Gold price in London today
The current gold rate in London, in GBP, with the local market context behind it. Updated 29 April 2026.
Key takeaways
- Gold in London is quoted in GBP, and the rate on this page moves with the market.
- The price you actually pay is usually above the quoted rate once a dealer's premium and any local taxes are added.
- Wherever you buy, check the gold is real, allocated to you, and independently verified — not an IOU on someone's ledger.
- With Stacks you can buy real, allocated gold from your phone. RSM independently audits the gold monthly for existence and reconciliation, so holdings match what's issued.
Gold rate in London today
Per gram, in GBP. Updated 26 August 2026.
International reference: $4,596.72 / oz
| Purity | Per gram | Per 10 grams |
|---|---|---|
| 24K (999) | £109.09 | £1,090.90 |
| 22K (916) | £99.93 | £999.26 |
| 21K (875) | £95.45 | £954.54 |
| 18K (750) | £81.82 | £818.18 |
Indicative rates derived from the international spot price. Retail prices may differ by a small dealer margin and any local making charge or tax.
How does the London gold market work?
London is the centre of the global wholesale gold market. The LBMA Gold Price — set twice each business day by an electronic auction at 10:30 and 15:00 London time — is the benchmark that almost every other market uses as a reference. Most physical gold here is held at vaults run by the Bank of England, JP Morgan, and HSBC, and trade between LBMA members happens in 400-ounce "good delivery" bars. Retail buyers in the UK pay no VAT on investment-grade gold thanks to a 2000 EU directive that the UK has retained; jewellery, by contrast, attracts the standard 20% VAT. The Royal Mint sells Sovereigns and Britannias which are also exempt from capital gains tax for UK residents, making them unusually tax-efficient. Dealers like Sharps Pixley and Baird & Co. publish prices that closely track the LBMA fix, with a small spread for fabrication and handling.
Other ways to save in gold
Physical bars and coins from a refiner are the most direct form of gold ownership. Beyond that, gold ETFs offer paper exposure without storage, and a newer category of allocated digital gold apps — Stacks is one of them — let you save in fractional grams backed by audited vault holdings, with the option to redeem or send the gold to someone else. Each form trades convenience against the cost of custody; none replaces a basic understanding of how the local market sets price.
Frequently asked questions
Do I pay VAT on gold in the UK?
Not on investment-grade gold. The UK has retained a 2000 EU directive that exempts investment gold from VAT, which is why bars and bullion coins sell close to the market price. Jewellery is treated differently and attracts the standard 20% VAT. That single split is the biggest structural gap in the UK gold market, and it is why buying an ornament as a way to hold metal is an expensive route.
What is the LBMA Gold Price, and why does every dealer quote it?
It is the benchmark, set twice each business day by an electronic auction at 10:30 and 15:00 London time. Almost every other market in the world uses it as a reference, and UK dealers such as Sharps Pixley and Baird & Co. publish prices that track it closely, with a small spread added for fabrication and handling. If a retail price sits far from the fix, that gap is the dealer's, not the market's.
Why do UK buyers favour Sovereigns and Britannias?
They are Royal Mint coins, and for UK residents they are exempt from capital gains tax. Combined with the VAT exemption on investment gold, that makes them unusually tax-efficient compared with other ways of holding the metal. They are also widely recognised, which makes them straightforward to sell on. Tax treatment depends on your circumstances and can change, so check the current rules before buying for that reason alone.
Where do I actually buy gold in London?
Through established bullion dealers — Sharps Pixley and Baird & Co. among them — who sell bars and coins to retail buyers and publish prices against the LBMA fix. The wholesale market is a separate world: trade between LBMA members happens in 400-ounce "good delivery" bars, most of it held in vaults run by the Bank of England, JP Morgan and HSBC. Those bars are not a retail product. What you can buy is the coin and small-bar end of the same market.
How do I know the gold is real?
Buy recognisable products from dealers who publish their prices against the LBMA fix, and keep an invoice that states weight and fineness. Royal Mint coins like Sovereigns and Britannias are well enough known that a buyer can identify them on sight, which is part of why they resell easily. Prefer a dealer who will also buy the item back at the day's price — a firm two-way price is a quiet signal that what they sold you was genuine.
Is gold jewellery a sensible way to save?
Rarely, in the UK. Jewellery carries 20% VAT plus a craftsmanship premium, and neither comes back when you sell, while investment-grade bars and coins are VAT-exempt and priced close to the LBMA fix. If you want the metal rather than the object, coins and small bars are the efficient route. Apps such as Stacks are another way in: real, allocated gold you can buy by the gram from your phone, with an independent auditor, RSM, verifying monthly that the gold exists and that holdings match what's issued.
Gold prices in other cities
Save in gold from London
Stacks is live — download the app to buy fractional, allocated gold and send it across borders. Every gram is allocated and audited monthly by RSM.