# Market Updates

These updates address the liquidity, pricing, and availability of physical gold, silver, platinum, and palladium bullion. While factors influencing spot prices may be noted, these updates are not intended to offer price analysis or predictions.

This page may also address operational changes of note to prospective buyers or sellers.

This information does not constitute and should not be relied on as financial advice, investment advice, trading advice, or any other advice. We encourage independent due diligence and consultation with a financial advisor or other qualified professional.

## Gold

Last updated: 2026-03-03T13:45:50+00:00

### For Sellers

- We continue to purchase gold in any quantity, and maintain the ability to lock prices. **See our **[**Gold Bids**](https://www.floridagoldexchange.com/sell/bids/gold)** page for live pricing.**
- **Until industry conditions normalize, we may offer 1-7 business day payment terms on certain products in certain quantities. **See our [Gold Bids](https://www.floridagoldexchange.com/sell/bids/gold) page for details.
***What's happening?***

- On January 26, major global refiner Metalor temporarily stopped accepting new scrap metal shipments and sending advance payments, citing a "highly constrained lending environment," inventory backlogs, production limits, and storm damage to its U.S. facility.
- United Precious Metals, another major refiner, announced similar restrictions. They have since resumed limited operations while remaining closed to new clients.
- Conditions persist, with refiners of all sizes having since announced some combination of intake pauses or limitations, processing delays, fee increases, suspension of advances, and the suspension of price locks.
- As of March 2, Elemetal, the largest secondary market bullion wholesaler in the U.S., resumed accepting price locks on gold bullion, though estimated payment times remain unchanged.  Other key distributors and wholesalers continue offering price locks, with the caveat of significant payment delays or reduced bids.
- U.S. and Israeli military operations in Iran, which began on February 28, have introduced additional uncertainty into global supply chains. While there are no immediate disruptions to gold supplier operations at this time, a protracted conflict could affect logistics and processing timelines.
In summary, the industry suffers from liquidity challenges caused by increased financing costs driven by processing backlogs.

Refiners typically borrow from banks to pay sellers upfront, then repay those loans after processing and reselling the refined metal. When processing backlogs stretch from days to weeks, interest costs mount and credit limits are reached, forcing intake limits or payment pauses. This includes the advance payments that dealers and other industry participants rely on to maintain liquidity at the retail level.
Attendees at the February 2026 IPMI Winter Conference indicated that conditions may become "the new normal" until the lenders underwriting refinery operations become willing to further increase exposure.

### For Buyers

**We've made some temporary changes due to increased demand.**

- We are currently unable to accept appointments to purchase less than (3) ounces of gold.** There is no order minimum for walk-in customers.**
- We may charge a processing fee of $25 for in-person pickup orders under $5,000 which include products not already in stock.
- We have stopped accepting all online card payments, and must decline to accept in-store card payments if customers are waiting. See our [Payment Policy](https://www.floridagoldexchange.com/policies/payment) for full details.
- We may be unable to accept small quantity orders for certain items.
Check our [online catalog](https://www.floridagoldexchange.com/buy/gold/) for availability. Click a product's name to see fulfillment times and detailed pricing.

- **1 oz Products**
- Live supply of sealed bars from LBMA Good Delivery brands remains strong.
- We're generally able to fill quantity orders for common 1oz coins within 1-2 business days, though lower pricing is typically available with 4-7 business day fulfillment time on all quantities.
- **Fractional Gold:**
- Fractional bar availability has improved, with a variety of brands and sizes available for order and limited quantities already in stock.
- Fractional coin availability remains moderately strong, varying by size and series.
- **Large Bars:**
- Our recommended kilo bar, the [PAMP Suisse Cast Bar with Certificate](https://www.floridagoldexchange.com/buy/pamp-suisse-1000-gram-cast-9999-gold-bar), is available in very limited quantity. See all kilo products [here](https://www.floridagoldexchange.com/buy/gold/bars/gram/1000).
- **Large Orders**: We can still fill large orders, with free or low-cost armored delivery on qualifying orders.
- Fulfillment times on large orders range from same-day to 7 business days.

## Silver

Last updated: 2026-03-03T13:45:44+00:00

### For Sellers

- **We continue to purchase most forms of silver in any quantity, and maintain the ability to lock prices.**
- We are temporarily unable to purchase certain .999 silver bullion products, and all impure silver with the exception of U.S. silver coinage.
- We are working to restore the hedging and settlement options which will enable us to resume the purchase of sterling silver, foreign impure silver coinage, and more.
- **Until industry conditions normalize, we may offer 1-45 day payment terms when buying certain products and quantities.** See our [Silver Bids](https://www.floridagoldexchange.com/sell/bids/silver) page for details and live pricing.
- Purchases involving more than (500) individual pieces may require 1-2 days for verification and processing.
***What's happening?***

- Most silver refiners are either not accepting material or quoting months-long processing delays with refining fees as high as 15%. Of those still accepting material, most have suspended the ability to lock prices prior to settlement, exposing dealers to market loss for weeks or even months.
- Elemetal, the largest secondary market wholesaler of silver in the U.S., has suspended price locks on all silver bullion. While some other major precious metals distributors and secondary market wholesalers still offer price locks, receiving and payment times are 3-6 weeks.
In summary, the industry suffers from liquidity challenges caused by increased financing costs driven by processing backlogs.

Refiners typically borrow from banks to pay sellers upfront, then repay those loans after processing and reselling the refined metal. With current silver processing backlogs stretching from weeks to months at most refiners, interest costs mount and credit limits are reached, forcing intake limits or payment pauses. This includes the advance payments that dealers and other industry participants rely on to maintain liquidity at the retail level.
Attendees at the February 2026 IPMI Winter Conference indicated that conditions may become "the new normal" until the lenders underwriting refinery operations become willing to further increase exposure.

### For Buyers

**We've made some temporary changes due to increased demand.**

- **We are currently unable to accept appointments to purchase less than (100) ounces of silver. **There is no order minimum for walk-in customers.
- We may charge a processing fee of $25 for in-person pickup orders under $5,000 which include products not already in stock.
- We've stopped accepting all online card payments, and must decline in-store card payments if customers are waiting. See our [Payment Policy](https://www.floridagoldexchange.com/policies/payment) for full details.
- We may be unable to accept small quantity orders for certain items.
Check our [online catalog](https://www.floridagoldexchange.com/buy/silver) for availability. Click a product's name to see fulfillment times and detailed pricing.

- We often discount in-stock products. Check our [Special Deals](https://www.floridagoldexchange.com/buy/specials) page for current deals.
- We are still able to fill large quantity orders on some products within 1-2 business days.
- Fulfillment is delayed by 4-6 weeks for many common products, many large bars, all freshly minted products, and virtually all specialty or fractional products.
- **Price remains fixed on all confirmed orders, regardless of fulfillment times.**
***What's happening?***

- A surge in physical demand after January 30's historic drop has left many distributors and secondary market wholesalers without live product.
- Product receiving backlogs at bullion wholesalers and processing backlogs at refineries (many of which are prioritizing gold) are contributing to product shortages. Many wholesalers have responded to backlogs by focusing on core product SKUs.
- Tariff concerns for Swiss brands, including PAMP Suisse and Valcambi, have eliminated a key source of large-format LBMA Good Delivery silver bars. These bars are currently only available in limited supply on the secondary market. SCOTUS' February 20 ruling in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump and the administration's imposition of increased global tariffs increase the likelihood of continued supply chain disruptions due to tariff uncertainty.
- Bid/ask spreads rose sharply on January 30, significantly increasing the costs and risks of stocking inventory. While spreads have mostly normalized, they remain slightly elevated.
- U.S. and Israeli military operations in Iran, which began on February 28, have introduced additional uncertainty into global supply chains. While there are no immediate disruptions to supplier operations at this time, silver supply chains may be particularly vulnerable to a protracted conflict due to existing processing backlogs and the concentration of shipping disruptions in the Middle East, including the effective halt of commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.