International Depository Services (IDS): IRA Storage Fees, Insurance, Locations and Security (2026 Guide)

International Depository Services (IDS), owned by bullion wholesaler Dillon Gage, runs three precious metals vaults in New Castle, Delaware, Dallas and Mississauga, Ontario; only the Delaware vault is COMEX-listed. If your metal goes there, what matters is cost, storage type and who stands behind it. A depository is a private vault that holds IRA metal for your custodian, and gold IRA depositories like IDS never own that metal. COMEX is the main US gold futures exchange, and it approves vaults for its trading bars.

This guide shows who owns IDS, what IRA storage there costs through your custodian (from $110 a year, September 29, 2026) and why IDS's own percentage prices run higher. It then checks IDS's storage-type claims, insurance, audits, dealer owner, record and who it suits. IDS is one of the gold IRA depositories that US custodians list, and SafeOunce checks each one with the same questions. This page covers the IDS Group vaults, not the state-run Texas Bullion Depository or the Texas Precious Metals Depository in Shiner.

The 13 facts below come from IDS's and Dillon Gage's own pages, the CME and IRA custodians' fee schedules, each dated. The last row links to IDS's own site.

Our IDS Verdict: Strong Credentials, a Dealer Owner and Terms It Does Not Publish#

IDS is an established vault group with a COMEX-listed Delaware vault, but it publishes no fee schedule, insurance limit or auditor name, and a bullion dealer owns it. Three of the custodians SafeOunce checked list IDS.

What should you get in writing before your metal goes to IDS? First, the storage type on your custodian's form: segregated or commingled. Commingled means shared storage: you get back the same type and amount of metal, still recorded as yours, but maybe not the same coins. Second, the yearly storage fee and the fee schedule's revision date. Third, the vault's insurance limit and what it pays after a loss.

Look elsewhere if you need a published insurance limit or a vault with no dealer parent. The Delaware Depository publishes $1 billion of all-risk cover plus $100 million of contingent cover (its FAQ, September 29, 2026). Its exchange metal alone, about $1.77 billion on September 28, 2026, exceeds that per-claim limit, and it pays spot, not premiums. A published limit is still better than none. SafeOunce found no dealer parent for the Delaware Depository or Brink's; Dillon Gage owns IDS.

What Is International Depository Services? Owner, Vaults and Oversight#

International Depository Services is a precious metals storage company with three vaults in North America that stores coins and bars for dealers, institutions, individuals and IRA custodians. IDS does not open IRAs itself. Why does the owner matter to you? The owner decides how the vault is run, insured and audited. Your custodian's contract with IDS, not your own, governs your metal there.

Who owns International Depository Services?#

Dillon Gage, a Dallas precious metals wholesaler founded in 1976, owns International Depository Services. IDS calls itself "a privately-owned and independently-run division of Dillon Gage Metals", and Dillon Gage calls it a "wholly-owned subsidiary". Dillon Gage opened a refinery in 1996, and IDS's history page names Terry Hanlon as Dillon Gage's president (read September 29, 2026).

Who runs IDS today is less clear. Dillon Gage releases of January 12, 2016 and November 1, 2017 name Alisa Moen as "President of IDS Group". A release of August 13, 2020 names Joe De Rosa "managing director for the International Depository Services Group, Global". That is the latest leadership announcement found, so this page names no current head.

The three IDS vaults: New Castle, Dallas and Mississauga#

IDS runs three vaults: IDS of Delaware in New Castle (opened 2010), IDS of Texas in Dallas (opened 2017) and IDS of Canada in Mississauga, Ontario (opened 2013). IDS of Delaware opened as the Diamond State Depository and later took the IDS name.

The table lists each IDS vault with its opening year, COMEX status and which IRA custodians list it, as of September 29, 2026.

Two sources give other dates: Equity Trust's 2019 release says IDS of Texas opened in 2018, and an IDS comparison chart gives 2012 for Canada. SafeOunce uses IDS's history page.

Is IDS regulated? COMEX, LBMA and what IDS is not#

IDS is not a bank or trust company, and its main outside check is the COMEX listing of its Delaware vault. The exchange approved that vault in 2016 for gold, silver, platinum and palladium.

On September 28, 2026, IDS of Delaware held 99,825 ounces of gold on the CME's gold stocks report. That is 0.4% of the total and 10th of 11 gold vaults. About 98% of it was registered metal, meaning bars the exchange counts for futures delivery. The vault also held 3,567,446 ounces of silver, 10th of 13 silver listings. The CME's platinum report of February 2, 2026 showed 2,395 ounces of platinum there.

IDS's website and Birch Gold's page still call it one of "eight" COMEX depositories. The CME report lists 11 for gold. IDS's own 2016 announcement called it "just the ninth precious metals depository in the world to achieve COMEX approval".

A trust company is a state-chartered firm allowed to act as a custodian. Like Brink's and AMGL, IDS is not one: it holds IRA metal as the custodian's agent. The Delaware Depository's operating company, by contrast, is a trust company. IDS's LBMA "Associate" status and NCBA membership are trade memberships, not regulators.

Is IDS an IRS-approved depository?#

No: the IRS approves no depository, and IDS is not on the IRS nonbank trustee list; your IRA may use IDS because your custodian contracts with it. The law, 26 U.S.C. 408(m)(3)(B), requires IRA bullion to be "in the physical possession of a trustee". The only metals vault business on the IRS nonbank trustee list (as of April 1, 2026) is Lone Star Tangible Assets, LP. The same trustee rule is why the IRS rules on home storage treat IRA coins kept at home as a distribution.

Does agent storage at IDS meet that rule? In PLR 200217059 (2002), the IRS treated bullion held by storage companies "not the IRA trustee" as a collectible. IDS holds metal as the custodian's agent. The Delaware Depository's white paper argues an agent's possession may be only "constructive", but that paper is self-interested. No IRS ruling or court case disqualifies agent storage at IDS, Brink's, AMGL or TPMD.

How a Gold IRA Stores Metal at IDS: the Custodian's Role#

A gold IRA reaches IDS only through its custodian: IDS says it "can only work with IRA Trustees", so the custodian, not you, holds the storage account. A custodian is the bank or trust company that legally holds your IRA and sends your statements. A self-directed IRA is an IRA that can hold assets such as metal.

The 5 steps from purchase to an IDS shelf are listed below.

1. Open a self-directed IRA at a custodian that lists IDS: Equity Trust, GoldStar or Advanta IRA, as of September 29, 2026.
2. Choose IDS and the storage type on the custodian's depository form. GoldStar's default is the Delaware Depository, commingled, unless you or your dealer choose otherwise.
3. Buy the metal from a dealer. The custodian pays the dealer from your IRA.
4. Ship: the dealer sends the metal to IDS, and IDS records it in the custodian's account for your IRA.
5. Check that your custodian statement lists IDS, the products, the quantity and the storage type.

GoldStar says: "The dealer you buy precious metals from usually determines which depository will be used." So ask your dealer which vault it uses before you buy.

Charters and fees of every gold IRA custodians listing are compared on our custodians guide.

Which custodians and gold IRA companies use IDS#

Three of the custodians SafeOunce checked list IDS as of September 29, 2026 (Equity Trust, GoldStar Trust and Advanta IRA), and at least seven gold dealers name it on their websites. Noble Gold Investments and Birch Gold Group both publish pages about IDS. A federal court record also places American Hartford Gold metal at IDS in 2018.

The table shows who routes IRA metal to IDS and which vault they name, from their own pages read September 29, 2026.

A dealer naming IDS does not mean your metal will go there. The custodian's depository form decides.

IDS Storage Fees for IRAs in 2026#

IRA storage at IDS costs $110 to $225 a year on balances below $125,000 at the two custodians that publish a storage price (September 29, 2026). GoldStar's segregated fee rises above that balance, to $450 at $250,000. The custodian, not IDS, sets the IRA fee.

The table lists the published yearly storage fee for IRA metal at IDS, custodian by custodian, as of September 29, 2026.

Every custodian's gold IRA storage fees, including billing dates, are compared on our storage-fee guide.

Advanta does not publish its IDS of Texas storage price, so ask Advanta for it in writing. Noble Gold's two pages give two totals for the same account, so ask Noble which applies before you sign.

Equity Trust fees and GoldStar fees for IDS storage#

Equity Trust's schedule prints flat storage of $110 non-segregated or $160 segregated a year, with no separate IDS line, and GoldStar charges $125 commingled or at least $225 segregated. Equity Trust's schedule FS-0004-05 Rev. 081726 adds a $50 setup fee and $125 a year. Storage is "charged at the time the metals are received at the elected depository and each January thereafter". So metal that arrives December 15 is billed $110, then $110 again in January. Equity Trust's four schedules and their Equity Trust fees are explained on our review.

GoldStar's schedule (GTC Rev. 01/2026) charges $50 to set up and $90 a year. Segregated storage costs "$225 min./No max", plus $1.80 per $1,000 above $125,000. GoldStar bills on your opening anniversary, and fees are "not prorated".

What IDS charges personal accounts, and why an IRA pays less#

IDS's own blog of April 25, 2023 says its storage fees "range from 0.3% to 0.65% of the metal's total value". The same post sets a "minimum annual storage charge of $200 at their Delaware depository vault and $600 at their vault in Texas". It adds that these prices are "for personal custody accounts (IRA account fees vary according to the custodian)".

The table sets IDS's published personal-account prices against an Equity Trust IRA at the same vault.

Birch Gold's page, updated May 6, 2026, prints the tiers: 0.65% up to $250,000, then 0.40%, 0.35% and 0.30% on larger balances. At $250,000, a personal account at the 0.65% rate costs up to $1,625 a year, about 10 times Equity Trust's $160 segregated IRA storage fee. The 0.65% rate passes the $600 Texas minimum at about $92,308 and the $200 Delaware minimum at about $30,769.

What IDS storage costs at $50,000 and $250,000#

A $50,000 gold IRA stored at IDS costs $215 to $315 a year in custodian and storage fees, or 0.43% to 0.63% of the balance, as of September 29, 2026. At $250,000, the same fees cost $215 to $540 a year, or 0.09% to 0.22%.

The table shows the yearly custodian plus storage cost of an IRA stored at IDS at two balances, from the published schedules.

GoldStar's segregated fee grows above $125,000; the other three options stay flat, so their share of your balance shrinks as it grows.

10-year cost of an IDS gold IRA at $100,000, including exit fees#

Over 10 years, a $100,000 gold IRA stored at IDS costs $2,410 to $3,410 in custodian, storage and exit fees at the two custodians that list IDS and publish storage prices.

The table adds 10 years of fees and the cost of selling and closing at the end.

Run your own balance in the gold IRA fee calculator. The totals include gold IRA termination fees at the end.

The table leaves out the dealer's spread, the gap between what you pay for metal and what a dealer pays you back. A round trip on 1 oz bullion coins costs about 5% to 7% (SD Bullion's 1 oz Gold Eagle: 5.39%, September 29, 2026). On $100,000 that is about $5,390, more than the whole 10-year fee total at IDS. So your product and dealer matter more than the vault.

Fees on top of storage: shipping, selling and closing#

Storage is not the only charge: custodians also bill for selling metal, shipping it out and closing the account. Three of the four are flat fees printed on the custodian's schedule.

The 4 extra charges to ask about are listed below.

• Liquidation fee: Equity Trust charges $30 per sale.
• In-kind distribution or transfer-out fee: Equity Trust charges $125; GoldStar charges $75 plus $10 plus the shipping cost.
• Termination fee for closing the account: Equity Trust charges $250; GoldStar charges $150 for a full termination.
• Outbound shipping: IDS's FAQ says outbound shipments are insured, with carrier limits given on request.

These charges come from Equity Trust Rev. 081726 and GoldStar GTC Rev. 01/2026. IDS publishes no withdrawal fee of its own. Every custodian's exit charges are compared on gold IRA termination fees.

IDS Storage Types: Segregated, Commingled and the Pool Accounts IRAs Must Avoid#

IRA metal at IDS can be held segregated or commingled, depending on what your custodian's form says, and both are allocated to your IRA. Allocated means a set quantity of specific products recorded as yours. Commingled metal is still allocated; it just shares a shelf.

When the extra fee for segregated storage is worth paying is explained in segregated vs commingled gold IRA storage.

IDS's own pages disagree on storage type#

IDS's website gives three different answers on storage type, so the only reliable record is the storage type printed on your custodian's form and statement. Dillon Gage's page adds a fourth wording.

The 4 statements, read September 29, 2026, are listed below.

• IDS history page: IDS of Delaware offers "exclusively segregated storage for all accounts".
• IDS homepage: "Segregated storage for all accounts for both gold and silver storage".
• IDS IRA page: "All locations offer segregated storage and allocated storage options."
• Dillon Gage storage page: "100% allocated & segregated storage".

GoldStar Trust, a custodian that uses IDS, lists it as offering "Commingled and Segregated Storage". So a custodian's own list contradicts IDS's claim of segregated storage for all accounts.

Segregated silver at IDS#

IDS is one of the few IRA vaults that store silver coins segregated; SafeOunce found three others: TPMD, AMGL and the Texas Bullion Depository. GoldStar offers commingled and segregated storage at IDS for all metals, silver included. Entrust and STRATA segregate only gold, platinum and palladium at the Delaware Depository, and GoldStar segregates silver there only as 1,000-ounce bars.

At GoldStar, segregating silver at IDS costs $100 more a year than commingled below $125,000 ($225 vs $125, GTC Rev. 01/2026). Storage limits are one of the costs covered in our silver IRA guide.

Pool accounts, allocated storage and unallocated metal#

IDS says it "does not offer unallocated storage options", yet its FAQ describes pool accounts in which "Each individual coin or bar is not specifically titled to the individual investor". The FAQ adds that "The Pool Account owner holds unallocated precious metals." Unallocated metal is only a claim on metal someone else owns, not ownership.

Ask your custodian to confirm in writing that your metal sits in its IRA account at IDS, not in a dealer's pool or master account. The difference between allocated storage and unallocated metal is defined in our glossary.

Is Gold Stored at IDS Insured? What the Lloyd's Coverage Does and Does Not Tell You#

Yes, IDS says all deposits are insured under an all-risk policy from Lloyd's of London, but it publishes no policy limit (September 29, 2026). It also publishes no per-claim basis and no list of exclusions. An all-risk policy covers every cause of loss not excluded in writing. A per-claim limit is the most the policy pays for one event, shared by every customer.

COMEX listing required all-risk cover "in an amount satisfactory to CME". A 2016 SEC letter records a CME minimum of $200 million as of 2010, an old exchange minimum, not an IDS figure. SafeOunce has not seen a current figure for IDS.

IDS's 2023 blog says investors "are covered for 100% of the value of stored gold", without saying which value. The Delaware Depository and the Texas Bullion Depository pay metal value unless a higher value is declared. If IDS pays metal value, 20 one-tenth-ounce proof Gold Eagles bought for $11,212.60 would be insured for about $8,312.60 (prices of September 29, 2026). That is a gap of about $2,900, or 26%. FDIC and SIPC never cover IRA metal.

Limits, exclusions and payout rules at every vault are compared on how gold IRA storage is insured.

Five insurance questions to ask before your metal goes to IDS#

Five written questions turn IDS's insurance claim into something you can check. Send them to your custodian, which holds the contract with IDS.

The 5 questions to send your custodian are listed below.

1. Ask the policy limit, and whether it applies per claim, per location or to all customers together.
2. Ask who the named insured is, and whether your custodian is a loss payee, the party the insurer pays.
3. Ask whether employee theft and "mysterious disappearance" are covered.
4. Ask the payout basis: spot price, exchange settlement price or declared value.
5. Ask the exclusions, such as war, terrorism, cyber attack, government seizure and civil unrest.

These questions matter because First State Depository customers were only a "Memorandum Holder and Loss Payee" on its policy.

IDS Security and Audits: Class III Vaults, Daily Reports and an Unnamed Auditor#

IDS says its vaults carry a UL Class III rating and that it runs daily reports, monthly internal audits and annual external audits, but it names no outside auditor. UL is a testing company that rates vaults by how long a break-in would take. Its reporting page says: "IDS provides daily transaction reports, monthly internal audits as well as annual external audits". Its Texas page describes "stringent 'dual control' policies", a term that usually means two staff members must be present for vault access. Dillon Gage says the vaults are "monitored in real-time 24/7 by off-site security specialists" (all read September 29, 2026).

The COMEX's annual independent audit covers registered exchange bars only, not IRA coins. SafeOunce found no IRA vault that publishes a SOC 1 Type II report, a stricter outside audit of controls. The Delaware Depository publishes an "SSAE18 SOC 1 Type I" report. What depository audits cover and miss is explained on our audits guide.

How to check delivery of your metal to IDS#

You can check that your metal reached IDS in four steps, starting with the custodian statement and ending with a holdings report from the vault side.

The 4 steps are listed below.

1. Read the custodian statement for "IDS", the vault city, the products, the quantities and the storage type.
2. Ask the custodian for the depository's holdings report for your account. In the First State case, the CFTC's complaint said the custodians "did not physically possess or hold the assets".
3. Check the serial numbers on bars if you chose segregated storage.
4. Refuse any "lease" or "yield" program on your stored metal.

What to do if your metal never arrives is on our guide to check delivery of IRA metal.

IDS Is a Dealer-Owned Vault: Why Dillon Gage Ownership Matters#

IDS belongs to Dillon Gage, a bullion wholesaler and refiner, which makes it a dealer-owned IRA vault. Other examples are AMGL (owned by Gold.com) and TPMD (a division of Texas Precious Metals). The Texas Bullion Depository's operator also owns a dealer, the United States Gold Bureau. SafeOunce found no dealer parent for the Delaware Depository, Brink's, Loomis or Malca-Amit.

IDS answers the question on its security page: "The IDS Group does not have a trading operation and maintains a complete system separation with its corporate parent company". It says client metal is "held as bailment and not as a deposit or consignment", stored "off the IDS Group's balance sheet".

Other dealer-owned vaults and their terms are compared on our dealer vault page.

What the First State Depository case teaches about dealer-owned vaults#

The best-documented failure of an IRA vault, First State Depository in Wilmington, Delaware, had the same owner and building as a metals dealer. The CFTC sued in CFTC v. First State Depository, D. Del. No. 1:22-cv-01266-RGA, filed September 27, 2022 (CFTC release 8606-22). The vault held 2,102 accounts, 90% of them IRAs, and 1,006 had discrepancies. The receiver's accounting firm put the missing metal at $56.8 million to $110.4 million (January 9, 2023).

First State claimed "$400 million" of insurance, while its real limits were $100 million and later $75 million. The owner was sentenced on June 17, 2025 to 65 years, with restitution of "about $76 million".

SafeOunce found no allegation of this kind against IDS or Dillon Gage (searches September 29, 2026). The case shows why you should get records from the custodian and the vault, not from the dealer alone. The receiver's findings are summarized on our page about the First State Depository case.

What happens to your IRA gold if IDS or Dillon Gage fails?#

Metal held for your IRA at IDS is designed to stay yours if IDS or Dillon Gage fails, but you should expect delay and cost. The reason is bailment: IDS says it holds client metal in client-specific accounts, off its own balance sheet, and allocated metal held this way is designed to stay outside a failed company's estate.

If a dealer fails, metal already recorded in your custodian's account at a vault is not dealer inventory. An order you paid for but never received leaves you an unsecured creditor. Rosland Capital, a failed dealer in liquidating Chapter 11 (Bankr. C.D. Cal. No. 2:26-bk-16650-BB, filed July 2, 2026), owes about $49 million for paid-but-undelivered orders. In a vault fraud, First State's receiver paid dollar claims pro rata for missing metal and charged intact accounts a 5.6% surcharge.

The steps and rights are explained in what happens to your IRA gold if a depository fails.

IDS Record: Complaints, Court Cases and Regulator Enforcement Actions#

SafeOunce found no CFTC, SEC or state regulator action against IDS and no BBB profile for it in searches on September 29, 2026. IDS appears in two federal court records found, only as the vault that held the metal.

International Depository Services reviews barely exist. Bullion.directory shows its own "A+" grade next to "There are no reviews yet". SafeOunce found no BBB or Trustpilot profile for IDS. Its customers are custodians and dealers, so IRA owners rarely review it.

The first court record is Mathys v. The Hartford Gold Group, LLC, N.D. Ill. No. 20 C 3927 (opinion of December 7, 2020). An 83-year-old bought $35,000 of metal on December 11, 2018 that was "held with International Depository Services of Delaware". The case was about the dealer's prices, and the court sent it to arbitration.

The second is SEC v. AmeriStar LLC, D. Wyo. No. 2:24-cv-00169. An SEC filing records a $49,959.00 gold order in April 2024 shipped to "IDS Texas FBO HighLine Gold Account". Neither record alleges wrongdoing by IDS.

Every case SafeOunce tracks is in our list of precious metals IRA enforcement actions.

Precious Metals IDS Stores That Your IRA Cannot Hold#

IDS stores rhodium and rare or certified coins, but an IRA cannot hold rhodium at all, and most rare coins count as collectibles. A collectible is an item the tax code treats as a withdrawal when an IRA buys it, so you owe tax on its cost. IDS's FAQ lists "rhodium" and "storage for rare and certified coins" (read September 29, 2026).

The 3 kinds of metal IDS stores that an IRA may not hold are listed below.

• Rhodium and other minor platinum-group metals: collectibles in any form.
• Rare and certified coins: collectibles unless the coin is a named US coin under 26 U.S.C. 408(m)(3)(A), such as the proof American Platinum Eagle. STRATA and GoldStar accept ungraded proof Gold Eagles, but no IRS ruling covers proofs. Equity Trust and GoldStar refuse certified (graded) coins, Eagles included.
• Bullion below the fineness rule: fineness means metal purity. Bars and non-named coins need gold at .995, silver at .999, and platinum and palladium at .9995.

IDS's IRA page states the fineness rule correctly: 99.5%, 99.9% and 99.95%. The full list of precious metals the tax code allows is on our eligibility page.

The custodian, not the vault, decides which products it accepts. "IDS will store it" never means "your IRA may hold it". What custodians accept for proof coins in an IRA is on our proof coin page.

Moving Metal Out of IDS: Selling, In-Kind Distributions and Transfers#

You move metal out of IDS by instructing your custodian, which either sells it, ships it to you as a taxable in-kind distribution, or transfers it to another custodian's vault. IDS takes instructions from the custodian, not from you.

An in-kind distribution is taxed like cash, valued at spot on the date the metal leaves the IRA. Custodian fees apply, such as Equity Trust's $125 in-kind fee and GoldStar's $75 plus $10 plus shipping. IDS's FAQ says outbound shipments are insured, with carrier limits given on request. Taxes and steps are covered in gold IRA distributions.

A transfer between custodians moves the account, not always the metal. If the new custodian also lists IDS, as Equity Trust and GoldStar do, the metal can stay put and skip shipping.

IDS says it "does not maintain beneficiary information for accounts". So name your IRA beneficiary on the custodian's form, and keep that form current.

Selling inside the IRA creates no tax until you withdraw the cash. Buyback prices and taxes are explained in how to sell gold in your IRA.

Who IDS Suits, and Who Should Pick Another Vault#

IDS suits IRA owners who want segregated silver, or a Texas or Delaware vault, through Equity Trust or GoldStar. It does not suit anyone who needs a published insurance limit or a vault with no dealer parent.

The table matches common situations to a vault choice, using facts dated September 29, 2026.

Pick IDS for its segregated silver and the flat fees custodians charge there, not for its insurance claims.

Already stored at IDS? Compare the storage type and fee line on your latest statement with the table above.

SafeOunce takes no money from any company named on this page.

How Does IDS Compare With Other Gold IRA Depositories?#

IDS sits between the big institutional vaults and the smaller dealer-owned ones: COMEX-listed in Delaware like Brink's and the Delaware Depository, but dealer-owned like AMGL and TPMD. Brink's Global Services is the largest COMEX gold vault, and A-M Global Logistics (AMGL; Equity Trust lists it as "A-Mark Global Logistics") belongs to a dealer group.

The table compares IDS with five other IRA vaults on the same fields, as of September 28 and 29, 2026.

Our ranking of the best gold IRA depositories weighs insurance, audits, ownership and cost.

IDS of Texas vs the Texas Bullion Depository and TPMD#

Three vaults hold IRA metal in Texas: IDS of Texas in Dallas, the state-run Texas Bullion Depository in Leander, and the Texas Precious Metals Depository in Shiner. The Texas Bullion Depository is a state agency in the Comptroller's office, run by Lone Star Tangible Assets, LP. It has stored IRA metal since June 12, 2025, with Equity Trust, and its IRA price is unpublished. The state vault's rules and fees are on our Texas Bullion Depository page.

The Texas Precious Metals Depository is a division of the dealer Texas Precious Metals. It is COMEX-listed as "Texas Precious Metals, LLC" and held 40,317 ounces of gold on September 28, 2026. IDS of Texas, owned by Dillon Gage, is not COMEX-listed.

Both IDS of Texas and the Shiner vault claim to be the largest in Texas, and neither claim is verified. The Shiner vault is profiled on our Texas Precious Metals Depository page.

IDS of Canada: can IRA gold be stored offshore?#

No IRS ruling says whether IRA gold may sit in IDS's Canadian vault, and none of the three custodian lists SafeOunce checked includes it (September 29, 2026). The law, 26 U.S.C. 408(m)(3)(B), requires physical possession by a trustee described in section 408(a). Equity Trust added only IDS of Delaware and IDS of Texas in 2019, and GoldStar lists New Castle and Dallas. Yet Fisher Precious Metals names "IDS Canada" on its IRA page, and Noble Gold names Mississauga.

Ask for a US vault in writing, or get your custodian's written approval before any foreign storage. The rules and open questions for IRA gold stored offshore are on our offshore page.

Sales tax and state income tax: does the IDS vault location matter?#

The IDS vault location does not change the state income tax on IRA withdrawals, which follows where you live, not where the metal sits. IDS markets Delaware's lack of sales tax, claiming "six to eight percent" savings, and Texas's sales-tax exemption for precious metals. Those claims are about metal delivered to a personal storage account. State rules are compared on sales tax on gold and silver.

Whether an IRA purchase owes sales tax is a separate question, so ask your custodian and dealer in writing. Your state's rate on a cash withdrawal is in our table of state income tax on gold IRA withdrawals.

Can you visit your gold IRA metals at IDS?#

IDS publishes no visiting policy or fee for IRA accounts; visits to IRA metal are arranged through your custodian, so ask it first. For comparison, the Delaware Depository charges personal accounts $35 per staff-hour ($70 for a two-person team), the Texas Bullion Depository's viewing room costs $35 per half hour, and TPMD charged $0 (2025). How to visit your gold IRA metals is explained on our visiting guide.

Is IDS the same as Gold Bullion International?#

No: Gold Bullion International, LLC is a different company that executes trades for GBI Direct (Hard Assets Alliance, LLC, New York). GBI Direct's agreement, updated January 26, 2026, says its IRA metal is stored at Brink's in Salt Lake City or New York.

Where is the largest gold depository in the United States?#

Among COMEX-listed vaults, Brink's holds the most gold: 7,053,978 ounces, or 30.2% of the exchange total, on September 28, 2026. Which vaults hold IRA metal is covered in our guide to where IRA metals are stored.