Gold

Direct Ownership

Some Banks loan gold to make money. Crypto-currencies ‘backed’ by gold are a digital token that has a claim on gold – you don’t own the gold directly.

An exchange-traded fund (ETF) – a type of investment fund – doesn’t allow you to own the gold directly either.

At Glint, we’re different.

Your gold is physical gold bullion, that is legally allocated to you and stored in a Brinks vault in Switzerland. You have constructive possession of your Gold under law.

For every ounce of gold held in your account there is an ounce of physical gold owned by you in the vault. There is no token, fund or bank that sits between you and the ownership of your gold.

Glint users can be 100% confident that their gold is safe, and accessible by them, via their Glint app, at all times.

FX and currency exchange

If you travel regularly, then Glint can help you save a substantial amount of money by avoiding the extortionate mark-ups added to exchange rates by banks and money exchange bureaus.

You can move your money into GBP, EUR and USD and spend in any of the more than 150 currencies that Mastercard offers, with only a 0.5% transaction fee.

Paper money vs gold

Paper money used to be backed by gold, you could directly convert your paper money into the equivalent value of gold.

That was a promise by the US government. It was a promise made by the Bank of England, and all other central banks and governments. This is referred to as The Gold Standard. It was a promise that meant something.

But in 1933, during the Great Depression, President F. D. Roosevelt closed all US banks and ordered Americans to hand over their gold coins and bullion in exchange for a set price of $20.67 per ounce.

President Roosevelt's actions in 1933 effectively ended the gold standard in the United States, and the country officially ended the practice of redeeming paper dollars for gold in 1971.

This allowed the government to have greater control over the money supply and to print more money as needed. However, this also meant that the value of the currency was no longer tied to a physical commodity, and could be subject to fluctuations and inflation.

Today, no country uses the gold standard, although some countries, such as China and Russia, have been increasing their gold reserves in recent years.

Is there an alternative?

The loss of trust in governments partly explains the recent explosive growth in cryptocurrencies.

People have started to try to re-invent money in the form of digital currencies. They have one great advantage – no government control.

The trouble is, the world of cryptocurrencies is opaque, difficult to understand, and sometimes seems chaotic. It also depends on people, who are by definition fallible.

Glint is not a cryptocurrency

We believe that cryptocurrencies share our vision – which is that everyone deserves an equal opportunity to prosper with a secure and reliable form of money.

Glint + Gold and Crypto both deliver a more reliable, independent and ultimately fairer alternative to government-issued paper-money.

Glint has enabled gold to be used as everyday money all over the world via electronic payments, to spend on anything from a coffee to a family holiday. Crypto seems to be a long way from achieving this, with many banks refusing to deal with accounts that are funded with cryptocurrencies.

But, Glint is not a cryptocurrency.

Glint offers a choice for clients to save, share and spend in real gold and other currencies like the USD, GBP or EUR, depending on where they live.

Why Gold?

Gold has historically been considered a good form of money for several reasons. One of the primary reasons is its scarcity and durability. Gold is a finite resource, and its supply is limited, which makes it valuable and less prone to inflation than other forms of currency. Gold is also durable and does not corrode or tarnish, which means it can be stored for long periods of time without losing its value.

In addition, gold is easily recognisable and divisible. It can be minted into coins or bars of different sizes, making it easy to use as a medium of exchange. It is also widely accepted around the world, which makes it a valuable form of currency for international trade and transactions.

Finally, gold has a long history as a store of value and a means of exchange. It has been used as currency for thousands of years, and its value has remained relatively stable over time. As a result, many people consider it to be a reliable form of currency that can provide a hedge against inflation and economic uncertainty.

The only problem with gold is that it has lost its primary function – as a means of exchange, something you can spend or save, everywhere and at any time, in big or small amounts.

Until now, that is. Welcome to Glint.