Global organisation the World Gold Council has launched the Gold Dealer Assurance Standard (GDAS) – a global framework designed to strengthen trust and transparency in the retail gold market.

The GDAS, which was developed in consultation with industry and support from the British Standards Institution (BSI), is a set of globally recognised best practices for gold dealers.

Retail investors buy an estimated 1 200 t of gold bars and coins each year, which represents about 25% of global gold demand. Bar and coin demand reached a 12-year high in 2025, demonstrating the resilience of physical gold investment even amid record gold prices.

However, World Gold Council research indicates that trust is one of the biggest barriers for investors considering gold.

If the industry adopts the new standard and assurance framework, it will help address this trust gap by giving investors greater confidence when buying gold and establishing a consistent benchmark for reputable dealers worldwide.

“Improving trust in gold is essential to maintaining strong demand across retail and all sectors of the market. The GDAS is our latest initiative to build greater trust in gold and, for the first time, establish a globally recognised benchmark for responsible business practices across the retail gold market,” says World Gold Council CEO David Tait.

“By providing independent assurance against consistent standards, we believe it will help strengthen consumer confidence, support reputable dealers and raise standards across the industry.

“The World Gold Council expects the GDAS to become the reference point for investors seeking trusted providers of physical gold, while supporting dealers with an internationally recognised framework that demonstrates operational excellence and responsible business practices,” he says.

“This is a vital step towards giving investors greater confidence in the businesses they choose to buy from and thereby boosting an important global market. Assurance to this scheme will show that gold dealers have demonstrated a clear commitment to doing business responsibly and putting customers first,” says BSI CE Susan Taylor Martin.

Further, BSI will launch the Gold Dealer Assurance Programme (GDAP) during this year, which will give gold dealers and wholesalers the opportunity to be assessed against the standard.

Additionally, once the GDAP opens, independent accredited auditors will assess participating gold dealers across eight core areas, including fairness and integrity, regulatory compliance and responsible sourcing.

Dealers that successfully complete the voluntary assessment demonstrate their commitment to high standards of governance, customer protection and responsible business practices, the World Gold Council says.

BSI will independently operate the GDAP. It will conduct audits, make assurance decisions and award the GDAP trust mark to dealers that pass the audit. It will launch the audit programme in the fourth quarter, it adds.