Vaulted Review

Vaulted Review 2026: The Best Way to Own Physical Gold Without the Hassle

Last verified: 2026-04-12 | Overall rating: 4.1/5

The 30-Second Verdict

Vaulted is a mobile-first platform for buying, storing, and owning physical gold and silver bullion at the Royal Canadian Mint, starting at just $5. The 1.8% gold transaction fee undercuts most competitors (3-15%), annual storage is a low 0.40% for gold, and no accreditation is required. Auto-invest, IRA support, and a personal precious metals advisor round out a polished offering. The trade-off: returns are entirely tied to spot prices with no yield component, and physical delivery costs are steep ($275+).

What Is Vaulted and How Does It Work?

Vaulted is a precious metals investment platform operated by International Collectors Associates (ICA), a subsidiary of McAlvany Financial Group (founded 1972). When you buy gold or silver through Vaulted, you purchase actual physical bullion — 99.99% pure kilo bars with unique serial numbers — stored at the Royal Canadian Mint. You receive depositary receipts representing your ownership (SEC registration number 333-211858). You can buy, sell, or request physical delivery through the mobile app. Vaulted is not a registered investment company under the 1940 Act.

Who Is Vaulted Best For?

Vaulted is best for retail investors who want physical precious metals ownership as a portfolio hedge without dealing with local dealers, home storage, or insurance. It suits IRA account holders wanting IRS-approved gold and silver in tax-advantaged accounts, and investors seeking inflation or geopolitical hedges. If you want yield-generating investments, this is not the right platform — gold produces no income. If you want the cheapest gold exposure without physical ownership, a gold ETF like GLD or IAU has lower fees.

Fees

• Gold transaction fee: 1.8%
• Silver transaction fee: 3.0%
• Gold annual storage: 0.40%
• Silver annual storage: 0.60%
• Physical delivery: $50 handling fee + $2/bar + ~$225 shipping and insurance

On a $5 minimum gold investment held for one year: transaction fee of $0.09 + annual storage of $0.02 = $0.11 total. On a more typical $1,000 gold investment held for one year: transaction fee of $18 + annual storage of $4 = $22 total (2.2% all-in first-year cost, dropping to 0.40% annually thereafter).

Minimum Investment

$5.

Accreditation Requirements

None. Vaulted is open to all retail investors.

Liquidity — How Do You Get Your Money Out?

Semi-liquid. Gold and silver can be sold back through the platform at current spot prices, subject to settlement timing. Physical delivery is available but involves substantial handling and shipping costs ($275+). There is no secondary market for trading positions between users. Settlement times for transactions may be longer than traditional brokerage accounts.

Historical Returns

Gold rose 25.5-26.3% in 2024 and over 50% in 2025 year-to-date, representing approximately 65% annualized return over the past year. These returns reflect gold spot price movement and are not specific to Vaulted's platform performance. Gold does not generate yield, dividends, or interest — all returns come from price appreciation.

Past performance is not indicative of future results. Precious metals prices are volatile and influenced by macroeconomic conditions, central bank policy, and geopolitical events.

Regulatory and Legal Structure

Vaulted's Gold Bullion Trust is registered with the SEC (registration number 333-211858). The platform complies with FinCEN gold/silver sales reporting requirements. IRA accounts are eligible for IRS-approved precious metals through custodian partnerships with Fortis Bank. Vaulted is not classified as a registered investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940. No FBAR or FinCEN reporting is required for investors since the account is maintained by a U.S. company.

Pros

• $5 minimum makes physical gold ownership accessible to any investor
• 1.8% gold transaction fee is well below the 3-15% typical at competitors
• Full physical ownership of allocated, serialized bullion at the Royal Canadian Mint
• Mobile app with automated investing (VaultPlan) and real-time pricing
• IRA-eligible with support for Traditional, Roth, SEP, SIMPLE, and Solo IRAs
• Personal precious metals advisor assigned to every account
• No accreditation required; no FBAR reporting needed
• Institutional-grade security and insurance at the Royal Canadian Mint

Cons

• Returns tied entirely to gold/silver spot prices; no yield or income component
• Physical delivery costs are substantial ($50 + $2/bar + ~$225 shipping)
• Annual storage fees (0.40% gold, 0.60% silver) are ongoing costs that compound
• No secondary market for peer-to-peer trading
• Settlement times can be slower than traditional brokerage transactions
• Counterparty risk dependent on Royal Canadian Mint and Vaulted's solvency
• Gold is not a regulated financial instrument with standard investor protections

The Bottom Line

Vaulted has made physical gold and silver investing remarkably accessible. The $5 minimum, 1.8% transaction fee, 0.40% annual storage, and mobile-first experience represent the most consumer-friendly way to own allocated physical bullion. The Royal Canadian Mint storage, SEC-registered depositary receipts, and IRA eligibility add institutional credibility to a retail-friendly package.

The limitations are inherent to the asset class rather than the platform. Gold generates no income, and all returns depend on spot price movement. The recent 65% annualized return is exceptional by historical standards and should not be extrapolated. Physical delivery is expensive enough that most investors will keep holdings in the vault.

For investors who have decided they want physical gold or silver in their portfolio, Vaulted is among the best platforms available. The question is whether physical gold belongs in your portfolio at all — and that depends on your views on inflation, monetary policy, and portfolio construction, not on this platform's execution.

ModernAlts may receive compensation if you open an account with platforms reviewed on this site. This does not influence our editorial ratings or analysis. Alternative investments involve risk, including possible loss of principal. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Nothing on this site constitutes investment, legal, or tax advice.