Gold & Tax

Gold for Businesses

A growing number of business owners hold physical gold as part of their company reserves, or personally alongside the business. Here is how to think about both routes.

Last reviewed September 2026

Holding gold inside the company

Companies sitting on large cash balances watch inflation erode their buying power, and bank deposit protection has limits. Some directors allocate part of the company reserve to physical gold: it is VAT free to buy, simple to hold, and independent of any bank. The trade-off is tax treatment: any gain a company makes on gold generally falls within corporation tax, because the Capital Gains Tax exemption on legal tender coins is a personal one.

Holding gold personally instead

For many owners the cleaner route is to take remuneration or dividends and buy UK legal tender coins personally, where the CGT exemption applies in full. Which route works better depends on tax rates, how soon you need the money, and your wider planning, which is exactly the conversation to have with your accountant.

Practicalities for either route

Buy from a dealer who invoices properly and runs full AML checks, keep the paperwork with your records, and arrange storage and insurance deliberately rather than by default. We supply businesses and directors regularly and document everything cleanly for your accountant.

Read more: Is gold CGT free? · Gold for pensions

This page is general information, not tax, legal or financial advice. Corporate tax treatment depends on your circumstances and the rules can change. Please speak to your accountant or a qualified adviser before acting. The value of gold can go down as well as up.