Texas-based International Gold Safekeeping Management officially launched yesterday with a network of over ten vaults, offering investors a place to deposit their precious metals while maintaining 100 per cent individual ownership and control.

The notion and technicalities of the physical ownership of precious metals - especially that of gold - has sparked considerable interest in recent months and indicates a budding business niche, as reflected by the firms springing up in this space.

IGSM, which is headquartered in Fort Worth, TX, was established to address the risks and costs inherent in direct ownership of precious metals, the firm announced yesterday.

The firm supplies investors with up-to-date portfolio information with which to monitor the status of their assets and obtain information on location, insurance, and other factors which affect their investment decision – all through a secure website - the firm said. 

“The management team’s job is to provide our investors with the ability to mobilize, diversify and monetize their metal quickly and inexpensively,” said Brian Sneed, principal of IGSM.

IGSM’s vaults are located across the US, Canada, the UK, Switzerland, Singapore and New Zealand, enabling investors to spread their holdings across the globe - the idea being to minimize risks associated with economic or political factors in any one location.

Moreover, IGSM said it does not charge commissions or profit from investor transactions, and has negotiated optional and institutionally-priced insurance, covering “many of the exclusions in typical vault policies.”

“With the value of precious metals increasing and investors diversifying their financial assets, we discovered the need for a company that could offer a unique combination of management, geographically-diversified storage, expertise, and customer service,” said Sneed.

“IGSM enables investors to maintain 100 per cent individual ownership and control of their gold and precious metals,” he added.

IGSM has also partnered with a “Big Four” firm to provide regular audits, accounting for specific serial-numbered metal bars with on-site visits, and providing reports directly to the investor with all physical accounts and illustrating details of precious metal with a photo of each bar.

Earlier this month, figures released by the World Gold Council highlighted that global demand for gold rose to an all-time high in 2011 following record investment demand, which exceeded $200 billion for the first time ever, with this figure also representing the highest tonnage level since 1997.

Pursuit of the physical ownership of gold has already been marked by the emergence of similar companies such as the UK's Real Asset Company and the BullionVault business.

IGSM investors require a minimum investment of $250,000.