instruction relates to a withdrawal pursuant to clause 4.1(a), it must be received by us no later than 2.00 p.m. (London time) on the Withdrawal Date unless otherwise agreed and must specify the details of the account to which the Precious Metal is to be transferred; and

 

(c)

if the notice or instruction relates to a withdrawal pursuant to clause 4.1(b) or (c), it must be received by us no later than 11.30 a.m. (London time) not less than two Business Days prior to the Withdrawal Date unless otherwise agreed and specify the name of the person or carrier that will collect the Precious Metal from us or the identity of the person to whom delivery is to be made, as the case may be.

 

4.3	Right to amend procedure:  We may amend the procedure for the withdrawal of Precious Metal from an Unallocated Account or impose such additional procedures as we may from time to time consider appropriate. Any such amendments or additional procedures will be promptly notified to you.

 

4.4

Delivery obligations: Unless otherwise instructed, we shall make transportation and insurance arrangements in accordance with our usual practice. Where instructions are given, we shall use all reasonable efforts to comply with the same. We shall not be obliged to effect any requested delivery if, in our reasonable opinion, this would cause us or our agents to be in breach of the Rules or other applicable law, court order or regulation; the costs incurred would be excessive or delivery is impracticable for any reason. All insurance and transportation costs shall be for your account.

 

 

4.5

Physical withdrawal of entire Unallocated Account balance: If, when you notify us in connection with a physical withdrawal of Bullion from your Unallocated Account under clause 4.4 that you are withdrawing the entire balance in your Unallocated Account (or when a physical withdrawal under clause 4.4 would, in our determination, result in the entire balance in your Unallocated Account being withdrawn), the physical withdrawal instruction may not be effected by our selection of one or more whole bars of Bullion the combined fine weight of which does not exceed the balance of your Unallocated Account that you are withdrawing, then we will make available to you in accordance with clause 4.4 the number of whole bars that can be accommodated under your instruction. If you have another Unallocated Account with us relating to Precious Metal, we will transfer the remainder of the balance to that account, and if you do not have another Unallocated Account with us, we will purchase for cash the remainder of the Bullion in your Unallocated Account based on the LBMA Gold Price AM on the date you are withdrawing the Bullion physically, or if there is no LBMA Gold Price AM for such date, then the LBMA Gold Price AM for the next Business Day.

 

5.	INSTRUCTIONS

 

5.1

Your representatives:  You shall notify us promptly in writing of the names of the people who are authorised to give instructions on your behalf. Until we receive written notice to the contrary, we are entitled to assume that any of those people have full and unrestricted power to give us instructions on your behalf. We are also entitled to rely on any instructions which are from, or which purport to emanate from, any person who appears to have such authority.

 

5.2

Amendments:  Once given, instructions continue in full force and effect until they are cancelled, amended or superseded. We must receive an instruction cancelling, amending or superseding a prior instruction before the time the prior instruction is acted upon. Any such instructions shall have effect only after actual receipt by us.

 

5.3

Unclear or ambiguous instructions:  If, in our opinion, any instructions are unclear or ambiguous, we will use reasonable endeavours (taking into account any relevant time constraints) to obtain clarification of those instructions but, failing that, we may in our absolute discretion and without any liability on our part, act upon what we believe in good faith such instructions to be or refuse to take any action or execute such instructions until any ambiguity or conflict has been resolved to our satisfaction.

 

5.4	Refusal to execute:  We reserve the right to refuse to execute instructions if in our opinion they are or may be contrary to the Rules or any applicable law.

 

5.5

Revocation of Instructions:  If, in connection with an instruction to effect a withdrawal pursuant to clause 4.1(d), by 4:00 p.m. (London time) on the day before the Withdrawal Date either (i) the amount of Precious Metal specified in your instruction does not agree with the amount of Precious Metal specified in the advice provided by the Trustee with regard to the receipt of Precious Metal in the Trust Unallocated Account or (ii) sufficient Precious Metal to permit us to complete the withdrawal is not credited to your Unallocated Account, your instruction will be automatically revoked. We will notify you of the revocation of your instruction.

 

 

6.	CONFIDENTIALITY

 

6.1	Disclosure to others: Subject to clause 6.2, each party shall respect the confidentiality of information acquired under this agreement and neither will, without the consent of the other, disclose to any other person any information acquired under this agreement.

 

6.2

Permitted disclosures: Each party accepts that from time to time the other party may be required by law or the Rules, or requested by a government department or agency, fiscal body or regulatory authority, to disclose information acquired under this agreement. In addition, the disclosure of such information may be required by a party’s auditors, by its legal or other advisors or by a company which is in the same group of companies as a party (eg. a subsidiary or holding company of a party). Each party irrevocably authorises the other to make such disclosures without further reference to such party. In connection with a notice or instruction you give to us to effect to withdraw and transfer Precious Metal to the Trust Unallocated Account in accordance with the Participant Agreement, you hereby authorize us to disclose to the Trustee of the Trust or its agents (i) such information about your Unallocated Account that the Trustee or its agents may reasonably request, including information about your Account Balance and instructions you have given for the deposit or withdrawal of Precious Metal in relation to your Unallocated Account, and (ii) information about any revocation of instructions under clause 5.5 above.

 

7.	REPRESENTATIONS

 

7.1	Your representations: Upon execution of this agreement and with each notice or instruction that you give hereunder you represent and warrant and covenant to us that:

 

(a)

you have all necessary authority, powers, consents, licences and authorisations and have taken all necessary action to enable you lawfully to enter into and perform your duties and obligations under this agreement;

 

(b)

you are a Participant as defined in the Trust Indenture and are not in breach of the Participant Agreement;

 

(c)

you are in compliance with the money laundering and related provisions of (i) the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT Act) Act of 2001 enacted by the United States of America, and the regulations promulgated thereunder, if you are subject to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act, and (ii) such other laws to which you are subject;

 

(d)

the persons entering into this agreement on your behalf have been duly authorised to do so; and

 

(e)

this agreement and the obligations created under it are binding upon you and enforceable against you in accordance with its terms (subject to applicable principles of equity) and do not and will not violate the terms of the Rules or any order, charge or agreement by which you are bound.

 

 

8.	FEES AND EXPENSES

 

8.1

Fees:  You will pay us such fees as we from time to time determine and notify to you, but we will not charge you any fees in connection with your Unallocated Account pursuant to this Agreement while (i) this account is used solely to effect transfers of Bullion between you and the Trust Unallocated Account and (ii) we (or another member of an affiliated group of which we are a member) are receiving compensation from the SPDR® Gold Trust for maintaining the Trust Unallocated Account.

 

8.2

Expenses:  You must pay us on demand all costs, charges and expenses (including any relevant taxes, duties and legal fees) incurred by us in connection with the performance of our duties and obligations under this agreement or otherwise in connection with your Unallocated Account (including delivery, collection and storage costs).

 

8.3	Credit balances: No interest or other amount will be paid by us on any credit balance on your Unallocated Account.

 

8.4

Debit balances: You are not entitled to overdraw your Unallocated Account except to the extent that we otherwise agree in writing. In the absence of such agreement, we shall not be obliged to carry out any instruction of yours which will cause your Unallocated Account to be overdrawn. If for any reason your Unallocated Account is overdrawn, you will be required to pay us interest on the debit balance at the rate agreed between us or, if no such agreement exists, at such rate as we determine to be appropriate. The amount of the overdraft and any accrued interest will be repayable by you on our demand. Your obligation to pay interest to us will continue until the overdraft is repaid by you in full. Our books and records shall be conclusive as to the balance at any time standing to your credit in your Unallocated Account.

 

8.5

Default interest: If you fail to pay us any amount when it is due, we reserve the right to charge you interest (both before and after any judgement) on any such unpaid amount calculated at a rate equal to 1% above the overnight London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) for the currency in which the amount is due. Both overdraft and default interest will accrue on a daily basis and will be due and payable by you as a separate debt. In the event of any inconsistency between this agreement and an overdraft facility agreement between you and us, the terms of the overdraft facility shall govern.

 

9.	SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITY

 

9.1

Exclusion of liability: We will use reasonable care in the performance of our duties under this agreement but will not be responsible in contract, tort or otherwise, for any direct or indirect or consequential damage, loss or expense suffered or incurred by you arising directly or indirectly as a result of, or in connection with, this agreement (including, without limitation, economic loss, loss of profit, loss of anticipated savings or loss of goodwill) even if advised of the likelihood of such losses arising, save for any loss or damage suffered by you as a direct result of any gross negligence, fraud or wilful default on our part in the performance of our duties under this agreement, and in which case, our liability will not exceed the market value of the Account Balance at the time such gross negligence, fraud or wilful default is discovered by us. The value of the Account Balance shall be determined on any day using the LBMA Gold Price PM, and if there is no such fix on such day, by the last LBMA Gold Price fix (AM or PM).

 

 

9.2	No duty or obligation: We are under no duty or obligation to make or take any special arrangements or precautions beyond those required by the Rules or as specifically set forth in this agreement.

 

9.3

Force majeure: We shall not be liable to you for any delay in performance, or for the non-performance of any of our obligations under this agreement by reason of any cause beyond our reasonable control. This includes any act of God or war or terrorism, any breakdown, malfunction or failure of transmission in connection with or other unavailability of any wire, communication or computer facilities, any transport, port, or airport disruption, industrial action, acts and regulations and rules of any governmental or supra national bodies or authorities or regulatory or self-regulatory organisations or failure of any such body, authority, or organisation for any reason, to perform its obligations.

 

9.4

Indemnity: You shall indemnify and keep us and each of our directors, shareholders, officers, employees, agents, affiliates (as such term is defined in Regulation S-X adopted by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission under the United States federal Securities Act of 1933, as amended) and subsidiaries (us and each such person a “Custodian Indemnified Person” for purposes of this clause 9.4) indemnified (on an after tax basis) on demand against all costs and expenses, damages, liabilities and losses which any such Custodian Indemnified Person may suffer or incur, directly or indirectly in connection with this agreement except to the extent that such sums are due directly to our gross negligence, wilful default or fraud or that of the Custodian Indemnified Person. The indemnity provided by this clause 9.4 shall survive termination of this agreement.

 

9.5

Third Parties: You are our sole customer under this agreement and we do not owe any duty or obligation or have any liability towards any person who is not a party to this agreement. This agreement does not confer a benefit on any person who is not a party to it other than the persons named as a Custodian Indemnified Person. The parties to this agreement do not intend that any term of this agreement shall be enforceable by any person who is not a party to it (except that each Custodian Indemnified Person may directly enforce the indemnity provision under clause 9.4) and do intend that except as so provided, the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) 1999 Act (Eng.) shall not apply to this agreement.

 

10.	TERMINATION

 

10.1

Method: This agreement shall terminate immediately upon the earlier of (i) your termination as a Participant with respect to the SPDR® Gold Trust pursuant to the Participant Agreement or otherwise, or (ii) termination of the SPDR® Gold Trust pursuant to the Trust Indenture. In addition, either party may terminate this agreement by giving not less than 10 Business Days’ written notice to the other party. Any such notice given by you must specify:

 

(a)

the date on which the termination will take effect;

 

 

(b)

the person to whom any Account Balance which is a credit balance is to be transferred; and

 

(c)

all other necessary arrangements for the transfer or repayment, as the case may be, of the Account Balance.

 

10.2

Redelivery arrangements:  If you do not make arrangements acceptable to us for the transfer or repayment, as the case may be, of any Account Balance we may continue to maintain this Unallocated Account, in which case we will continue to charge the fees and expenses payable under clause 8. If you have not made arrangements acceptable to us for the transfer or repayment of any Account Balance within six (6) months of the date specified in the termination notice as the date on which the termination will take effect, we will be entitled to close the Unallocated Account and account to you for the proceeds after deducting any amounts due to us under this agreement.

 

10.3	Existing rights:  Termination shall not affect rights and obligations then outstanding under this agreement which shall continue to be governed by this agreement until all obligations have been fully performed.

 

11.	VALUE ADDED TAX

 

11.1	VAT exclusive: All sums payable under this agreement by you to us shall be deemed to be exclusive of VAT.

 

11.2

Supplies: Where pursuant to or in connection with this agreement, we make a supply to you for VAT purposes and VAT is or becomes chargeable on such supply, you shall on demand pay to us (in addition to any other consideration for such supply) a sum equal to the amount of such VAT and we shall on receipt of such payment provide you with an invoice or receipt in such form and within such period as may be prescribed by applicable law.

 

11.3

Deemed supplies: Where, pursuant to or in connection with this agreement, we are deemed or treated by applicable law or the practice from time to time of the relevant fiscal authority to make a supply for VAT purposes to any person by virtue of our or any custodian for us relinquishing physical control of any Precious Metal, and VAT is or becomes chargeable on such supply, you shall on demand pay to us a sum equal to the amount of such VAT and we shall on receipt of such payment provide an invoice or receipt in such form and within such period as may be prescribed by applicable law to the person to which we are deemed or treated to make such supply.

 

12.

NOTICES

 

12.1	Form: Subject to clause 12.5, any notice, notification, instruction or other communication under or in connection with this agreement shall be given in writing. References to writing include electronic transmissions that are of the kind specified in clause 12.2.

 

 

12.2

Method of transmission:  With the exception of monthly statements in respect of the Unallocated Account, any notice, notification, instruction or other communication required to be in writing may be delivered personally or sent by first class post, pre‑paid recorded delivery (or air mail if overseas), authenticated electronic transmission (including tested telex and authenticated SWIFT) or such other electronic transmission as the parties may from time to time agree, to the party due to receive the notice, instruction or communication, at its address, number or destination set out in this agreement or another address, number or destination specified by that party by written notice to the other.

 

12.3	Deemed receipt on notice: A notice, notification, instruction, or other communication under or in connection with this agreement will be deemed received only if actually received or delivered.

 

12.4	Recording of calls: We may record telephone conversations without use of a warning tone. Such recordings will be our sole property and, if acted upon by us, will be accepted by you as evidence of the orders or instructions given.

 

12.5

Instructions Relating to Bullion: All notices, notifications, instructions and other communications relating to the movement of Bullion in relation to your Unallocated Account shall be by way of authenticated electronic transmission (including tested telex and authenticated SWIFT), and shall be addressed to:

 

Precious Metals Operations
HSBC Bank plc
8 Canada Square
London E14 5HQ

SWIFT: MIDLGB22

 

13.

GENERAL

 

13.1

No interest in SPDR® Gold Trust conferred hereby: You acknowledge that you do not acquire any ownership of SPDR® Gold Shares or interest in the SPDR® Gold Trust or its assets by establishing an Unallocated Account pursuant to this Agreement, by delivering to the Unallocated Account established hereby an amount of Precious Metal, or by giving any instruction hereunder. You acknowledge that you will acquire ownership of SPDR® Gold Shares or an interest in the SPDR® Gold Trust or its assets only upon the issuance to you of SPDR® Gold Shares pursuant to the Trust Indenture. Neither the Trustee nor the Sponsor of the SPDR® Gold Trust shall, individually or as such Trustee or Sponsor of the SPDR® Gold Trust, have any liability for loss or damages suffered by you with respect to your Unallocated Account or any Bullion held for you pursuant to this Agreement.

 

13.2

No advice:  Our duties and obligations under this agreement do not include providing you with investment advice. In asking us to open and maintain the Unallocated Account, you do so in reliance upon your own judgement and we do not and shall not owe to you any duty to exercise any judgement on your behalf as to the merits or suitability of any transaction you make in relation to the Unallocated Account or otherwise, including (i) any deposits into, or withdrawals from, your Unallocated Account, (ii) any transactions to be effected in accordance with the Participant Agreement, or (iii) the acquisition or disposition of Precious Metal.

 

 

13.3	Rights and remedies: Our rights under this agreement are in addition to, and independent of, any other rights which we may have at any time in relation to your Unallocated Account and any lien or other rights we may have to set-off, combine or consolidate any of your accounts.

 

13.4

Assignment: This agreement is for the benefit of and binding upon us both and our respective successors and assigns. You may not assign, transfer or encumber, or purport to assign, transfer or encumber, your right, title or interest in relation to your Unallocated Account or any right or obligation under this agreement unless we otherwise agree in writing.

 

13.5	Amendments:  Any amendment to this agreement must be agreed in writing and be signed by us both. Unless otherwise agreed, an amendment will not affect any legal rights or obligations which may already have arisen.

 

13.6	Partial invalidity:  If any of the clauses (or part of a clause) of this agreement becomes invalid or unenforceable in any way under the Rules or any law, the validity of the remaining clauses (or part of a clause) will not in any way be affected or impaired.

 

13.7

Entire agreement: This document, with the exception of any representations made fraudulently, represents the entire agreement, and supersedes and replaces any previous agreement between us relating to the establishment of a Gold account to be maintained on an Unallocated Basis for you as a Participant in connection with the SPDR® Gold Trust.

 

13.8	Joint and several liability: If there is more than one of you, your responsibilities under this agreement apply to each of you individually as well as jointly.

 

13.9	Counterparts:  This agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts each of which when executed and delivered is an original, but all the counterparts together constitute the same agreement.

 

13.10

Business Days:  If any obligation of either you or us falls due to be performed on a day which is not a Business Day in respect of the Unallocated Account in question, then the relevant obligations shall be performed on the next succeeding Business Day applicable to such account.

 

 

14.	GOVERNING LAW AND JURISDICTION

 

14.1	Governing law: This agreement is governed by, and will be construed in accordance with, English law.

 

14.2	Jurisdiction: You agree the English courts are to have jurisdiction to settle any disputes or claims which may arise out of or in connection with this agreement, and for these purposes you irrevocably submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.

 

 

14.3

Waiver of immunity: To the extent that you may in any jurisdiction claim for yourself or your assets any immunity from suit, judgement, enforcement or otherwise howsoever, you agree not to claim and irrevocably waive any such immunity to which you would otherwise be entitled (whether on grounds of sovereignty or otherwise) to the full extent permitted by the laws of such jurisdiction.

 

14.4	Service of process: If you are situated outside England and Wales, process by which any proceedings in England are begun may be served on you by being delivered to the address specified below. This does not affect our right to serve process in another manner permitted by law.

 

Your address for service of process

[Participant] [Address] [City, State, Postal Code] Attention: [                  ]

 

 

EXECUTED by the parties as follows

 

 

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

 

EXECUTED by the parties

 

 

Signed on behalf of

HSBC BANK PLC

by

 

Signature
Name
Title

 

 

 

 

 

Signature
Name
Title

 

 

 

 

 

Signed on behalf of

[NAME OF Participant]

by

 

Signature
Name
Title

 

 

 

SPDR® Gold Trust

PARTICIPANT AGREEMENT

 

ATTACHMENT C

 

HSBC Bank plc

Resolution Form - Telefax Instructions

 

To: HSBC Bank plc

ACCOUNT NAME:                                                                                                                                            

We hereby request and authorize, pursuant to the powers delegated to us by a resolution of the Board of Directors of ________________________________ (the “Company”) (a certified copy of which has been supplied to you), HSBC Bank Plc (the “Bank”) to accept and to execute instructions and/or give effect to requests to the Bank to enter into contracts with or on behalf of the Company where such instructions and/or requests are given by facsimile machine (“Telefax”) and purport to come from us acting on behalf of the Company and are honestly believed by the Bank to come from the Company. We agree to mark clearly on any confirmation of any communications by Telefax the words “Confirmation only - Do not duplicate”.

 

We on behalf of the Company agree, that

 

(a)	the Bank will be under no duty to challenge or make any enquiries concerning any communication by Telefax which it believes in good faith to be a genuine instruction from an authorized representative of the Company;

 

(b)

the Company shall assume all risks involved in connection with any communications by Telefax, and in particular (but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing) risks due to errors in transmission misunderstandings or errors on the part of the Bank regarding the identity of the Company’s authorized representatives or otherwise and that the Bank be discharged from all responsibility in respect thereof;

 

(c)

the Company shall indemnify the Bank and its directors, officers, employees or agents on demand and shall keep the Bank and its directors, officers, employees or agents on demand indemnified against any loss arising to the Bank in consequence of acting in reliance on any such communication and any actions, proceedings, costs, claims and demands in respect thereof;

 

(d)	that we will have no claim against the Bank or its directors, officers, employees or agents by reason or account of the Bank or its directors, officers, employees or agents either acting or declining or omitting to act in accordance with any communication by Telefax; and

 

(e)	the Company shall agree to perform and ratify any contracts entered into by the Bank and/or any action taken by the Bank as a result of such communications made or purporting to be made on behalf of the Company and honestly believed by the Bank to have been made on behalf of the Company.

 

Such assumption of risk, discharge, indemnity and agreement to perform and ratify shall extend to communications made or purporting to be made by us and/or any other persons now or hereafter nominated from time to time by the Company, such nomination having been duly and properly advised to the Bank and honestly believed by the Bank to have been made on behalf of the Company.

 

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Bank may at any time and at its absolute discretion decline to execute any instruction or request given or to accept any offer made by Telefax notwithstanding that at the time of such instruction or request or offer the employee of the Bank receiving such instruction or request may have indicated assent to the same.

 

This request and authority shall continue in force unless and until expressly revoked by fifteen days’ (or such lesser period as the Bank may accept) written notice delivered to the Bank and signed in a manner complying with the Company’s current mandate.

 

Signed                                                                              

for and on behalf of

 

Signed                                                                               

for and on behalf of

 

                                                                                        

Date                                                                                

 

 

SPDR® GOLD TRUST

PARTICIPANT AGREEMENT

 

ATTACHMENT D

 

SPDR® GOLD TRUST PROCEDURES FOR JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.

 

CREATION AND REDEMPTION OF SPDR® GOLD SHARES AND RELATED GOLD TRANSACTIONS

 

Scope of Procedures and Overview

 

These procedures (the “Procedures”) describe the processes by which one or more Baskets of SPDR® Gold Trust shares (the “Shares”) issuable by BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, a division of The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee (the “Trustee”) of the SPDR® Gold Trust (the “Trust”), may be purchased or, once Shares have been issued, redeemed by an Authorized Participant (a “Participant”). Shares may be created or redeemed only in blocks of 100,000 Shares (each such block, a “Basket”). Because the issuance and redemption of Baskets also involve the transfer of Gold between the Participant and the Trust, certain processes relating to the underlying Gold transfers also are described.

 

Under these Procedures, Baskets may be issued only with respect to Gold transferred to and held in the Trust’s allocated Gold accounts maintained in London, England by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as custodian (the “Custodian”). Capitalized terms used in these Procedures without further definition have the meanings assigned to them in the Trust Indenture (the “Indenture”), dated as of November 12, 2004, as amended November 26, 2007, May 20, 2008, June 1, 2011, June 18, 2014, March 20, 2015, April 14, 2015, September 5, 2017, February 6, 2020 and November 30, 2022 and as may be further amended from time to time, between the Trustee and World Gold Trust Services, LLC (the “Sponsor”) or the Participant Agreement entered into by each Participant with the Sponsor and the Trustee.

 

For purposes of these Procedures, a “Business Day” is defined as any day other than (i) a day on which the Exchange is closed for regular trading or (ii), if the transaction involves the receipt or delivery of Gold or confirmation thereof in the United Kingdom or in some other jurisdiction, (a) a day on which banking institutions in the United Kingdom or in such other jurisdiction, as the case may be, are authorized by law to close or a day on which the London gold market is closed or (b) a day on which banking institutions in the United Kingdom or in such other jurisdiction, as the case may be, are authorized to be open for less than a full business day or the London gold market is open for trading for less than a full business day and transaction procedures required to be executed or completed before the close of the business day may not be so executed or completed.

 

Baskets are issued pursuant to the Prospectus, which will be delivered by the Sponsor to each Participant prior to its execution of the Participant Agreement, and are issued and redeemed in accordance with the Indenture and the Participant Agreement. Baskets may be issued and redeemed on any Business Day by the Trustee in exchange for Gold, which the Trustee receives from Participants or transfers to Participants, in each case on behalf of the Trust. Participants will be required to pay a nonrefundable per order transaction fee of $2,000 to the Trustee (the “Transaction Fee”).

 

 

Participants and the Trust transfer Gold between each other using the unallocated bullion account system of the London bullion market. Transfers of Gold to and from the Trust are effected pursuant to (i) the Allocated Precious Metal Account Agreement (the “Trust Allocated Agreement”) between the Trustee and the Custodian establishing the Trust’s allocated account (the “Trust Allocated Account”) and the Unallocated Precious Metal Account Agreement (the “Trust Unallocated Agreement”) between the Trustee and the Custodian establishing the Trust’s unallocated account (the “Trust Unallocated Account”; the Trust Allocated Agreement and the Trust Unallocated Agreement are collectively referred to as the “Trust Custody Agreements”) and (ii) a Participant Unallocated Bullion Account Agreement (the “Participant Unallocated Agreement”) between the Participant and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. or another Gold clearing bank of LPMCL, establishing the Participant’s unallocated account (the “Participant Unallocated Account”).

 

Gold is transferred between the Trust and Participants through the Trust Unallocated Account. When Gold is to be transferred to the Trust from a Participant (in exchange for the issuance of Baskets), the Gold is transferred from the Participant Unallocated Account to the Trust Unallocated Account and then transferred from there to the Trust Allocated Account. When Gold is to be transferred to a Participant (in connection with the redemption of Baskets), the Gold is transferred from the Trust Allocated Account to the Trust Unallocated Account and is transferred from there to the Participant Unallocated Account.

 

Each Participant is responsible for ensuring that the Gold it intends to transfer to the Trust in exchange for Baskets is available for transfer to the Trust in the manner and at the times described in these Procedures. In meeting this responsibility, the Participant may make such independent arrangements as it sees fit, including the borrowing of Gold, to ensure that the relevant amount(s) of Gold is credited in time.

 

Upon acceptance of the Participant Agreement by the Sponsor and the Trustee, the Trustee will assign a personal identification number (a “PIN number”) to each Authorized Person authorized to act for the Participant. This will allow the Participant through its Authorized Person(s) to place Purchase Order(s) or Redemption Order(s) for Baskets.

 

Important Notes:

 

●

Any Order is subject to rejection by the Trustee for the reasons set forth in the Indenture or the Participant Agreement.

 

●

All Orders are subject to the provisions of the Indenture, the Trust Custody Agreements and the Participant Agreement relating to unclear or ambiguous instructions.

 

 

CREATION PROCESS

 

An order to purchase one or more Baskets placed by a Participant with the Trustee by 4:00 p.m. N.Y. time on a Business Day (such day, “CREATION T”) results in the following taking place, in most instances, by 11:00 a.m. N.Y. time (usually 4:00 p.m. London time) on CREATION T+2:

 

●

Allocation to the Trust Allocated Account of Gold satisfying the LBMA Good Delivery Rules in the amount corresponding to the Baskets to be issued; and

 

●

Transfer to the Participant’s account at The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) of the number of Baskets corresponding to the Gold the Participant has transferred to the Trust.

 

CREATION PROCEDURES

 

PLACEMENT OF CREATION ORDER T

 

3.

Participants shall place a Purchase Order with the Trustee no later than 3:59:59 p.m. (New York time) (the “Order Cutoff Time”) on any Business Day. Purchase Orders received by the Trustee on or after the Order Cutoff Time on a Business Day will not be accepted.

 

4.

For purposes of Paragraph 1 above, a Purchase Order shall be deemed “received” by the Trustee only when either of the following has occurred no later than the Order Cutoff Time:

 

a.

Telephone/fax Order — An Authorized Person of the Participant calls the Trustee at (844) 545-1258 to notify the Trustee that the Participant wishes to place a Purchase Order with the Trustee to create an identified number of Baskets and to request that the Trustee provide an order number (an “Order Number”). The Authorized Person provides a PIN number as identification to the Trustee. The Trustee provides the Participant with an Order Number for the Participant’s Purchase Order Form. The Participant then completes and sends by fax or email to the Trustee the Purchase Order Form included as Exhibit B to the Participant Agreement. The Purchase Order Form must include the Authorized Person’s signature, the number of Baskets being purchased, and the Order Number previously provided by the Trustee, or

 

b.

Web-based Order — An Authorized Person of the Participant shall have accessed the Trustee’s online services (https://connect.bnymellon.com), the use of which shall be subject to the Order Entry System Terms and Conditions attached hereto as Annex A and incorporated herein by reference.

 

3.

If the Trustee has not received the Purchase Order Form from the Participant within 15 minutes after the Trustee receives the phone call from the Participant referenced in Paragraph (2)(a) above, the Trustee places a phone call to the Participant to enquire about the status of the Order. If the Participant does not send by fax or email the Purchase Order Form to the Trustee within 15 minutes after the Trustee’s phone call, the Participant’s Order is cancelled. The Trustee will then notify the Participant that the Order has been cancelled by telephone call.

 

 

4.

If the Trustee has received the Participant’s Purchase Order Form on time in accordance with the preceding timing rules, then by 5:00 p.m. N.Y. time the Trustee returns to the Participant a copy of the Purchase Order Form submitted, marking it “Affirmed.” The Trustee also indicates on the Purchase Order Form the amount of Gold and cash, if any, necessary for the Creation Deposit, and provides details of the method of payment required for the Transaction Fee and the cash portion, if any, of the Creation Deposit.

 

5.

Based on the Purchase Orders placed with it on CREATION T, the Trustee sends an authenticated electronic message (Swift MT699 or MT604, as determined by the Trustee) to the Custodian indicating the total ounces of Gold for which the Trustee will require an allocation into the Trust Allocated Account on CREATION T+2. In addition, the authenticated electronic message (Swift MT699 or MT604, as determined by the Trustee) will separately identify all expected unallocated Gold receipts from each Participant. If the Trustee rejects a Purchase Order pursuant to the Indenture or the Participant Agreement after the foregoing messages are given to the Custodian, the Trustee will notify the Custodian of such rejection, identifying the Participant whose Purchase Order was rejected and the number of ounces of Gold contained in the rejected Purchase Order.

 

6.

Each Participant acquiring Baskets on CREATION T+2 sends an authenticated electronic message (Swift MT604) to its LPMCL gold clearing bank to transfer from the Participant’s Participant Unallocated Account Gold in the relevant amount(s) to the Trust Unallocated Account, with such transfer to be completed no later than 10:00 am London time on CREATION T+2.

 

 

 

CREATION T+2

 

1.	By 10:00am London time,the Participant’s LPMCL gold clearing bank transfers the relevant amount(s) of Gold from the Participant’s Participant Unallocated Account to the Trust Unallocated Account.

 

2.

By 2:00 p.m. London time (usually 9:00 a.m. N.Y. time), the Custodian will notify the Trustee by email of the status of the allocation process, including (i) the amount of Gold transferred to the Trust Unallocated Account from each Participant’s Participant Unallocated Account, separately stated; (ii) the amount of Gold that has been transferred into the Trust Allocated Account from the Trust Unallocated Account, and (iii) the amount of Gold, if any, remaining in the Trust Unallocated Account. In the event there is any need for clarification of the status of the allocation process, the Trustee will telephone the Custodian to obtain such clarification. This notice does not reflect the official transfer record of the Custodian, which is completed as of the conclusion of the Custodian’s Business Day.

 

3.

At 11:00 a.m. N.Y. time (usually 4:00 p.m. London time), following receipt of the notice from the Custodian of the status of the allocation process described in Paragraph (2) above, the Trustee authorizes the creation and issuance of the Baskets ordered by each Participant on CREATION T for which the Trustee has received confirmation from the Custodian that the relevant amount(s) of Gold have been transferred from the Trust Unallocated Account to the Trust Allocated Account. If the Custodian is unable to complete the allocation of Gold from the Trust Unallocated Account to the Trust Allocated Account by such time, the Trustee will issue Baskets as soon as practical after the Custodian has notified the Trustee by email that it has completed the allocation of Gold to the Trust Allocated Account in the relevant amount(s). The creation and issuance of Baskets will occur through the DTC system known as “Deposit and Withdrawal at Custodian” or “DWAC.”

 

 

[Redemption Process Follows on Next Page]

 

 

REDEMPTION PROCESS

 

An order to redeem one or more Baskets placed by a Participant with the Trustee by 4:00 p.m. N.Y. time on a Business Day (such day, “REDEMPTION T”) results in the following taking place by 11:00 a.m. N.Y. time (usually 4:00 p.m. London time) on REDEMPTION T+2:

 

●

Transfer to the Trustee’s account at DTC and the subsequent cancellation of the relevant number of the Participant’s Baskets; and

 

●

Transfer to the Participant by credit to the Participant’s Participant Unallocated Account of Gold and cash, if any, in the relevant amount(s) corresponding to the Baskets delivered for redemption (the “Redemption Distribution”).

 

REDEMPTION PROCEDURES

 

PLACEMENT OF REDEMPTION ORDER T

 

3.

Participants shall place a Redemption Order with the Trustee no later than 3:59:59 p.m. (New York time) (the “Order Cutoff Time”) on any Business Day. Redemption Orders received by the Trustee on or after the Order Cutoff Time on a Business Day will not be accepted.

 

4.

For purposes of Paragraph 1 above, a Redemption Order shall be deemed “received” by the Trustee only when either of the following has occurred no later than the Order Cutoff Time:

 

a.

Telephone/fax Order — An Authorized Person of the Participant calls the Trustee at (844) 545-1258 to notify the Trustee that the Participant wishes to place a Redemption Order with the Trustee to redeem an identified number of Baskets and to request that the Trustee provide an Order Number. The Authorized Person provides a PIN number as identification to the Trustee. The Trustee provides the Participant with an Order Number for the Participant’s Redemption Order Form. The Participant then completes and sends by fax or email to the Trustee the Redemption Order Form included as Exhibit B to the Participant Agreement. The Redemption Order Form must include the Authorized Person’s signature, the number of Baskets being redeemed, and the Order Number previously provided by the Trustee., or

 

b.

Web-based Order — An Authorized Person of the Participant shall have accessed the Trustee’s online services (https://connect.bnymellon.com), the use of which shall be subject to the Order Entry System Terms and Conditions attached hereto as Annex A and incorporated herein by reference.

 

3.

If the Trustee has not received the Redemption Order Form from the Participant within 15 minutes after the Trustee receives the phone call from the Participant referenced in Paragraph (2)(a) above, the Trustee places a phone call to the Participant to enquire about the status of the Order. If the Participant does not send by fax or email to the Trustee the Redemption Order Form within 15 minutes after the Trustee’s phone call, the Participant’s Order is cancelled. The Trustee will then notify the Participant that the Order has been cancelled by telephone call.

 

 

4.

If the Trustee has received the Participant’s Redemption Order Form on time in accordance with the preceding timing rules, then by 5:00 p.m. N.Y. time the Trustee returns to the Participant a copy of the Redemption Order Form submitted, marking it “Affirmed.” The Trustee also indicates on the Redemption Order Form the amount of Gold and cash, if any, to be delivered in the Redemption Distribution, and provides details of the method of payment to be used for the Transaction Fee and the method of delivery of the cash portion, if any, of the Redemption Distribution.

 

5.

By the close of business (usually 5:00 p.m. N.Y. time), each Participant redeeming Baskets on REDEMPTION T+2 sends an authenticated electronic message (Swift MT605) to its LPMCL gold clearing bank, identifying that Participant’s Participant Unallocated Account into which Gold, in the relevant amount(s), is to be received on REDEMPTION T+2.

 

6.

By the close of business (usually 5:00 p.m. N.Y. time), the Trustee sends an authenticated electronic message (SWIFT MT699) containing instructions to the Custodian to transfer on REDEMPTION T+2 from the Trust Allocated Account to the Trust Unallocated Account (“deallocate”) the total amount of Gold required to settle the Redemption Orders received by the Trustee on REDEMPTION T. If the Trustee rejects a Redemption Order pursuant to the Indenture or the Participant Agreement after the foregoing message is sent, the Trustee will notify the Custodian of such rejection, identifying the Participant whose Redemption Order was rejected and the number of ounces of Gold contained in the rejected Redemption Order.

 

REDEMPTION T+2

 

1.	Between 9:00 a.m. London time and 3:00 p.m. London time, the Custodian deallocates Gold in the amount(s) specified in the Trustee’s instructions sent on REDEMPTION T.

 

2.	By 9:00 a.m. N.Y. time, the Participant delivers free to the Trustee’s Participant account at DTC (#2209) the Baskets to be redeemed.

 

3.

If the Trustee does not receive from a redeeming Participant all Shares comprising the Baskets being redeemed by 9:00 a.m. N.Y. time, the Trustee will (i) settle the Redemption Order to the extent of whole Baskets received from the Participant and (ii) keep the redeeming Participant’s Redemption Order open until 9:00 a.m. N.Y. time on the following Business Day (REDEMPTION T+3) as to the balance of the Redemption Order (such balance, the “Suspended Redemption Order”). For each day (whether or not a Business Day) the Redemption Order is held open, the Participant will be charged by the Trustee the greater of $300 or $30 times the number of Baskets included in the Suspended Redemption Order.

 

 

4.

By 10:00 a.m. New York time (usually 3:00 p.m. London time), the Trustee sends an authenticated electronic message (Swift MT699) to the Custodian directing the Custodian to transfer Gold in the relevant amount from the Trust Unallocated Account to the Participant Unallocated Account. The Custodian will make reasonable commercial efforts to allocate Gold remaining in the Trust Unallocated Account after this transfer to the Trust Allocated Account by the close of business in London, in accordance with the standing instruction in the Trust Custody Agreements.

 

5.

By close of business in New York (usually 5:00 p.m. N.Y. time), the Trustee sends an authenticated electronic message (Swift MT699) containing instructions to the Custodian to transfer the total amount of Gold involved in that day’s Suspended Redemption Order(s) from the Trust Allocated Account to the Trust Unallocated Account by 9:00 a.m. N.Y. time (usually 2:00 p.m. London time) the following Business Day. This amount will be in addition to any amount being transferred pursuant to an existing instruction to deallocate in respect of redemptions settling in the normal schedule, for which the following day will be REDEMPTION T+2.

 

6.

By the close of business in New York (usually 5:00 p.m. N.Y. time), each Participant redeeming Baskets on REDEMPTION T+3 with respect to a Suspended Redemption Order sends an authenticated electronic message (Swift MT699) to its LPMCL gold clearing bank, identifying that Participant’s Participant Unallocated Account into which Gold, in the relevant amount(s), is to be received on REDEMPTION T+3.

 

SUSPENDED REDEMPTION ORDER T+3

 

1.

By 9:00 a.m. N.Y. time (usually 2:00 p.m. London time), the redeeming Participant must deliver free to the Trustee’s Participant account at DTC (#2209) the Basket(s) comprising the Suspended Redemption Order. The Trustee will settle the Suspended Redemption Order to the extent of whole Baskets received. Any balance of the Suspended Redemption Order will be cancelled.

 

2.	The sequence of instructions and events related to the settlement of the Suspended Redemption Order on REDEMPTION T+3 will be made in the manner provided for a Redemption Order under REDEMPTION T+2.

 

 

* * * *

 

 

ANNEX A TO ATTACHMENT D

 

 

ORDER ENTRY SYSTEM TERMS AND CONDITIONS

 

This Annex shall govern use by an Authorized Participant of the electronic order entry system for placing Purchase Orders and Redemption Orders for Shares (the “System”). Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Agreement or the Procedures. In the event of any conflict between the terms of this Annex A and either the Agreement or the Procedures with respect to the placing of Purchase Orders and Redemption Orders, the terms of this Annex A shall control.

 

1.         (a) Authorized Participant shall provide to The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York corporation authorized to do banking business (the “Transfer Agent”) a duly executed authorization letter, in a form satisfactory to Transfer Agent, identifying those Authorized Persons who will access the System. Authorized Participant shall notify the Transfer Agent promptly in writing, including, but not limited to, by electronic mail, in the event that any person’s status as an Authorized Person is revoked or terminated, in order to give the Transfer Agent a reasonable opportunity to terminate such Authorized Person’s access to the System. The Transfer Agent shall promptly revoke access of such Authorized Person to the electronic entry systems through which Purchase Orders and Redemption are submitted by such person on behalf of the Authorized Participant.

 

(b) It is understood and agreed that each Authorized Person shall be designated as an authorized user of Authorized Participant for the purpose of the Agreement. Upon termination of the Agreement, the Authorized Participant’s and each Authorized Person’s access rights with respect to System shall be immediately revoked.

 

2.         Transfer Agent grants to Authorized Participant a personal, nontransferable and nonexclusive license to use the System solely for the purpose of transmitting Purchase Orders and Redemption Orders and otherwise communicating with Transfer Agent in connection with the same. Authorized Participant shall use the System solely for its own internal and proper business purposes. Except as set forth herein, no license or right of any kind is granted to Authorized Participant with respect to the System. Authorized Participant acknowledges that Transfer Agent and its suppliers retain and have title and exclusive proprietary rights to the System. Authorized Participant further acknowledges that all or a part of the System may be copyrighted or trademarked (or a registration or claim made therefor) by Transfer Agent or its suppliers. Authorized Participant shall not take any action with respect to the System inconsistent with the foregoing acknowledgments. Authorized Participant may not copy, distribute, sell, lease or provide, directly or indirectly, the System or any portion thereof to any other person or entity without Transfer Agent’s prior written consent. Authorized Participant may not remove any statutory copyright notice or other notice included in the System. Authorized Participant shall reproduce any such notice on any reproduction of any portion of the System and shall add any statutory copyright notice or other notice upon Transfer Agent’s request.

 

 

3.         (a)          Authorized Participant acknowledges that any user manuals or other documentation (whether in hard copy or electronic form) (collectively, the “Material”), which is delivered or made available to Authorized Participant regarding the System is the exclusive and confidential property of Transfer Agent. Authorized Participant shall keep the Material confidential by using the same care and discretion that Authorized Participant uses with respect to its own confidential property and trade secrets, but in no event less than reasonable care. Authorized Participant may make such copies of the Material as is reasonably necessary for Authorized Participant to use the System and shall reproduce Transfer Agent’s proprietary markings on any such copy. The foregoing shall not in any way be deemed to affect the copyright status of any of the Material which may be copyrighted and shall apply to all Material whether or not copyrighted. TRANSFER AGENT AND ITS SUPPLIERS MAKE NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, CONCERNING THE MATERIAL OR ANY PRODUCT OR SERVICE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

 

(b)          Upon termination of the Agreement for any reason, Authorized Participant shall return to Transfer Agent all copies of the Material which is in Authorized Participant’s possession or under its control.

 

4.         Authorized Participant agrees that it shall have sole responsibility for maintaining adequate security and control of the user IDs, passwords and codes for access to the System, which shall not be disclosed to any third party without the prior written consent of Transfer Agent. Transfer Agent shall be entitled to rely on the information received by it from the Authorized Participant and Transfer Agent may assume that all such information was transmitted by or on behalf of an Authorized Person regardless of by whom it was actually transmitted, unless the Authorized Participant shall have notified the Transfer Agent a reasonable time prior that such person is not an Authorized Person.

 

5.         Transfer Agent shall have no liability in connection with the use of the System, the access granted to the Authorized Participant and its Authorized Persons hereunder, or any transaction effected or attempted to be effected by the Authorized Participant hereunder, except for damages incurred by the Authorized Participant as a direct result of Transfer Agent’s negligence or willful misconduct. WITHOUT LIMITING THE GENERALITY OF THE FOREGOING, IT IS HEREBY AGREED THAT IN NO EVENT SHALL TRANSFER AGENT OR ANY MANUFACTURER OR SUPPLIER OF EQUIPMENT, SOFTWARE OR SERVICES BE RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES WHICH THE AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT MAY INCUR OR EXPERIENCE BY REASON OF ITS HAVING ENTERED INTO OR RELIED ON THIS AGREEMENT, OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE ACCESS GRANTED TO THE AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT HEREUNDER, OR ANY TRANSACTION EFFECTED OR ATTEMPTED TO BE EFFECTED BY THE AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT HEREUNDER, EVEN IF TRANSFER AGENT OR SUCH MANUFACTURER OR SUPPLIER HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, NOR SHALL TRANSFER AGENT OR ANY SUCH MANUFACTURER OR SUPPLIER BE LIABLE FOR ACTS OF GOD, MACHINE OR COMPUTER BREAKDOWN OR MALFUNCTION, INTERRUPTION OR MALFUNCTION OF COMMUNICATION FACILITIES, LABOR DIFFICULTIES OR ANY OTHER SIMILAR OR DISSIMILAR CAUSE BEYOND SUCH PERSON’S REASONABLE CONTROL.

 

 

6.         Transfer Agent reserves the right to revoke Authorized Participant’s access to the System, with written notice, upon any breach by the Authorized Participant of the terms and conditions of this Annex A.

 

7.         Transfer Agent shall acknowledge through the System its receipt of each Purchase Order or Redemption Order communicated through the System, and in the absence of such acknowledgment Transfer Agent shall not be liable for any failure to act in accordance with such orders and Authorized Participant may not claim that such Purchase Order or Redemption Order was received by Transfer Agent. Transfer Agent may in its discretion decline to act upon any instructions or communications that are insufficient or incomplete or are not received by Transfer Agent in sufficient time for Transfer Agent to act upon, or in accordance with such instructions or communications.

 

8.         Authorized Participant agrees to use reasonable efforts consistent with its own procedures used in the ordinary course of business to prevent the transmission through the System of any software or file which contains any viruses, worms, harmful component or corrupted data and agrees not to use any device, software, or routine to interfere or attempt to interfere with the proper working of the Systems. 9.         Authorized Participant acknowledges and agrees that encryption may not be available for every communication through the System, or for all data. Authorized Participant agrees that Transfer Agent may deactivate any encryption features at any time, without notice or liability to Authorized Participant, for the purpose of maintaining, repairing or troubleshooting its systems.

 

Exhibit 4.4

 

DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES REGISTERED

UNDER SECTION 12 OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

The following is a summary of the rights of the SPDR® Gold Shares (the “Shares”) of SPDR® Gold Trust (the “Trust”), which is the only class of securities of the Trust that is registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

 

GENERAL

 

BNY Mellon Asst Servicing, a division of The Bank of New York Mellon (the “Trustee”) is authorized under the Trust Indenture (the “Trust Indenture”) dated November 12, 2004, as amended from time to time, between World Gold Trust Services, LLC (the “Sponsor”) and the Trustee to create and issue an unlimited number of Shares. The Shares represent units of fractional undivided beneficial interest in and ownership of the Trust and have no par value. Any creation and issuance of Shares above the amount registered on the registration statement will require the registration of such additional Shares.

 

DESCRIPTION OF LIMITED RIGHTS

 

The Shares do not represent a traditional investment and Shareholders should not view them as similar to “shares” of a corporation operating a business enterprise with management and a board of directors. Shareholders do not have the statutory rights normally associated with the ownership of shares of a corporation, including, for example, the right to bring “oppression” or “derivative” actions. All Shares are of the same class with equal rights and privileges. Each Share is transferable, is fully paid and non-assessable and entitles the holder to vote on the limited matters upon which Shareholders may vote under the Trust Indenture. The Shares do not entitle their holders to any conversion or pre-emptive rights, or, except as provided below, any redemption rights or rights to distributions.

 

DISTRIBUTIONS

 

The Trust Indenture provides for distributions to Shareholders in only two circumstances. First, if the Trustee and the Sponsor determine that the Trust’s cash account balance exceeds the anticipated expenses of the Trust for the next 12 months and the excess amount is more than $0.01 per Share outstanding, they shall direct the excess amount to be distributed to the Shareholders. Second, if the Trust is terminated and liquidated, the Trustee will distribute to the Shareholders any amounts remaining after the satisfaction of all outstanding liabilities of the Trust and the establishment of such reserves for applicable taxes, other governmental charges and contingent or future liabilities as the Trustee shall determine. Shareholders of record on the record date fixed by the Trustee for a distribution will be entitled to receive their pro rata portion of any distribution.

 

VOTING AND APPROVALS

 

Under the Trust Indenture, Shareholders have no voting rights, except in the following limited circumstances: (i) shareholders holding at least 662/3% of the Shares outstanding may vote to remove the Trustee; (ii) the Trustee may terminate the Trust upon the agreement of Shareholders owning at least 662/3% of the outstanding Shares; and (iii) certain amendments to the Trust Indenture require 51% or unanimous consent of the Shareholders.

 

BOOK ENTRY FORM

 

Individual certificates will not be issued for the Shares. Instead, global certificates are deposited by the Trustee with DTC and registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee for DTC. The global certificates evidence all of the Shares outstanding at any time. Under the Trust Indenture, Shareholders are limited to: (1) DTC Participants; (2) those who maintain, either directly or indirectly, a custodial relationship with a DTC Participant, or Indirect Participants; and (3) those banks, brokers, dealers, trust companies and others who hold interests in the Shares through DTC Participants or Indirect Participants. The Shares are only transferable through the book-entry system of DTC. Shareholders who are not DTC Participants may transfer their Shares through DTC by instructing the DTC Participant holding their Shares (or by instructing the Indirect Participant or other entity through which their Shares are held) to transfer the Shares. Transfers are made in accordance with standard securities industry practice.

 

Exhibit 23.1

 

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the registration statement on Form S-3 of SPDR^® Gold Trust (the “Trust”) of our reports dated November 22, 2023, with respect to the statements of financial condition of the Trust, including the schedules of investment, as of September 30, 2023 and 2022, and the related statements of operations, cash flows and changes in net assets for each of the years in the three-year period ended September 30, 2023, and the related notes, and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of September 30, 2023, which reports appear in the September 30, 2023 annual report on Form 10-K of the Trust. We also consent to the reference to our firm under the heading “Experts” in the above noted registration statement.

 

/s/ KPMG LLP

 

New York, New York

November 22, 2023

 

Exhibit 23.2

 

CONSENT OF CARTER LEDYARD & MILBURN LLP

 

We consent to the incorporation by reference in Registration Statement No. 333-267520 on Form S-3 of our opinion relating to U.S. federal tax law contained in the section “United States Federal Tax Consequences” appearing in this Annual Report on Form 10-K of the SPDR^® Gold Trust for the year ended September 30, 2023.

 

/s/ Carter Ledyard & Milburn LLP

 

New York, New York

November 22, 2023

 

Exhibit 31.1

 

CERTIFICATION OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICER PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-14(a)

AND 15d-14(a) UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934, AS AMENDED

 

I, Joseph R. Cavatoni, certify that:

 

1.	I have reviewed this annual report of the SPDR® Gold Trust (the “Trust” or “registrant”);

 

2.	Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

 

3.	Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

 

4.

The registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:

 

a.

Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

 

b.

Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

 

c.

Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

 

d.

Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

 

5.

The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the auditors of the registrant and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors of World Gold Trust Services, LLC (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

 

a.

All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

 

b.

Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves persons who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

Date: November 22, 2023

 

/s/ Joseph R. Cavatoni

Joseph R. Cavatoni** Principal Executive Officer

 

*	The originally executed copy of this Certification will be maintained at the Sponsor’s offices and will be made available for inspection upon request.

**	The registrant is a trust and Mr. Cavatoni is signing in his capacity as Principal Executive Officer of World Gold Trust Services, LLC, the Sponsor of the registrant.

 

Exhibit 31.2

 

CERTIFICATION OF PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL AND ACCOUNTING OFFICER PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-14(a) AND 15d-14(a) UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934, AS AMENDED

 

I, Amanda Krichman, certify that:

 

1.	I have reviewed this annual report of the SPDR® Gold Trust (the “Trust” or “registrant”);

 

2.	Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

 

3.	Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

 

4.

The registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:

 

a.

Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

 

b.

Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

 

c.

Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

 

d.

Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

 

5.	The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the auditors of the registrant and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

 

a.

All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

 

b.

Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves persons who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

Date: November 22, 2023

 

/s/ Amanda Krichman

Amanda Krichman** Principal Financial and Accounting Officer

 

*	The originally executed copy of this Certification will be maintained at the Sponsor’s offices and will be made available for inspection upon request.

**	The registrant is a trust and Ms. Krichman is signing in her capacity as Principal Financial and Accounting Officer of World Gold Trust Services, LLC, the Sponsor of the registrant.

 

Exhibit 32.1

 

CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO

18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350

AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO

SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

 

In connection with the Annual Report of SPDR® Gold Trust (the “Trust” or “registrant”) on Form 10-K for the period ending September 30, 2023 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), I, Joseph R. Cavatoni, Principal Executive Officer of World Gold Trust Services, LLC, the Sponsor of the Trust, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 1350, as adopted pursuant to § 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that:

 

(1) The Report fully complies with the requirements of section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

 

(2) The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and result of operations of the Trust.

 

/s/ Joseph R. Cavatoni

Joseph R. Cavatoni**

Principal Executive Officer

November 22, 2023

 

*	The originally executed copy of this Certification will be maintained at the Sponsor’s offices and will be made available for inspection upon request.

**	The registrant is a trust and Mr. Cavatoni is signing in his capacity as Principal Executive Officer of World Gold Trust Services, LLC, the sponsor of the Trust.

 

Exhibit 32.2

 

CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO

18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350

AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO

SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

 

In connection with the Annual Report of SPDR® Gold Trust (the “Trust” or “registrant”) on Form 10-K for the period ending September 30, 2023 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), I, Amanda Krichman, Principal Financial and Accounting Officer of World Gold Trust Services, LLC, the sponsor of the Trust, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 1350, as adopted pursuant to § 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that:

 

(1) The Report fully complies with the requirements of section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

 

(2) The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and result of operations of the Trust.

 

/s/ Amanda Krichman

Amanda Krichman**

Principal Financial and Accounting Officer

November 22, 2023

 

*	The originally executed copy of this Certification will be maintained at the Sponsor’s offices and will be made available for inspection upon request.

**	The registrant is a trust and Ms. Krichman is signing in her capacity as Principal Financial and Accounting Officer of World Gold Trust Services, LLC, the sponsor of the Trust.

 

v3.23.3

Document And Entity Information - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2023	Nov. 21, 2023	Mar. 31, 2023
Document Information [Line Items]
Entity Central Index Key	0001222333
Entity Registrant Name	SPDR® GOLD TRUST
Amendment Flag	false
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--09-30
Document Fiscal Period Focus	FY
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2023
Document Type	10-K
Document Annual Report	true
Document Period End Date	Sep. 30, 2023
Document Transition Report	false
Entity File Number	001-32356
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	NY
Entity Tax Identification Number	81-6124035
Entity Address, Address Line One	c/o World Gold Trust Services, LLC
Entity Address, Address Line Two	685 Third Avenue, Suite 2702
Entity Address, City or Town	New York
Entity Address, State or Province	NY
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	10017
City Area Code	212
Local Phone Number	317-3800
Title of 12(b) Security	SPDR® Gold Shares
Trading Symbol	GLD®
Security Exchange Name	NYSEArca
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	Yes
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Interactive Data Current	Yes
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Small Business	false
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
ICFR Auditor Attestation Flag	true
Document Financial Statement Error Correction [Flag]	false
Entity Shell Company	false
Entity Public Float			$ 59,048,717,000
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		306,300,000
Auditor Name	KPMG, LLP
Auditor Location	New York, NY
Auditor Firm ID	185

v3.23.3

Statements of Financial Condition - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Sep. 30, 2023	Sep. 30, 2022
ASSETS
Investments in Gold, at fair value (cost $47,094,463 and $49,274,427 at September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively)		$ 52,539,161	$ 50,693,257
Total Assets		52,539,161	50,693,257
LIABILITIES
Gold payable		0	185,723
Total Liabilities		17,892	202,797
Net Assets		$ 52,521,269	$ 50,490,460
Shares issued (in shares)	[1]	302,700,000	324,300,000
Shares outstanding (in shares)		302,700,000	324,300,000
Net asset value per Share		$ 173.51	$ 155.69
Related Party [Member]
LIABILITIES
Accounts payable to Sponsor		$ 17,892	$ 17,074
[1] Authorized share capital is unlimited and the par value of the Shares is $0.00.

v3.23.3

Statements of Financial Condition (Parentheticals) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2023	Sep. 30, 2022
Investment in Gold, at cost	$ 47,094,463	$ 49,274,427
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0	$ 0
Investment in Gold [Member]
Investment in Gold, at cost	$ 47,094,463	$ 49,274,427

v3.23.3

Schedules of Investment oz in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2023 USD ($) oz	Sep. 30, 2022 USD ($) oz
Investment in Gold, at cost	$ 47,094,463	$ 49,274,427
Investment, fair value	$ 52,539,161	$ 50,693,257
Investment, % of net assets	100.03%	100.40%
Liabilities in excess of other assets, fair value	$ (17,892)	$ (202,797)
Liabilities in excess of other assets, % of net assets	(0.03%)	(0.40%)
Net Assets, fair value	$ 52,521,269	$ 50,490,460
Net Assets, % of net assets	100.00%	100.00%
Investment in Gold [Member]
Investment, ounces of gold | oz	28,088	30,324
Investment in Gold, at cost	$ 47,094,463	$ 49,274,427
Investment, fair value	$ 52,539,161	$ 50,693,257
Investment, % of net assets	100.03%	100.40%

v3.23.3

Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2023	Jun. 30, 2023	Mar. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022	Sep. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2022	Mar. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021	Sep. 30, 2023	Sep. 30, 2022	Sep. 30, 2021
EXPENSES
Sponsor fees	$ 56,145	$ 59,093	$ 54,875	$ 51,496	$ 55,562	$ 64,772	$ 61,058	$ 57,105	$ 221,609	$ 238,497	$ 257,595
Total expenses	56,145	59,093	54,875	51,496	55,562	64,772	61,058	57,105	221,609	238,497	257,595
Net investment loss	(56,145)	(59,093)	(54,875)	(51,496)	(55,562)	(64,772)	(61,058)	(57,105)	(221,609)	(238,497)	(257,595)
Net realized and change in unrealized gain/(loss) on investment in gold
Net realized gain/(loss) from investment in gold sold to pay expenses	7,569	9,804	6,534	2,693	4,277	9,851	8,878	7,317	26,600	30,323	43,413
Net realized gain/(loss) from gold distributed for the redemption of shares	554,461	674,988	312,163	175,717	423,545	924,875	440,331	302,742	1,717,329	2,091,493	4,455,284
Net change in unrealized gain/(loss) on investment in gold	(1,728,540)	(2,708,536)	4,559,082	3,903,862	(5,127,032)	(5,329,581)	3,535,070	2,093,694	4,025,868	(4,827,849)	(9,987,571)
Net realized and change in unrealized gain/(loss) on investment in gold	(1,166,510)	(2,023,744)	4,877,779	4,082,272	(4,699,210)	(4,394,855)	3,984,279	2,403,753	5,769,797	(2,706,033)	(5,488,874)
Net income/(loss)	$ (1,222,655)	$ (2,082,837)	$ 4,822,904	$ 4,030,776	$ (4,754,772)	$ (4,459,627)	$ 3,923,221	$ 2,346,648	$ 5,548,188	$ (2,944,530)	$ (5,746,469)
Net income/(loss) per share	$ (3.93)	$ (6.46)	$ 15.21	$ 12.7	$ (13.93)	$ (12.01)	$ 11.09	$ 6.95	$ 17.5	$ (8.39)	$ (15.25)
Weighted average number of shares (in 000’s) (in shares)	310,962	322,625	317,031	317,265	341,353	371,198	353,898	337,516	316,955	350,920	376,931

v3.23.3

Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022	Sep. 30, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021	Sep. 30, 2023	Sep. 30, 2022	Sep. 30, 2021
INCREASE/DECREASE IN CASH FROM OPERATIONS:
Cash proceeds received from sales of gold					$ 220,791	$ 240,172	$ 264,295
Cash expenses paid					(220,791)	(240,172)	(264,295)
Increase/(Decrease) in cash resulting from operations					0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period		$ 0		$ 0	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$ 0		$ 0		0	0	0
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE OF NON-CASH FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Value of gold received for creation of shares-net of change in gold receivable					11,487,838	17,115,534	11,694,069
Value of gold distributed for redemption of shares-net of change in gold payable					15,190,940	18,950,095	27,444,877
RECONCILIATION OF NET INCOME/(LOSS) TO NET CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net income/(loss)					5,548,188	(2,944,530)	(5,746,469)
Adjustments to reconcile net income/(loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
Proceeds from sales of gold to pay expenses					220,791	240,172	264,295
Net realized (gain)/loss from investment in gold sold to pay expenses	(7,569)	(2,693)	(4,277)	(7,317)	(26,600)	(30,323)	(43,413)
Net realized (gain)/loss from gold distributed for the redemption of shares	(554,461)	(175,717)	(423,545)	(302,742)	(1,717,329)	(2,091,493)	(4,455,284)
Net change in unrealized (gain)/loss on investment in gold	$ 1,728,540	$ (3,903,862)	$ 5,127,032	$ (2,093,694)	(4,025,868)	4,827,849	9,987,571
Increase/(Decrease) in accounts payable to Sponsor					818	(1,675)	(6,700)
Net cash provided by operating activities					$ 0	$ 0	$ 0

v3.23.3

Statements of Changes in Net Assets - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2023	Jun. 30, 2023	Mar. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022	Sep. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2022	Mar. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021	Sep. 30, 2023	Sep. 30, 2022	Sep. 30, 2021
Net Assets - Opening Balance				$ 50,490,460				$ 55,455,274	$ 50,490,460	$ 55,455,274	$ 76,952,551
Creations									11,487,838	17,115,534	11,694,069
Redemptions									(15,005,217)	(19,135,818)	(27,444,877)
Net investment loss	$ (56,145)	$ (59,093)	$ (54,875)	(51,496)	$ (55,562)	$ (64,772)	$ (61,058)	(57,105)	(221,609)	(238,497)	(257,595)
Net realized gain/(loss) from investment in gold sold to pay expenses	7,569	9,804	6,534	2,693	4,277	9,851	8,878	7,317	26,600	30,323	43,413
Net realized gain/(loss) from gold distributed for the redemption of shares	554,461	674,988	312,163	175,717	423,545	924,875	440,331	302,742	1,717,329	2,091,493	4,455,284
Net change in unrealized gain/(loss) on investment in gold	(1,728,540)	$ (2,708,536)	$ 4,559,082	$ 3,903,862	(5,127,032)	$ (5,329,581)	$ 3,535,070	$ 2,093,694	4,025,868	(4,827,849)	(9,987,571)
Net Assets - Closing Balance	$ 52,521,269				$ 50,490,460				$ 52,521,269	$ 50,490,460	$ 55,455,274

v3.23.3

Note 1 - Organization	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2023
Notes to Financial Statements
Organization	1. Organization   The SPDR® Gold Trust (the “Trust”) is an investment trust formed on November 12, 2004 under New York law pursuant to a trust indenture (the “Trust Indenture”). The fiscal year end for the Trust is September 30th. The Trust holds gold and is expected from time to time to issue shares (“Shares”) (in minimum denominations of 100,000 Shares, also referred to as “Baskets”) in exchange for deposits of gold and to distribute gold in connection with redemption of Baskets. The investment objective of the Trust is for the Shares to reflect the performance of the price of gold bullion, less the Trust’s expenses. World Gold Trust Services, LLC is the sponsor of the Trust (the “Sponsor”). BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, a division of The Bank of New York Mellon, is the trustee of the Trust (the “Trustee”). State Street Global Advisors Funds Distributors, LLC is the marketing agent of the Trust (the “Marketing Agent”). HSBC Bank plc ("HSBC") and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. ("JPMorgan") are the custodians of the Trust (each a "Custodian" and together, the “Custodians”).   The Shares trade on the NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “NYSE Arca”) under the symbol “GLD”, providing investors with an efficient means to obtain market exposure to the price of gold bullion. The Shares are also listed on the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited, the Mexican Stock Exchange (Bolsa Mexicana de Valores), the Singapore Exchange Limited and the Tokyo Stock Exchange.   The Trustee does not actively manage the gold held by the Trust. This means that the Trustee does not sell gold at times when its price is high or acquire gold at low prices in the expectation of future price increases. It also means that the Trustee does not make use of any of the hedging techniques available to professional gold investors to attempt to reduce the risk of losses resulting from price decreases. Any losses sustained by the Trust will adversely affect the value of the Shares.

v3.23.3

Note 2 - Significant Accounting Policies	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2023
Notes to Financial Statements
Significant Accounting Policies	2. Significant Accounting Policies   The preparation of financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) requires those responsible for preparing financial statements to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts and disclosures. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The following is a summary of significant accounting policies followed by the Trust.   2.1. Basis of Accounting   For accounting purposes only, the Trust is an investment company and, therefore, applies the specialized accounting and reporting guidance in Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 946, Financial Services—Investment Companies. The Trust is not registered as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.   2.2. Fair Value Measurement   FASB Accounting Standards Codification Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures, provides a single definition of fair value, a hierarchy for measuring fair value and expanded disclosures about fair value adjustments.   The Trust does not hold any derivative instruments, and its assets only consist of allocated gold bullion and, from time to time, (i) gold receivable, representing gold covered by contractually binding orders for the creation of Shares where the gold has not yet been transferred to the Trust’s account and (ii) cash, which is used to pay expenses.   U.S. GAAP defines fair value as the price the Trust would receive to sell an asset or pay to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The Trust’s policy is to value its investments at fair value.   Various inputs are used in determining the fair value of assets and liabilities. Inputs may be based on independent market data (“observable inputs”) or they may be internally developed (“unobservable inputs”). These inputs are categorized into a disclosure hierarchy consisting of three broad levels for financial reporting purposes. The level of a value determined for an asset or liability within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of any input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are as follows:   Level 1 – Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities;   Level 2 – Inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability either directly or indirectly, including quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not considered to be active, inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability and inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data by correlation or other means; and   Level 3 – Inputs that are unobservable for the asset or liability, including the Trust’s assumptions used in determining the fair value of investments.     The following table summarizes the Trust’s investments at fair value:   (Amounts in 000’s of US$)                         September 30, 2023   Level 1     Level 2     Level 3   Investment in Gold   $ 52,539,161     $ —     $ —   Total   $ 52,539,161     $ —     $ —     (Amounts in 000’s of US$)                         September 30, 2022   Level 1     Level 2     Level 3   Investment in Gold   $ 50,693,257     $ —     $ —   Total   $ 50,693,257     $ —     $ —     There were no transfers between Level 1 and other Levels for the years ended September 30, 2023 and 2022.   The Trustee values the gold held by the Trust on the basis of the price of an ounce of gold as determined by the ICE Benchmark Administration Limited (“IBA”), a benchmark administrator, which provides an independently administered auction process as well as the overall administration and governance for the London Bullion Market Association (“LBMA”). In determining the net asset value (“NAV”) of the Trust, the Trustee values the gold held by the Trust on the basis of the price of an ounce of gold determined by the IBA 3:00 PM auction process (“LBMA Gold Price PM”), which is an electronic auction, with the imbalance calculated, and the price adjusted in rounds (30 seconds in duration). The auction runs twice daily at 10:30 AM and 3:00 PM London time. The Trustee determines the NAV of the Trust on each day the NYSE Arca is open for regular trading, at the earlier of the LBMA Gold Price PM for the day or 12:00 PM New York time. If no LBMA Gold Price is made on a particular evaluation day or if the LBMA Gold Price has not been announced by 12:00 PM New York time on a particular evaluation day, the next most recent LBMA Gold Price (AM or PM) is used in the determination of the NAV of the Trust, unless the Trustee, in consultation with the Sponsor, determines that such a price is inappropriate to use as the basis for such determination.   2.3. Custody of Gold   Gold is held by the Custodians on behalf of the Trust, 100% of which is allocated gold in the form of good delivery gold bars. A current list of all gold held by the Custodians, including any held with a subcustodian, is available on the Sponsor’s website at www.spdrgoldshares.com.   2.4. Gold Receivable   Gold receivable represents the quantity of gold covered by contractually binding orders for the creation of Shares where the gold has not yet been transferred to the Trust’s account. Generally, ownership of the gold is transferred within two business days of the trade date.   (Amounts in 000’s of US$)   Sep-30, 2023     Sep-30, 2022   Gold receivable   $ —     $ —     2.5. Gold Payable   Gold payable represents the quantity of gold covered by contractually binding orders for the redemption of Shares where the gold has not yet been transferred out of the Trust’s account. Generally, ownership of the gold is transferred within two business days of the trade date.   (Amounts in 000’s of US$)   Sep-30, 2023     Sep-30, 2022   Gold payable   $ —     $ 185,723     2.6. Creations and Redemptions of Shares   The Trust creates and redeems Shares from time to time, but only in one or more Baskets (a Basket equals a block of 100,000 Shares). The Trust issues Shares in Baskets to certain authorized participants (“Authorized Participants”) on an ongoing basis. The creation and redemption of Baskets is only made in exchange for the delivery to the Trust or the distribution by the Trust of the amount of gold and any cash represented by the Baskets being created or redeemed, the amount of which will be based on the combined net asset value of the number of Shares included in the Baskets being created or redeemed determined on the day the order to create or redeem Baskets is properly received.     As the Shares of the Trust are redeemable in Baskets at the option of the Authorized Participants, the Trust has classified the Shares as Net Assets for financial reporting purposes. Activity in the number and value of Shares created and redeemed for the years ended September 30, 2023, 2022 and 2021 are as follows:       Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended   (Amounts are in 000’s)   Sep-30, 2023     Sep-30, 2022     Sep-30, 2021   Activity in Number of Shares Created and Redeemed:                         Creations     65,000       97,800       67,500   Redemptions     (86,600 )     (113,800 )     (161,600 ) Net Change in Number of Shares Created and Redeemed     (21,600 )     (16,000 )     (94,100 )       Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended   (Amounts in 000’s of US$)   Sep-30, 2023     Sep-30, 2022     Sep-30, 2021   Activity in Value of Shares Created and Redeemed:                         Creations   $ 11,487,838     $ 17,115,534     $ 11,694,069   Redemptions     (15,005,217 )     (19,135,818 )     (27,444,877 ) Net change in Value of Shares Created and Redeemed   $ (3,517,379 )   $ (2,020,284 )   $ (15,750,808 )   2.7. Income and Expense (Amounts in 000’s of US$)   The Trustee will, at the direction of the Sponsor or in its own discretion, sell the Trust’s gold as necessary to pay the Trust’s expenses. When selling gold to pay expenses, the Trustee will endeavor to sell the smallest amount of gold needed to pay expenses in order to minimize the Trust’s holdings of assets other than gold. Unless otherwise directed by the Sponsor, the Trustee will sell gold to the Custodians at the next LBMA Gold Price PM following the sale order. A gain or loss is recognized based on the difference between the selling price and the average cost of the gold sold, and such amounts are reported as net realized gain/(loss) from investment in gold sold to pay expenses on the Statements of Operations.   The Trust’s net realized and change in unrealized gain/(loss) on investment in gold for the year ended September 30, 2023 of $5,769,797 is made up of a realized gain of $26,600 from the sale of gold to pay expenses, a realized gain of $1,717,329 from gold distributed for the redemption of Shares, and a change in unrealized gain/(loss) of $4,025,868 on investment in gold.   The Trust’s net realized and change in unrealized gain/(loss) on investment in gold for the year ended September 30, 2022 of $(2,706,033) is made up of a realized gain of $30,323 from the sale of gold to pay expenses, a realized gain of $2,091,493 from gold distributed for the redemption of Shares, and a change in unrealized gain/(loss) of $(4,827,849) on investment in gold.   2.8. Income Taxes   The Trust is classified as a “grantor trust” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Trust itself will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax. Instead, the Trust’s income and expenses will “flow through” to the Shareholders, and the Trustee will report the Trust’s proceeds, income, deductions, gains, and losses to the Internal Revenue Service on that basis. The Sponsor of the Trust has evaluated whether or not there are uncertain tax positions that require financial statement recognition and has determined that no reserves for uncertain tax positions are required as of September 30, 2023 or 2022.   The Sponsor evaluates tax positions taken or expected to be taken in the course of its tax treatment, and its tax reporting to its shareholders, of these positions to determine whether the tax positions are “more-likely-than-not” to be sustained by the applicable tax authority. Tax positions not deemed to meet that threshold would be recorded as an expense in the current year. The Trust is required to analyze all open tax years. Open tax years are those years that are open for examination by the relevant income taxing authority. As of September 30, 2023, the 2022, 2021, and 2020 tax years remain open for examination. There were no examinations in progress at period end.

v3.23.3

Note 3 - Quarterly Statements of Operations	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2023
Notes to Financial Statements
Quarterly Statements of Operations	3. Quarterly Statements of Operations   Year Ended September 30, 2023   Three Months Ended (unaudited)                                               Year Ended   (Amounts in 000’s of US$, except per share data)   Dec 31, 2022     Mar 31, 2023     Jun 30, 2023     Sep 30, 2023     Sep 30, 2023   EXPENSES                                         Sponsor fees   $ 51,496     $ 54,875     $ 59,093     $ 56,145     $ 221,609   Total expenses     51,496       54,875       59,093       56,145       221,609   Net investment loss     (51,496 )     (54,875 )     (59,093 )     (56,145 )     (221,609 ) Net realized and change in unrealized gain/(loss) on investment in gold                                         Net realized gain/(loss) from investment in gold sold to pay expenses     2,693       6,534       9,804       7,569       26,600   Net realized gain/(loss) from gold distributed for the redemption of shares     175,717       312,163       674,988       554,461       1,717,329   Net change in unrealized gain/(loss) on investment in gold     3,903,862       4,559,082       (2,708,536 )     (1,728,540 )     4,025,868   Net realized and change in unrealized gain/(loss) on investment in gold     4,082,272       4,877,779       (2,023,744 )     (1,166,510 )     5,769,797   Net income/(loss)   $ 4,030,776     $ 4,822,904     $ (2,082,837 )   $ (1,222,655 )   $ 5,548,188   Net income/(loss) per share   $ 12.70     $ 15.21     $ (6.46 )   $ (3.93 )   $ 17.50   Weighted average number of shares (in 000’s)     317,265       317,031       322,625       310,962       316,955     Year Ended September 30, 2022   Three Months Ended (unaudited)                                               Year Ended   (Amounts in 000’s of US$, except per share data)   Dec 31, 2021     Mar 31, 2022     Jun 30, 2022     Sep 30, 2022     Sep 30, 2022   EXPENSES                                         Sponsor fees   $ 57,105     $ 61,058     $ 64,772     $ 55,562     $ 238,497   Total expenses     57,105       61,058       64,772       55,562       238,497   Net investment loss     (57,105 )     (61,058 )     (64,772 )     (55,562 )     (238,497 ) Net realized and change in unrealized gain/(loss) on investment in gold                                         Net realized gain/(loss) from investment in gold sold to pay expenses     7,317       8,878       9,851       4,277       30,323   Net realized gain/(loss) from gold distributed for the redemption of shares     302,742       440,331       924,875       423,545       2,091,493   Net change in unrealized gain/(loss) on investment in gold     2,093,694       3,535,070       (5,329,581 )     (5,127,032 )     (4,827,849 ) Net realized and change in unrealized gain/(loss) on investment in gold     2,403,753       3,984,279       (4,394,855 )     (4,699,210 )     (2,706,033 ) Net income/(loss)   $ 2,346,648     $ 3,923,221     $ (4,459,627 )   $ (4,754,772 )   $ (2,944,530 ) Net income/(loss) per share   $ 6.95     $ 11.09     $ (12.01 )   $ (13.93 )   $ (8.39 ) Weighted average number of shares (in 000’s)     337,516       353,898       371,198       341,353       350,920

v3.23.3

Note 4 - Related Parties - Sponsor and Trustee	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2023
Notes to Financial Statements
Related Parties - Sponsor and Trustee	4. Related Parties – Sponsor and Trustee   The Trust’s only recurring fixed expense is the Sponsor’s fee which accrues daily at an annual rate equal to 0.40% of the daily NAV, in exchange for the Sponsor assuming the responsibility to pay all ordinary fees and expenses of the Trust which include fees and expenses of the Trustee, fees and expenses of the Custodians for the custody of the Trust’s gold bars, fees and expenses of the Sponsor, certain taxes, fees of the Marketing Agent, printing and mailing costs, legal and audit fees, registration fees, NYSE Arca listing fees and other marketing costs and expenses. Additionally, under a separate agreement with JPMorgan, the Sponsor has agreed to pay or reimburse JPMorgan for any value added, sales or similar tax chargeable on the services provided by JPMorgan as a Custodian, including any such taxes otherwise payable by the Trust.   Affiliates of the Trustee may from time to time act as Authorized Participants or purchase or sell gold or Shares for their own account, as agent for their customers and for accounts over which they exercise investment discretion.

v3.23.3

Note 5 - Concentration of Risk	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2023
Notes to Financial Statements
Concentration of Risk	5. Concentration of Risk   The Trust’s sole business activity is the investment of gold. Various factors could affect the price of gold including: (i) global supply and demand, which is influenced by such factors as gold’s uses in jewelry, technology and industrial applications, purchases made by investors in the form of bars, coins and other gold products, forward selling by gold producers, purchases made by gold producers to unwind gold hedge positions, central bank purchases and sales, and production and cost levels in major gold-producing countries such as China, Australia, and the United States; (ii) investors’ expectations with respect to the rate of inflation; (iii) currency exchange rates; (iv) interest rates; (v) investment and trading activities of hedge funds and commodity funds; (vi) other economic variables such as income growth, economic output, and monetary policies; and (vii) global or regional political, economic or financial events and situations, especially those that are unexpected in nature. In addition, while gold is used to preserve wealth by investors around the world, there is no assurance that gold will maintain its long-term value in terms of purchasing power in the future. In the event that the price of gold declines, the Sponsor expects the value of an investment in the Shares to decline proportionately. Each of these events could have a material effect on the Trust’s financial position and results of operations.

v3.23.3

Note 6 - Indemnification	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2023
Notes to Financial Statements
Indemnification	6. Indemnification   The Sponsor, and its shareholders, members, directors, officers, employees, affiliates and subsidiaries, are indemnified by the Trust and held harmless against certain losses, liabilities or expenses incurred in the performance of their duties under the Trust Indenture without gross negligence, bad faith, willful misconduct, willful malfeasance or reckless disregard of the indemnified party’s obligations and duties under the Trust Indenture. Such indemnity includes payment by the Trust of the costs and expenses incurred in defending against any claim or liability under the Trust Indenture. Under the Trust Indenture, the Sponsor may be able to seek indemnification by the Trust for payments it makes in connection with the Sponsor’s activities under the Trust Indenture to the extent its conduct does not disqualify it from receiving such indemnification under the terms of the Trust Indenture. The Sponsor is also indemnified by the Trust and held harmless against any loss, liability or expense arising under the Amended and Restated Marketing Agent Agreement between the Sponsor and the Marketing Agent effective July 17, 2015, as amended, or any agreement entered into with an Authorized Participant which provides the procedures for the creation and redemption of Baskets and for the delivery of gold and any cash required for creations and redemptions insofar as such loss, liability or expense arises from any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any written statement provided to the Sponsor by the Trustee. Any amounts payable to the Sponsor are secured by a lien on the Trust’s assets.   The Sponsor has agreed to indemnify certain parties against certain liabilities and to contribute to payments that such parties may be required to make in respect of those liabilities. The Trustee has agreed to reimburse such parties, solely from and to the extent of the Trust’s assets, for indemnification and contribution amounts due from the Sponsor in respect of such liabilities to the extent the Sponsor has not paid such amounts when due. The Sponsor has agreed that, to the extent the Trustee pays any amount in respect of the reimbursement obligations described in the preceding sentence, the Trustee, for the benefit of the Trust, will be subrogated to and will succeed to the rights of the party so reimbursed against the Sponsor.

v3.23.3

Note 7 - Financial Highlights	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2023
Notes to Financial Statements
Financial Highlights	7. Financial Highlights   The Trust is presenting the following financial highlights related to investment performance and operations of a Share outstanding for the years ended September 30, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The total return at net asset value is based on the change in net asset value of a Share during the period and the total return at market value is based on the change in market value of a Share on the NYSE Arca during the period. An individual investor’s return and ratios may vary based on the timing of capital transactions.       Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended       Sep-30, 2023     Sep-30, 2022     Sep-30, 2021   Net Asset Value                         Net asset value per Share, beginning of period   $ 155.69     $ 162.96     $ 177.15   Net investment income/(loss)     (0.70 )     (0.68 )     (0.68 ) Net Realized and Change in Unrealized Gain/(Loss)     18.52       (6.59 )     (13.51 ) Net Income/(Loss)     17.82       (7.27 )     (14.19 ) Net asset value per Share, end of period   $ 173.51     $ 155.69     $ 162.96   Market value per Share, beginning of period   $ 154.67     $ 164.22     $ 177.12   Market value per Share, end of period   $ 171.45     $ 154.67     $ 164.22   Ratio to average net assets                         Net investment loss     (0.40 )%     (0.40 )%     (0.40 )% Gross expenses     0.40 %     0.40 %     0.40 % Net expenses     0.40 %     0.40 %     0.40 % Total Return, at net asset value     11.45 %     (4.46 )%     (8.01 )% Total Return, at market value     10.85 %     (5.82 )%     (7.28 )%

v3.23.3

Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2023
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Accounting	2.1. Basis of Accounting   For accounting purposes only, the Trust is an investment company and, therefore, applies the specialized accounting and reporting guidance in Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 946, Financial Services—Investment Companies. The Trust is not registered as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
Fair Value Measurement	2.2. Fair Value Measurement   FASB Accounting Standards Codification Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures, provides a single definition of fair value, a hierarchy for measuring fair value and expanded disclosures about fair value adjustments.   The Trust does not hold any derivative instruments, and its assets only consist of allocated gold bullion and, from time to time, (i) gold receivable, representing gold covered by contractually binding orders for the creation of Shares where the gold has not yet been transferred to the Trust’s account and (ii) cash, which is used to pay expenses.   U.S. GAAP defines fair value as the price the Trust would receive to sell an asset or pay to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The Trust’s policy is to value its investments at fair value.   Various inputs are used in determining the fair value of assets and liabilities. Inputs may be based on independent market data (“observable inputs”) or they may be internally developed (“unobservable inputs”). These inputs are categorized into a disclosure hierarchy consisting of three broad levels for financial reporting purposes. The level of a value determined for an asset or liability within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of any input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are as follows:   Level 1 – Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities;   Level 2 – Inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability either directly or indirectly, including quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not considered to be active, inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability and inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data by correlation or other means; and   Level 3 – Inputs that are unobservable for the asset or liability, including the Trust’s assumptions used in determining the fair value of investments.     The following table summarizes the Trust’s investments at fair value:   (Amounts in 000’s of US$)                         September 30, 2023   Level 1     Level 2     Level 3   Investment in Gold   $ 52,539,161     $ —     $ —   Total   $ 52,539,161     $ —     $ —     (Amounts in 000’s of US$)                         September 30, 2022   Level 1     Level 2     Level 3   Investment in Gold   $ 50,693,257     $ —     $ —   Total   $ 50,693,257     $ —     $ —     There were no transfers between Level 1 and other Levels for the years ended September 30, 2023 and 2022.   The Trustee values the gold held by the Trust on the basis of the price of an ounce of gold as determined by the ICE Benchmark Administration Limited (“IBA”), a benchmark administrator, which provides an independently administered auction process as well as the overall administration and governance for the London Bullion Market Association (“LBMA”). In determining the net asset value (“NAV”) of the Trust, the Trustee values the gold held by the Trust on the basis of the price of an ounce of gold determined by the IBA 3:00 PM auction process (“LBMA Gold Price PM”), which is an electronic auction, with the imbalance calculated, and the price adjusted in rounds (30 seconds in duration). The auction runs twice daily at 10:30 AM and 3:00 PM London time. The Trustee determines the NAV of the Trust on each day the NYSE Arca is open for regular trading, at the earlier of the LBMA Gold Price PM for the day or 12:00 PM New York time. If no LBMA Gold Price is made on a particular evaluation day or if the LBMA Gold Price has not been announced by 12:00 PM New York time on a particular evaluation day, the next most recent LBMA Gold Price (AM or PM) is used in the determination of the NAV of the Trust, unless the Trustee, in consultation with the Sponsor, determines that such a price is inappropriate to use as the basis for such determination.
Custody of Gold	2.3. Custody of Gold   Gold is held by the Custodians on behalf of the Trust, 100% of which is allocated gold in the form of good delivery gold bars. A current list of all gold held by the Custodians, including any held with a subcustodian, is available on the Sponsor’s website at www.spdrgoldshares.com.
Gold Receivable	2.4. Gold Receivable   Gold receivable represents the quantity of gold covered by contractually binding orders for the creation of Shares where the gold has not yet been transferred to the Trust’s account. Generally, ownership of the gold is transferred within two business days of the trade date.   (Amounts in 000’s of US$)   Sep-30, 2023     Sep-30, 2022   Gold receivable   $ —     $ —
Gold Payable	2.5. Gold Payable   Gold payable represents the quantity of gold covered by contractually binding orders for the redemption of Shares where the gold has not yet been transferred out of the Trust’s account. Generally, ownership of the gold is transferred within two business days of the trade date.   (Amounts in 000’s of US$)   Sep-30, 2023     Sep-30, 2022   Gold payable   $ —     $ 185,723
Creations and Redemptions of Shares	2.6. Creations and Redemptions of Shares   The Trust creates and redeems Shares from time to time, but only in one or more Baskets (a Basket equals a block of 100,000 Shares). The Trust issues Shares in Baskets to certain authorized participants (“Authorized Participants”) on an ongoing basis. The creation and redemption of Baskets is only made in exchange for the delivery to the Trust or the distribution by the Trust of the amount of gold and any cash represented by the Baskets being created or redeemed, the amount of which will be based on the combined net asset value of the number of Shares included in the Baskets being created or redeemed determined on the day the order to create or redeem Baskets is properly received.     As the Shares of the Trust are redeemable in Baskets at the option of the Authorized Participants, the Trust has classified the Shares as Net Assets for financial reporting purposes. Activity in the number and value of Shares created and redeemed for the years ended September 30, 2023, 2022 and 2021 are as follows:       Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended   (Amounts are in 000’s)   Sep-30, 2023     Sep-30, 2022     Sep-30, 2021   Activity in Number of Shares Created and Redeemed:                         Creations     65,000       97,800       67,500   Redemptions     (86,600 )     (113,800 )     (161,600 ) Net Change in Number of Shares Created and Redeemed     (21,600 )     (16,000 )     (94,100 )       Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended   (Amounts in 000’s of US$)   Sep-30, 2023     Sep-30, 2022     Sep-30, 2021   Activity in Value of Shares Created and Redeemed:                         Creations   $ 11,487,838     $ 17,115,534     $ 11,694,069   Redemptions     (15,005,217 )     (19,135,818 )     (27,444,877 ) Net change in Value of Shares Created and Redeemed   $ (3,517,379 )   $ (2,020,284 )   $ (15,750,808 )
Income and Expense	2.7. Income and Expense (Amounts in 000’s of US$)   The Trustee will, at the direction of the Sponsor or in its own discretion, sell the Trust’s gold as necessary to pay the Trust’s expenses. When selling gold to pay expenses, the Trustee will endeavor to sell the smallest amount of gold needed to pay expenses in order to minimize the Trust’s holdings of assets other than gold. Unless otherwise directed by the Sponsor, the Trustee will sell gold to the Custodians at the next LBMA Gold Price PM following the sale order. A gain or loss is recognized based on the difference between the selling price and the average cost of the gold sold, and such amounts are reported as net realized gain/(loss) from investment in gold sold to pay expenses on the Statements of Operations.   The Trust’s net realized and change in unrealized gain/(loss) on investment in gold for the year ended September 30, 2023 of $5,769,797 is made up of a realized gain of $26,600 from the sale of gold to pay expenses, a realized gain of $1,717,329 from gold distributed for the redemption of Shares, and a change in unrealized gain/(loss) of $4,025,868 on investment in gold.   The Trust’s net realized and change in unrealized gain/(loss) on investment in gold for the year ended September 30, 2022 of $(2,706,033) is made up of a realized gain of $30,323 from the sale of gold to pay expenses, a realized gain of $2,091,493 from gold distributed for the redemption of Shares, and a change in unrealized gain/(loss) of $(4,827,849) on investment in gold.
Income Taxes	2.8. Income Taxes   The Trust is classified as a “grantor trust” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Trust itself will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax. Instead, the Trust’s income and expenses will “flow through” to the Shareholders, and the Trustee will report the Trust’s proceeds, income, deductions, gains, and losses to the Internal Revenue Service on that basis. The Sponsor of the Trust has evaluated whether or not there are uncertain tax positions that require financial statement recognition and has determined that no reserves for uncertain tax positions are required as of September 30, 2023 or 2022.   The Sponsor evaluates tax positions taken or expected to be taken in the course of its tax treatment, and its tax reporting to its shareholders, of these positions to determine whether the tax positions are “more-likely-than-not” to be sustained by the applicable tax authority. Tax positions not deemed to meet that threshold would be recorded as an expense in the current year. The Trust is required to analyze all open tax years. Open tax years are those years that are open for examination by the relevant income taxing authority. As of September 30, 2023, the 2022, 2021, and 2020 tax years remain open for examination. There were no examinations in progress at period end.

v3.23.3

Note 2 - Significant Accounting Policies (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2023
Notes Tables
Summary of Trust's Investments at Fair Value	The following table summarizes the Trust’s investments at fair value:   (Amounts in 000’s of US$)                         September 30, 2023   Level 1     Level 2     Level 3   Investment in Gold   $ 52,539,161     $ —     $ —   Total   $ 52,539,161     $ —     $ —   (Amounts in 000’s of US$)                         September 30, 2022   Level 1     Level 2     Level 3   Investment in Gold   $ 50,693,257     $ —     $ —   Total   $ 50,693,257     $ —     $ —
Gold Receivable	Gold receivable represents the quantity of gold covered by contractually binding orders for the creation of Shares where the gold has not yet been transferred to the Trust’s account. Generally, ownership of the gold is transferred within two business days of the trade date.   (Amounts in 000’s of US$)   Sep-30, 2023     Sep-30, 2022   Gold receivable   $ —     $ —
Gold Payable	Gold payable represents the quantity of gold covered by contractually binding orders for the redemption of Shares where the gold has not yet been transferred out of the Trust’s account. Generally, ownership of the gold is transferred within two business days of the trade date.   (Amounts in 000’s of US$)   Sep-30, 2023     Sep-30, 2022   Gold payable   $ —     $ 185,723
Creations and Redemptions of Shares	Activity in the number and value of Shares created and redeemed for the years ended September 30, 2023, 2022 and 2021 are as follows:       Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended   (Amounts are in 000’s)   Sep-30, 2023     Sep-30, 2022     Sep-30, 2021   Activity in Number of Shares Created and Redeemed:                         Creations     65,000       97,800       67,500   Redemptions     (86,600 )     (113,800 )     (161,600 ) Net Change in Number of Shares Created and Redeemed     (21,600 )     (16,000 )     (94,100 )       Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended   (Amounts in 000’s of US$)   Sep-30, 2023     Sep-30, 2022     Sep-30, 2021   Activity in Value of Shares Created and Redeemed:                         Creations   $ 11,487,838     $ 17,115,534     $ 11,694,069   Redemptions     (15,005,217 )     (19,135,818 )     (27,444,877 ) Net change in Value of Shares Created and Redeemed   $ (3,517,379 )   $ (2,020,284 )   $ (15,750,808 )

v3.23.3

Note 3 - Quarterly Statements of Operations (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2023
Notes Tables
Quarterly Statements of Operations	Year Ended September 30, 2023   Three Months Ended (unaudited)                                               Year Ended   (Amounts in 000’s of US$, except per share data)   Dec 31, 2022     Mar 31, 2023     Jun 30, 2023     Sep 30, 2023     Sep 30, 2023   EXPENSES                                         Sponsor fees   $ 51,496     $ 54,875     $ 59,093     $ 56,145     $ 221,609   Total expenses     51,496       54,875       59,093       56,145       221,609   Net investment loss     (51,496 )     (54,875 )     (59,093 )     (56,145 )     (221,609 ) Net realized and change in unrealized gain/(loss) on investment in gold                                         Net realized gain/(loss) from investment in gold sold to pay expenses     2,693       6,534       9,804       7,569       26,600   Net realized gain/(loss) from gold distributed for the redemption of shares     175,717       312,163       674,988       554,461       1,717,329   Net change in unrealized gain/(loss) on investment in gold     3,903,862       4,559,082       (2,708,536 )     (1,728,540 )     4,025,868   Net realized and change in unrealized gain/(loss) on investment in gold     4,082,272       4,877,779       (2,023,744 )     (1,166,510 )     5,769,797   Net income/(loss)   $ 4,030,776     $ 4,822,904     $ (2,082,837 )   $ (1,222,655 )   $ 5,548,188   Net income/(loss) per share   $ 12.70     $ 15.21     $ (6.46 )   $ (3.93 )   $ 17.50   Weighted average number of shares (in 000’s)     317,265       317,031       322,625       310,962       316,955   Year Ended September 30, 2022   Three Months Ended (unaudited)                                               Year Ended   (Amounts in 000’s of US$, except per share data)   Dec 31, 2021     Mar 31, 2022     Jun 30, 2022     Sep 30, 2022     Sep 30, 2022   EXPENSES                                         Sponsor fees   $ 57,105     $ 61,058     $ 64,772     $ 55,562     $ 238,497   Total expenses     57,105       61,058       64,772       55,562       238,497   Net investment loss     (57,105 )     (61,058 )     (64,772 )     (55,562 )     (238,497 ) Net realized and change in unrealized gain/(loss) on investment in gold                                         Net realized gain/(loss) from investment in gold sold to pay expenses     7,317       8,878       9,851       4,277       30,323   Net realized gain/(loss) from gold distributed for the redemption of shares     302,742       440,331       924,875       423,545       2,091,493   Net change in unrealized gain/(loss) on investment in gold     2,093,694       3,535,070       (5,329,581 )     (5,127,032 )     (4,827,849 ) Net realized and change in unrealized gain/(loss) on investment in gold     2,403,753       3,984,279       (4,394,855 )     (4,699,210 )     (2,706,033 ) Net income/(loss)   $ 2,346,648     $ 3,923,221     $ (4,459,627 )   $ (4,754,772 )   $ (2,944,530 ) Net income/(loss) per share   $ 6.95     $ 11.09     $ (12.01 )   $ (13.93 )   $ (8.39 ) Weighted average number of shares (in 000’s)     337,516       353,898       371,198       341,353       350,920

v3.23.3

Note 7 - Financial Highlights (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2023
Notes Tables
Summary of Financial Highlights	Year Ended     Year Ended     Year Ended       Sep-30, 2023     Sep-30, 2022     Sep-30, 2021   Net Asset Value                         Net asset value per Share, beginning of period   $ 155.69     $ 162.96     $ 177.15   Net investment income/(loss)     (0.70 )     (0.68 )     (0.68 ) Net Realized and Change in Unrealized Gain/(Loss)     18.52       (6.59 )     (13.51 ) Net Income/(Loss)     17.82       (7.27 )     (14.19 ) Net asset value per Share, end of period   $ 173.51     $ 155.69     $ 162.96   Market value per Share, beginning of period   $ 154.67     $ 164.22     $ 177.12   Market value per Share, end of period   $ 171.45     $ 154.67     $ 164.22   Ratio to average net assets                         Net investment loss     (0.40 )%     (0.40 )%     (0.40 )% Gross expenses     0.40 %     0.40 %     0.40 % Net expenses     0.40 %     0.40 %     0.40 % Total Return, at net asset value     11.45 %     (4.46 )%     (8.01 )% Total Return, at market value     10.85 %     (5.82 )%     (7.28 )%

v3.23.3

Note 1 - Organization (Details Textual)	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2023 shares
Minimum Block of Shares Issued Redeemed Against Gold	100,000
Trust Formation Date	Nov. 12, 2004

v3.23.3

Note 2 - Significant Accounting Policies (Details Textual)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2023 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2023 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2023 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2022 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2022 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2022 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2022 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2023 USD ($) shares	Sep. 30, 2022 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2021 USD ($)
Fair Value Assets and Liabilities, Transfers Between Level One, Level Two and Level Three									$ 0	$ 0
Percentage of Gold Held as Good Delivery Gold Bars	100.00%								100.00%
Maximum Number of Business Days to Transfer Ownership of Gold									2 days
Minimum Block of Shares Issued Redeemed Against Gold | shares									100,000
Gain (Loss) on Investments	$ (1,166,510,000)	$ (2,023,744,000)	$ 4,877,779,000	$ 4,082,272,000	$ (4,699,210,000)	$ (4,394,855,000)	$ 3,984,279,000	$ 2,403,753,000	$ 5,769,797,000	(2,706,033,000)	$ (5,488,874,000)
Gain (Loss) on Sale of Trust Assets to Pay Expenses	7,569,000	9,804,000	6,534,000	2,693,000	4,277,000	9,851,000	8,878,000	7,317,000	26,600,000	30,323,000	43,413,000
Net Realized Gain Loss From Gold Distributed For The Redemption Of Shares	554,461,000	674,988,000	312,163,000	175,717,000	423,545,000	924,875,000	440,331,000	302,742,000	1,717,329,000	2,091,493,000	4,455,284,000
Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments	(1,728,540,000)	$ (2,708,536,000)	$ 4,559,082,000	$ 3,903,862,000	(5,127,032,000)	$ (5,329,581,000)	$ 3,535,070,000	$ 2,093,694,000	4,025,868,000	(4,827,849,000)	$ (9,987,571,000)
Liability for Uncertainty in Income Taxes, Current	$ 0				$ 0				$ 0	$ 0
Income Tax Examination, Description									There were no examinations in progress at period end
Number of Income Tax Examinations In Progress									0

v3.23.3

Note 2 - Significant Accounting Policies - Summary of Investments at Fair Value (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2023	Sep. 30, 2022
Investment in Gold	$ 52,539,161	$ 50,693,257
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Investment in Gold	52,539,161	50,693,257
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Investment in Gold	0	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Investment in Gold	0	0
Investment in Gold [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Investment in Gold	52,539,161	50,693,257
Investment in Gold [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Investment in Gold	0	0
Investment in Gold [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Investment in Gold	$ 0	$ 0

v3.23.3

Note 2 - Significant Accounting Policies - Gold Receivable (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2023	Sep. 30, 2022
Gold receivable	$ 0	$ 0

v3.23.3

Note 2 - Significant Accounting Policies - Gold Payable (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2023	Sep. 30, 2022
Gold payable	$ 0	$ 185,723

v3.23.3

Note 2 - Significant Accounting Policies - Activity in Number and Value of Shares Created and Redeemed (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2023	Sep. 30, 2022	Sep. 30, 2021
Activity in Number of Shares Created and Redeemed:
Creations	65,000,000	97,800,000	67,500,000
Redemptions	(86,600,000)	(113,800,000)	(161,600,000)
Net Change in Number of Shares Created and Redeemed	(21,600,000)	(16,000,000)	(94,100,000)
Activity in Value of Shares Created and Redeemed:
Creations	$ 11,487,838	$ 17,115,534	$ 11,694,069
Redemptions	(15,005,217)	(19,135,818)	(27,444,877)
Net change in Value of Shares Created and Redeemed	$ (3,517,379)	$ (2,020,284)	$ (15,750,808)

v3.23.3

Note 3 - Quarterly Statements of Operations - Quarterly Statements of Operations (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2023	Jun. 30, 2023	Mar. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022	Sep. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2022	Mar. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021	Sep. 30, 2023	Sep. 30, 2022	Sep. 30, 2021
EXPENSES
Sponsor fees	$ 56,145	$ 59,093	$ 54,875	$ 51,496	$ 55,562	$ 64,772	$ 61,058	$ 57,105	$ 221,609	$ 238,497	$ 257,595
Total expenses	56,145	59,093	54,875	51,496	55,562	64,772	61,058	57,105	221,609	238,497	257,595
Net investment loss	(56,145)	(59,093)	(54,875)	(51,496)	(55,562)	(64,772)	(61,058)	(57,105)	(221,609)	(238,497)	(257,595)
Net realized and change in unrealized gain/(loss) on investment in gold
Net realized gain/(loss) from investment in gold sold to pay expenses	7,569	9,804	6,534	2,693	4,277	9,851	8,878	7,317	26,600	30,323	43,413
Net realized gain/(loss) from gold distributed for the redemption of shares	554,461	674,988	312,163	175,717	423,545	924,875	440,331	302,742	1,717,329	2,091,493	4,455,284
Net change in unrealized gain/(loss) on investment in gold	(1,728,540)	(2,708,536)	4,559,082	3,903,862	(5,127,032)	(5,329,581)	3,535,070	2,093,694	4,025,868	(4,827,849)	(9,987,571)
Net realized and change in unrealized gain/(loss) on investment in gold	(1,166,510)	(2,023,744)	4,877,779	4,082,272	(4,699,210)	(4,394,855)	3,984,279	2,403,753	5,769,797	(2,706,033)	(5,488,874)
Net income/(loss)	$ (1,222,655)	$ (2,082,837)	$ 4,822,904	$ 4,030,776	$ (4,754,772)	$ (4,459,627)	$ 3,923,221	$ 2,346,648	$ 5,548,188	$ (2,944,530)	$ (5,746,469)
Net income/(loss) per share	$ (3.93)	$ (6.46)	$ 15.21	$ 12.7	$ (13.93)	$ (12.01)	$ 11.09	$ 6.95	$ 17.5	$ (8.39)	$ (15.25)
Weighted average number of shares (in 000’s) (in shares)	310,962	322,625	317,031	317,265	341,353	371,198	353,898	337,516	316,955	350,920	376,931

v3.23.3

Note 4 - Related Parties - Sponsor and Trustee (Details Textual)	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2023
Sponsor [Member]
Related Party, Fees Payable at Annual Rate	0.40%

v3.23.3

Note 7 - Financial Highlights - Summary of Financial Highlights (Details) - $ / shares	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2023	Sep. 30, 2022	Sep. 30, 2021
Net Asset Value
Net asset value per Share, beginning of period	$ 155.69	$ 162.96	$ 177.15
Net investment income/(loss)	(0.7)	(0.68)	(0.68)
Net Realized and Change in Unrealized Gain/(Loss)	18.52	(6.59)	(13.51)
Net Income/(Loss)	17.82	(7.27)	(14.19)
Net asset value per Share, end of period	173.51	155.69	162.96
Market value per Share, beginning of period	154.67	164.22	177.12
Market value per Share, end of period	$ 171.45	$ 154.67	$ 164.22
Ratio to average net assets
Net investment loss	(0.40%)	(0.40%)	(0.40%)
Gross expenses	0.40%	0.40%	0.40%
Net expenses	0.40%	0.40%	0.40%
Total Return, at net asset value	11.45%	(4.46%)	(8.01%)
Total Return, at market value	10.85%	(5.82%)	(7.28%)

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