UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 


 

FORM 8-K

 


 

CURRENT REPORT

 

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported): December 22, 2016

 


 

iShares ® Gold Trust

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

New York
(State or other jurisdiction   of

incorporation)

001-32418
(Commission   File Number)

81-6124036
(I.R.S. Employer   Identification No.)

 

c/o iShares ® Delaware Trust Sponsor LLC
400 Howard Street
San Francisco, California 94105
Attn: Product Management Team
iShares ® Product Research & Development
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (415) 670-2000

 

Not Applicable
Former name or former address, if changed since last report

 


 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 
 

 

 

Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement

 

iShares Gold Trust (the “Registrant”) issues and redeems units of beneficial interest (or “Shares”) representing fractional undivided beneficial interests in its net assets only in exchange for gold, only in aggregations of 50,000 Shares or integral multiples thereof (each, a “Basket”), and only in transactions with registered broker-dealers that have previously entered into an agreement with the Registrant governing the terms and conditions of such issuance (such broker-dealers, the “Authorized Participants”). The Trust is administered by The Bank of New York Mellon (the “Trustee”) and JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., London branch (the “Custodian”) is responsible for the safekeeping of gold bullion owned by the Registrant.

 

The Registrant entered into the following amendments and restatements of its operating agreements to make certain operational updates to the agreements, including most significantly to allow Authorized Participants to order, or surrender for redemption, Baskets using the electronic order system of the Trustee:

 

 

Fourth Amended and Restated Depositary Trust Agreement, dated as of December 22, 2016, by and between  iShares Delaware Trust Sponsor LLC and The Bank of New York Mellon (the “Trust Agreement”);

 

 

Standard Terms for Authorized Participant Agreements, dated as of December 22, 2016, by and between iShares Delaware Trust Sponsor LLC and The Bank of New York Mellon (the “Standard Terms for Authorized Participant Agreements”); and

 

 

Second Amended and Restated Custodian Agreement, dated as of December 22, 2016, by and between The Bank of New York Mellon and JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., London branch (the “Custodian Agreement”, together with the Trust Agreement and the Standard Terms for Authorized Participant Agreements, the “Agreements”).

 

The Registrant's affiliates have engaged in, and may in the future engage in, various commercial dealings in the ordinary course of business with the parties to the Agreements. Such parties have received, or may in the future receive, customary fees and commissions for these transactions.

 

The foregoing description of the amendments to the Agreements does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Agreements, which have been filed with this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 4.1, Exhibit 4.2 and Exhibit 10.1.

 

Item 3.03. Material Modification to the Rights of Security Holders

 

The information set forth in Item 1.01 relating to the Trust Agreement is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits 

 

Exhibit 4.1

Fourth Amended and Restated Depositary Trust Agreement, dated as of December 22, 2016, by and between  iShares Delaware Trust Sponsor LLC and The Bank of New York Mellon.

 

Exhibit 4.2

Standard Terms for Authorized Participant Agreements, dated as of December 22, 2016, by and between iShares Delaware Trust Sponsor LLC and The Bank of New York Mellon.

 

Exhibit 10.1

Second Amended and Restated Custodian Agreement, dated as of December 22, 2016, by and between The Bank of New York Mellon and JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., London branch.

 

 
 

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

Date: December 22, 2016

 

 

iShares ®  Gold Trust*

 

 

 

 

 

By:

iShares ® Delaware Trust Sponsor LLC

       

 

By:

 

/s/ Jack Gee

 

Name: 

  Jack Gee

 

Title: 

 

Managing Director
       
  By:   /s/ Raymund Santiago
  Name:    Raymund Santiago
  Title:    Director

 


*

The registrant is a trust and the persons are signing in their respective capacities as officers of iShares Delaware Trust Sponsor LLC, the Sponsor of the Registrant.

 

Exhibit 4.1

 

Execution Copy

 

 

 

 

 

 

iSHARES ® DELAWARE TRUST SPONSOR LLC,
as Sponsor

 

and

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,
as Trustee
 

 


 

Fourth Amended and Restated Depositary Trust Agreement

iShares ® Gold Trust  

 


 

Dated as of December 22, 2016

 

 

 
 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Page

 

ARTICLE 1.      DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION

2

     

Section 1.1.

Definitions

2

     

Section 1.2.

Rules of Construction

6

     

ARTICLE 2.      CREATION AND DECLARATION OF TRUST; FORM OF CERTIFICATES; DEPOSIT OF GOLD; DELIVERY, REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER AND SURRENDER OF SHARES

6

     

Section 2.1.

Creation and Declaration of Trust; Business of the Trust.

6

     

Section 2.2.

Form of Certificates; Book-Entry System; Transferability of Shares.

7

     

Section 2.3.

Deposit of Gold.

8

     

Section 2.4.

Delivery of Shares

9

     

Section 2.5.

Registration and Registration of Transfer of Shares; Combination and Split-up of Certificates.

9

     

Section 2.6.

Surrender of Shares and Withdrawal of Trust Property.

10

     

Section 2.7.

Limitations on Delivery, Registration of Transfer and Surrender of Shares.

11

     

Section 2.8.

Lost Certificates, Etc

11

     

Section 2.9.

Cancellation and Destruction of Surrendered Certificates

11

     

Section 2.10.

Splits and Reverse Splits of Shares

12

     

ARTICLE 3.      CERTAIN OBLIGATIONS OF REGISTERED OWNERS OF SHARES

12

     

Section 3.1.

Liability of Registered Owner for Taxes and Other Governmental Charges

12

     

Section 3.2.

Warranties on Deposit of Gold

12

     

ARTICLE 4.      ADMINISTRATION OF THE TRUST

13

     

Section 4.1.

Evaluation of Gold

13

     

Section 4.2.

Responsibility of the Trustee for Evaluations

13

     

Section 4.3.

Trust Evaluation

13

     

Section 4.4.

Cash Distributions

13

     

Section 4.5.

Other Distributions

14

     

Section 4.6.

Fixing of Record Date

14

     

Section 4.7.

Payment of Expenses; Gold Sales.

14

     

Section 4.8.

Statements and Reports.

15

     

Section 4.9.

Further Provisions for Gold Sales

15

     

Section 4.10.

Counsel

16

 

 
- i - 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)

 

Page

 

Section 4.11. Grantor Trust 16
     

ARTICLE 5.      THE TRUSTEE AND THE SPONSOR

16

     

Section 5.1.

Maintenance of Office and Transfer Books by the Trustee.

16

     

Section 5.2.

Prevention or Delay in Performance by the Sponsor or the Trustee

16

     

Section 5.3.

Obligations of the Sponsor and the Trustee.

17

     

Section 5.4.

Resignation or Removal of the Trustee; Appointment of Successor Trustee.

17

     

Section 5.5.

The Custodian.

19

     

Section 5.6.

Indemnification.

20

     

Section 5.7.

Charges of Trustee.

22

     

Section 5.8.

Charges of Sponsor.

22

     

Section 5.9.

Retention of Trust Documents

23

     

Section 5.10.

Federal Securities Law Filings.

23

     

Section 5.11.

Prospectus Delivery

23

     

Section 5.12.

Discretionary Actions by Trustee; Consultation.

24

     

ARTICLE 6.       AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION

24

     

Section 6.1.

Amendment

24

     

Section 6.2.

Termination.

24

     

ARTICLE 7.       MISCELLANEOUS

26

     

Section 7.1.

Counterparts

26

     

Section 7.2.

Third-Party Beneficiaries

26

     

Section 7.3.

Severability

26

     

Section 7.4.

Registered Owners, Beneficial Owners and Depositors as Parties; Binding Effect

26

     

Section 7.5.

Notices.

26

     

Section 7.6.

Agent for Service; Submission to Jurisdiction

28

     

Section 7.7.

Governing Law

28

 

 

EXHIBIT A     FORM OF CERTIFICATE EVIDENCING SHARES

 

 
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THIS FOURTH AMENDED AND RESTATED DEPOSITARY TRUST AGREEMENT dated as of December 22, 2016, between iSHARES ® DELAWARE TRUST SPONSOR LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as sponsor, THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, a New York banking corporation formerly known as The Bank of New York, as trustee, all Registered Owners and Beneficial Owners from time to time of Shares issued hereunder and all Depositors

 

W I T N E S S E T H :

 

WHEREAS “iShares ® Gold Trust” (previously known as the iShares ® COMEX ® Gold Trust), a trust governed by the laws of the State of New York, was created pursuant to the Depositary Trust Agreement dated as of January 19, 2005 executed by Barclays Global Investors, N.A., a national banking association acting as the initial sponsor of the Trust (in such capacity, the “Initial Sponsor”), and the Trustee (the “Original Depositary Trust Agreement”); and

 

WHEREAS the Original Depositary Trust Agreement was amended and restated as of February 6, 2007 to substitute Barclays Global Investors International Inc. (subsequently known as Blackrock Asset Management International Inc. and in such capacity, the “Second Sponsor”) in lieu of the Initial Sponsor as the sponsor of the Trust and to consolidate into one document the Original Depositary Trust Agreement and an amendment thereto (such amendment and restatement, the “First Amended and Restated Depositary Trust Agreement”); and

 

WHEREAS the First Amended and Restated Depositary Trust Agreement was further amended and restated as of September 2, 2010 to consolidate into one document the First Amended and Restated Depositary Trust Agreement and amendments made as of November 30, 2009, as of February 9, 2010, and as of June 30, 2010 (such further amendment and restatement, the “Second Amended and Restated Depositary Trust Agreement”); and

 

WHEREAS the Second Amended and Restated Depositary Trust Agreement was amended by a First Amendment to the Second Amended and Restated Depositary Trust Agreement dated October 31, 2012 (the “First Amendment to the Second Amended and Restated Depositary Trust Agreement”) to substitute iShares ® Delaware Trust Sponsor LLC (the “Successor Sponsor”) in lieu of Blackrock Asset Management International Inc. as sponsor of the Trust; and

 

WHEREAS the Second Amended and Restated Depositary Trust Agreement was further amended and restated as of February 28, 2013 (such further amendment and restatement, the “Third Amended and Restated Depositary Trust Agreement” and, together with the Original Depositary Trust Agreement, the First Amended and Restated Depositary Trust Agreement and the Second Amended and Restated Depositary Trust Agreement, the “Previous Depositary Trust Agreements”); and

 

WHEREAS the parties hereto wish to amend and restate the Third Amended and Restated Depositary Trust Agreement as provided herein;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and of the mutual agreements herein contained, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

 

 
 

 

 

ARTICLE 1.

DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION

 

Section 1.1.     Definitions . Except as otherwise specified in this Fourth Amended and Restated Depositary Trust Agreement or as the context may otherwise require, the following terms have the respective meanings set forth below for all purposes of this Fourth Amended and Restated Depositary Trust Agreement.

 

“Agreement” means this Fourth Amended and Restated Depositary Trust Agreement, as amended or supplemented in accordance with its terms.

 

“Authorized Participant” means a Person that, at the time of submitting a Purchase Order or a Redemption Order (i) is a registered broker-dealer, (ii) is a DTC Participant or an Indirect Participant and (iii) has in effect a valid Authorized Participant Agreement.

 

“Authorized Participant Agreement” means an agreement among the Trustee, the Sponsor and an Authorized Participant that authorizes the Authorized Participant to submit Purchase Orders and Redemption Orders under this Agreement.

 

“Basket” means 50,000 Shares, except that the Trustee, in consultation with the Sponsor, may from time to time increase or decrease the number of Shares comprising a Basket.

 

“Basket Gold Amount” is the amount of Gold that must be deposited for issuance of one Basket or that is deliverable upon Surrender of one Basket. The Basket Gold Amount will be determined as provided in Section 2.3(b).

 

“Beneficial Owner” means any Person owning a beneficial interest in any Shares.

 

“Business Day” means any day other than (i) a Saturday or Sunday or (ii) a day on which the Exchange is not open for regular trading.

 

“Certificate” means a certificate that is executed and delivered by the Trustee evidencing Shares.

 

“CFTC” means the Commodity Futures Trading Commission or any successor governmental agency in the United States.

 

“Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission of the United States or any successor governmental agency in the United States.

 

“Corporate Trust Office” means the office of the Trustee at which its exchange traded fund administration business is administered which, at the date of this Agreement, is located at 2 Hanson Place, 9th Floor, Brooklyn, New York 11217.

 

“Current Custodian” means, as of the date of this Agreement, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., London Branch, as custodian under the Custodian Agreement. 

 

 
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“Custodian” means the Current Custodian and any substitute or additional custodian of the Trust’s assets appointed by the Trustee at the direction of the Sponsor as provided in Section 5.5 and, where the context permits, any sub-custodians employed by the Current Custodian or any such substitute or additional custodian.

 

“Custodian Agreement” means the custodian agreement entered into between the Trustee and the Current Custodian and any custodian or custody agreement entered into pursuant to Section 5.5(a) with a substitute or additional Custodian.

 

“Deliver” means (a) when used with respect to Gold, (i) physically delivering that Gold to, or making that Gold available for collection by, the Person entitled to the delivery at the specified location, (ii) obtaining evidence that ownership of that Gold has been transferred to, and the Gold is being duly held by a custodian for the account of, the Person entitled to that delivery or (iii) obtaining an acknowledgement from a custodian of a credit of Gold on an Unallocated Basis to the account of the Person entitled to that delivery and (b) when used with respect to Shares, either (i) one or more book-entry transfers of those Shares to an account or accounts at DTC designated by the Person entitled to such delivery for further credit as specified by that Person or (ii) in the circumstances specified in Section 2.2(e), execution and delivery at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee of one or more Certificates evidencing those Shares.

 

“Depositor” means any Authorized Participant that deposits Gold into the Trust, either for its own account or on behalf of another Person that is the owner or beneficial owner of that Gold.

 

“DTC” means The Depository Trust Company, its nominees and their respective successors.

 

“DTC Participant” means a Person that, pursuant to DTC’s governing documents, is entitled to deposit securities with DTC in its capacity as a “participant”.

 

“Exchange” means the exchange or other securities market on which the Shares are principally traded, as specified from time to time by the Sponsor.

 

“Exchange Act” means the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

“Fine Ounce” means an Ounce of 100% pure gold. The number of Fine Ounces in a gold bar may be calculated by multiplying the gross weight in Ounces by the fineness, expressed as a fraction of the fine metal content in parts per 1000, in accordance with the “good delivery” rules of the London Bullion Market Association.

 

“First Amended and Restated Depositary Trust Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the second recital hereto.

 

“First Amendment to the Second Amended and Restated Depositary Trust Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the fourth recital hereto.

 

 
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“Gold” means (a) gold that meets the requirements of “good delivery” under the rules of the London Bullion Market Association and (b) credit to an account on an Unallocated Basis representing the right to receive gold that meets the requirements of part (a) of this definition.

 

“Indirect Participant” means a Person that, by clearing securities through, or maintaining a custodial relationship with, a DTC Participant, has access to the DTC clearing system.

 

“Initial Sponsor” has the meaning specified in the first recital hereto.

 

“Internal Control Over Financial Reporting” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) adopted by the Commission under the Exchange Act.

 

“Net Asset Value” means the net value of the Trust determined under Section 4.3.

 

“Net Asset Value per Share” means the value of a Share determined under Section 4.3.

 

“Order Cutoff Time” means, with respect to any Business Day, (i) 3:59:59 p.m. (New York time) on such Business Day or (ii) another time agreed to by the Sponsor and the Trustee and of which Registered Owners and all existing Authorized Participants have been notified by the Trustee.

 

“Order Date” means, with respect to a Purchase Order, the date specified in Section 2.3(a) and, with respect to a Redemption Order, the date specified in Section 2.6(a).

 

“Original Depositary Trust Agreement” has the meaning ascribed to the term in the first recital hereto.

 

“Ounce” means a troy ounce, equal to 1.0971428 ounces avoirdupois.

 

“Person” means any natural person or any limited liability company, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

 

“Previous Depositary Trust Agreements” shall have the meaning set forth in the fifth recital hereto.

 

“Purchase Order” is defined in Section 2.3.

 

“Qualified Bank” means a bank, trust company, corporation or national banking association organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or any State of the United States that is authorized under those laws to exercise corporate trust powers and that (i) is a DTC Participant or a participant in such other securities depository as is then acting with respect to the Shares, (ii) unless counsel to the Sponsor, the appointment of which is acceptable to the Trustee, determines that the following requirement is not necessary for the exception under Section 408(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), to apply, is a banking institution as defined in Section 408(n) of the Code and (iii) had, as of the date of its most recent annual financial statements, an aggregate capital, surplus and undivided profits of at least $150,000,000.

 

 
- 4 -

 

 

“Redemption Order” is defined in Section 2.6.

 

“Registered Owner” means the Person in whose name Shares are registered on the books of the Trustee maintained for that purpose.

 

“Registrar” means any bank or trust company that is appointed to register Shares and transfers of Shares as herein provided.

 

“Second Amended and Restated Depositary Trust Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the third recital hereto.

 

“Second Sponsor” has the meaning specified in the second recital hereto.

 

“Shares” means shares issued under the Previous Depositary Trust Agreements or this Agreement, each representing a fractional undivided ownership interest in the net assets of the Trust, which interest shall equal a fraction, the numerator of which is 1 and the denominator of which is the total number of Shares outstanding.

 

“Sponsor” means, from the date of the Original Depositary Trust Agreement to the effective date of the First Amended and Restated Depositary Trust Agreement, the Initial Sponsor; from the effective date of the First Amended and Restated Depositary Trust Agreement to the effective date of the First Amendment to the Second Amended and Restated Depositary Trust Agreement, the Second Sponsor; and from the effective date of the First Amendment to the Second Amended and Restated Depositary Trust Agreement, the Successor Sponsor, or its successor.

 

“Successor Sponsor” has the meaning specified in the fourth recital hereto.

 

“Surrender” means, when used with respect to Shares, (a) one or more book-entry transfers of Shares to the DTC account of the Trustee or (b) surrender to the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office of one or more Certificates evidencing Shares.

 

“Third Amended and Restated Depositary Trust Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the fifth recital hereto.

 

“Trust” means the iShares ® Gold Trust, the trust entity governed by this Agreement and known, prior to the date of the Second Amended and Restated Depositary Trust Agreement, as the iShares ® COMEX ® Gold Trust.

 

“Trustee” means The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation formerly known as The Bank of New York, in its capacity as trustee under the Previous Depositary Trust Agreements and this Agreement, or any successor as trustee under this Agreement.

 

“Trust Property” means the Gold deposited under the Previous Depositary Trust Agreements or under this Agreement and any cash or other property that is received by the Trustee in respect of Trust Property and that is being held under this Agreement.

 

 
- 5 -

 

 

“Unallocated Basis” means that the Person in whose name Gold is so held is entitled to receive delivery of Gold standing to the credit of that Person’s account, but that Person has no ownership interest in any particular Gold that the custodian maintaining that account owns or holds.

 

“Valuation Relevant Price” means, as of any day, such price regularly announced by a domestic or foreign entity (including an exchange, trade or industry association, or similar organization) as the Sponsor shall have from time to time determined that fairly represents the commercial value of Gold held by the Trust as of such day; provided , that a price so determined by the Sponsor shall be effective upon the Trustee’s notice to the Sponsor that it has sufficient access to pricing information to make the valuations required hereunder.

 

Section 1.2.    Rules of Construction . Unless the context otherwise requires:

 

(i)      a term has the meaning assigned to it;

 

(ii)     an accounting term not otherwise defined has the meaning assigned to it in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles as in effect in the United States;

 

(iii)     “or” is not exclusive;

 

(iv)     the words “herein”, “hereof”, “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision;

 

(v)     “including” means including without limitation; and

 

(vi)     words in the singular include the plural and words in the plural include the singular.

 

ARTICLE 2.

CREATION AND DECLARATION OF TRUST; FORM OF CERTIFICATES; DEPOSIT OF GOLD; DELIVERY, REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER AND SURRENDER OF SHARES

 

Section 2.1.    Creation and Declaration of Trust; Business of the Trust .

 

(a)     The Trustee acknowledges that it received an initial deposit of Gold under and in accordance with the Original Depositary Trust Agreement from Barclays Capital Inc. The Trustee declares that it holds and will hold all Trust Property as trustee for the benefit of the Registered Owners for the purposes of, and subject to and limited by the terms and conditions set forth in, this Agreement. The trust governed by this Agreement was previously known as the “iShares ® COMEX ® Gold Trust” and is now known as the “iShares ® Gold Trust”.

 

 
- 6 -

 

 

(b)     The Trust shall not engage in any business or activities other than those authorized by this Agreement or incidental and necessary to carry out the duties and responsibilities set forth in this Agreement. Other than issuance of the Shares, the Trust shall not issue or sell any certificates or other obligations or, except as provided in this Agreement, otherwise incur, assume or guarantee any indebtedness for money borrowed.

 

Section 2.2.     Form of Certificates; Book-Entry System; Transferability of Shares .

 

(a)     The Certificates evidencing Shares issued subsequent to the date of this Agreement shall be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A annexed to this Agreement, with appropriate insertions, modifications and omissions, as hereinafter provided. No Shares shall be entitled to any benefits under this Agreement or be valid or obligatory for any purpose unless a Certificate evidencing those Shares has been executed by the Trustee by the manual or facsimile signature of a duly authorized signatory of the Trustee and, if a Registrar (other than the Trustee) for the Shares shall have been appointed, countersigned by the manual signature of a duly authorized officer of the Registrar. The Trustee shall maintain books on which the registered ownership of each Share and transfers, if any, of such registered ownership shall be recorded. Certificates evidencing Shares bearing the manual or facsimile signature of a duly authorized signatory of the Trustee and the manual signature of a duly authorized officer of the Registrar, if applicable, who was, at the time such Certificates were executed, a proper signatory of the Trustee or Registrar, if applicable, shall bind the Trustee, notwithstanding that such signatory has ceased to hold such office prior to the delivery of such Certificates.

 

(b)     The Certificates may be endorsed with or have incorporated in the text thereof such legends or recitals or modifications not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement as may be required by the Trustee or required to comply with any applicable law or regulations thereunder or with the rules and regulations of any securities exchange upon which Shares may be listed or to conform with any usage with respect thereto, or to indicate any special limitations or restrictions to which the Shares evidenced by a particular Certificate are subject.

 

(c)     The Sponsor and the Trustee have applied to DTC for acceptance of the Shares in its book-entry settlement system. Shares deposited with DTC shall be evidenced by one or more global Certificates which shall be registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee for DTC, and shall bear the following legend:

 

UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“DTC”), TO THE AGENT AUTHORIZED BY THE ISSUER FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE, OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.

 

 
- 7 -

 

 

(d)     So long as the Shares are eligible for book-entry settlement with DTC and such settlement is available, unless otherwise required by law, notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 2.2(a) and (b), all Shares shall be evidenced by one or more global Certificates the Registered Owner of which is DTC or a nominee of DTC and (i) no Beneficial Owner of Shares will be entitled to receive a separate Certificate evidencing those Shares, (ii) the interest of a Beneficial Owner in Shares represented by a global Certificate will be shown only on, and transfer of that interest will be effected only through, records maintained by DTC or a DTC Participant or Indirect Participant through which the Beneficial Owner holds that interest and (iii) the rights of a Beneficial Owner with respect to Shares represented by a global Certificate will be exercised only to the extent allowed by, and in compliance with, the arrangements in effect between such Beneficial Owner and DTC or the DTC Participant or Indirect Participant through which that Beneficial Owner holds an interest in Shares.

 

(e)     If, at any time when Shares are evidenced by a global Certificate, DTC ceases to make its book-entry settlement system available for such Shares, the Trustee shall execute and deliver separate Certificates evidencing Shares to the DTC Participants entitled thereto, with such additions, deletions and modifications to this Agreement and to the form of Certificate evidencing Shares as the Sponsor and the Trustee may agree.

 

(f)     Title to a Certificate evidencing Shares (and to the Shares evidenced thereby), when properly endorsed or accompanied by proper instruments of transfer, shall be transferable by delivery with the same effect as in the case of a negotiable instrument under the laws of New York; provided , however , that the Trustee, notwithstanding any notice to the contrary, may treat the Registered Owner of Shares as the absolute owner thereof for the purpose of determining the Person entitled to any distribution or to any notice provided for in this Agreement and for all other purposes.

 

Section 2.3.     Deposit of Gold .

 

(a)     The issuance and Delivery of Shares will take place only in integral numbers of Baskets and in compliance with the provisions of this Agreement, as supplemented by any procedures attached to an applicable Authorized Participant Agreement, to the extent those procedures are consistent with this Agreement. Authorized Participants wishing to acquire from the Trustee one or more Baskets must place an order with the Trustee (a “Purchase Order”) on any Business Day. Purchase Orders received by the Trustee prior to the Order Cutoff Time on a Business Day on which a Valuation Relevant Price is announced will have that Business Day as the Order Date. Purchase Orders received by the Trustee on or after the Order Cutoff Time on a Business Day, or on a Business Day on which no Valuation Relevant Price is announced, will not be accepted. As consideration for each Basket acquired, Authorized Participants must deposit with the Custodian the Basket Gold Amount determined by the Trustee on the Order Date of the corresponding Purchase Order. Gold must be Delivered to the Custodian in the form of Gold bars only, except that an amount of Gold not exceeding 430 Ounces may be Delivered to the Custodian on an Unallocated Basis.

 

 
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(b)     The Trustee shall determine the Basket Gold Amount for each Business Day. The “Basket Gold Amount” shall be an amount of Gold equal to the result obtained by dividing the Net Asset Value per Basket on the date on which the determination is being made by the price used by the Trustee to evaluate Gold held by the Trust on such date in compliance with Section 4.1. For purposes of this computation, “Net Asset Value per Basket” is the result obtained by multiplying (x) the Net Asset Value per Share determined in compliance with Section 4.3, by (y) the number of Shares which constitute a Basket on the date on which the determination is being made. Fractions of a Fine Ounce of Gold included in the Basket Gold Amount smaller than .001 Fine Ounce shall be disregarded. The Sponsor intends to publish, or may designate other Persons to publish, for each Business Day, the Basket Gold Amount.

 

(c)     If the Trust Property includes money or any property other than Gold, no deposits of Gold will be accepted until after a record date for distribution of that money or property, or proceeds of that property, has passed.

 

(d)     All deposited Gold shall be owned by the Trust and held for the Trust by the Custodian. The Trustee shall require the Custodian to agree that the Custodian will use reasonable efforts to minimize the amount of Gold held for the Trust on an Unallocated Basis at all times including, if so agreed to by the Custodian, by allocating from time to time to the Trust one or more Gold bars with an aggregate weight in excess of the amount owned by the Trust (in which case, such Gold bar or bars will be co-owned with the Custodian to the extent of such excess). Cash and any other assets of the Trust shall be held by the Trustee at such place and in such manner as the Trustee shall determine.

 

Section 2.4.      Delivery of Shares . Upon receipt by the Trustee of any deposit in accordance with Section 2.3, together with a Purchase Order and the other documents required as above specified, if any, and a confirmation from the Custodian that the Gold Deposit Amount has been Delivered to the Custodian for each Basket of Shares and the Custodian is holding that Gold for the account of the Trust, the Trustee, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, shall Deliver to the Depositor the number of Baskets of Shares issuable in respect of such deposit as requested in the corresponding Purchase Order, but only upon payment to the Trustee of the fees and expenses of the Trustee as provided in Section 5.7 and of all taxes and governmental charges and fees payable in connection with such deposit, the transfer of the Gold and the issuance and Delivery of the Shares.

 

Section 2.5.      Registration and Registration of Transfer of Shares; Combination and Split-up of Certificates .

 

(a)      The Trustee shall keep or cause to be kept a register of Registered Owners of Shares and shall provide for the registration of Shares and the registration of transfers of Shares.

 

(b)     The Trustee, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, shall register transfers of ownership of Shares on its transfer books from time to time, upon any Surrender of a Certificate evidencing such Shares, by the Registered Owner in person or by a duly authorized attorney, properly endorsed or accompanied by proper instruments of transfer, and duly stamped as may be required by the laws of the State of New York and of the United States of America. Thereupon the Trustee shall execute a new Certificate or Certificates evidencing such Shares, and deliver the same to or upon the order of the Person entitled thereto.

 

 
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(c)     The Trustee, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, shall, upon Surrender of a Certificate or Certificates evidencing Shares for the purposes of effecting a split-up or combination of that Certificate or Certificates, execute and deliver one or more new Certificates evidencing those Shares.

 

(d)     The Trustee may, with the written approval of the Sponsor (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld), appoint one or more co-transfer agents for the purpose of effecting registration of transfers of Shares and combinations and split-ups of Certificates at designated transfer offices on behalf of the Trustee. In carrying out its functions, a co-transfer agent may require evidence of authority and compliance with applicable laws and other requirements by Registered Owners or Persons entitled to Shares and will be entitled to protection and indemnity to the same extent as the Trustee.

 

Section 2.6.      Surrender of Shares and Withdrawal of Trust Property .

 

(a)     Upon Surrender of any integral number of Baskets for the purpose of withdrawal of the amount of Trust Property represented thereby, and upon payment of the fee of the Trustee in connection with the Surrender of Shares as provided in Section 5.7 and payment of all taxes and charges payable in connection with such Surrender and withdrawal of Trust Property, and subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, an Authorized Participant acting on authority of the Beneficial Owner of those Shares will be entitled to Delivery, in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, as supplemented by any procedures attached to an applicable Authorized Participant Agreement, to the extent those procedures are consistent with this Agreement, of the amount of Trust Property at the time represented by such Baskets, including the Basket Gold Amounts corresponding to such Baskets on the applicable Order Date (determined as provided below). Authorized Participants wishing to redeem one or more Baskets must place an order with the Trustee (a “Redemption Order”) on any Business Day. Redemption Orders received by the Trustee prior to the Order Cutoff Time on a Business Day on which a Valuation Relevant Price is announced will have that Business Day as the Order Date. Redemption Orders received by the Trustee on or after the Order Cutoff Time on any Business Day, or on a Business Day on which no Valuation Relevant Price is announced, will not be accepted. Unless otherwise agreed to by the Custodian, Gold will be Delivered by the Custodian in the form of Gold bars only, except that an amount of Gold not exceeding 430 Ounces may be Delivered by the Custodian on an Unallocated Basis. While a redeeming Authorized Participant will be entitled to express a preference as to the city where it would like to have the Basket Gold Amount delivered, the Trustee, in consultation with the Custodian and taking into account the best interests of the Trust and the Registered Owners, will have final authority to decide where such Delivery will take place.

 

 
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(b)     The Trustee may require that a Certificate evidencing Shares Surrendered for the purpose of withdrawal is properly endorsed in blank or accompanied by proper instruments of transfer in blank. Upon a Surrender of an integral number of Baskets of Shares and satisfaction of all the conditions for withdrawal of Trust Property, the Trustee shall instruct the Custodian to Deliver, at the Custodian’s office or at another location at which Trust Property is then being held, to or to the order of the Surrendering Authorized Participant the amount of Gold represented by the Surrendered Baskets of Shares and the Trustee shall pay or deliver to or to the order of the Surrendering Authorized Participant the amount of any other Trust Property represented by the Surrendered Baskets of Shares. Any Delivery of Gold other than at the office of the Custodian or a sub-custodian designated by the Custodian will be at the expense and risk of the Authorized Participant. The Trustee will not be responsible to any Person if it is not practical for the Custodian to make Delivery of Gold in the city requested or if the Trustee determines to effect Delivery in a city other than the city requested by the Surrendering Authorized Participant. The Trustee is not required to effect any physical movement of Gold from one custody location to another to meet any request by a Surrendering Authorized Participant as to where Gold will be Delivered.

 

Section 2.7.      Limitations on Delivery, Registration of Transfer and Surrender of Shares .

 

(a)     As a condition precedent to the Delivery, registration of transfer, split-up, combination or Surrender of any Shares or withdrawal of any Trust Property, the Trustee or Registrar may require payment from the Depositor or the Authorized Participant Surrendering the Shares of a sum sufficient to reimburse it for any tax or other governmental charge and any stock transfer or registration fee with respect thereto (including any such tax or charge and fee with respect to any securities being withdrawn) and payment of any applicable fees as herein provided, may require the production of proof satisfactory to it as to the identity and genuineness of any signature and may also require compliance with any regulations the Trustee may establish consistent with the provisions of this Agreement, including, without limitation, this Section 2.7.

 

(b)     The Delivery of Shares against deposits of Gold and the registration of transfer of Shares may be suspended generally, or refused with respect to particular requested Deliveries, during any period when the transfer books of the Trustee are closed or if any such action is deemed necessary or advisable by the Trustee or the Sponsor for any reason at any time or from time to time. Except as otherwise provided elsewhere in this Agreement, the Surrender of Shares for purposes of withdrawing Trust Property may be suspended only (i) during any period in which the Exchange is closed (other than scheduled holiday or weekend closings) or regular trading thereon is suspended or restricted, or (ii) during an emergency as a result of which Delivery, disposal or evaluation of Gold is not reasonably practicable.

 

Section 2.8.      Lost Certificates, Etc . The Trustee shall execute and deliver a new Certificate of like tenor in exchange and substitution for a mutilated Certificate upon cancellation thereof, or in lieu of and in substitution for a destroyed, lost or stolen Certificate if the Registered Owner thereof has (a) filed with the Trustee (i) a request for such execution and delivery before the Trustee has notice that the Shares evidenced by the Certificate have been acquired by a protected purchaser and (ii) a sufficient indemnity bond, and (b) satisfied any other reasonable requirements imposed by the Trustee.

 

Section 2.9.      Cancellation and Destruction of Surrendered Certificates . All Certificates Surrendered to the Trustee shall be canceled by the Trustee. The Trustee is authorized to destroy Certificates so canceled.

 

 
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Section 2.10.      Splits and Reverse Splits of Shares . If requested in writing by the Sponsor, the Trustee shall effect a split or reverse split of the Shares as of a record date set by the Trustee in accordance with procedures determined by the Trustee.

 

The Trustee is not required to distribute any fraction of a Share in connection with a split or reverse split of the Shares. The Trustee may sell the aggregated fractions of Shares that would otherwise be distributed in a split or reverse split of the Shares or the amount of Trust Property that would be represented by those Shares and distribute the net proceeds of those Shares or that Trust Property to the Record Owners entitled to them.

 

The amount of Trust Property represented by each Share and the Basket Gold Amount shall be adjusted as appropriate as of the open of business on the Business Day following the record date for a split or reverse split of the Shares.

 

ARTICLE 3.

CERTAIN OBLIGATIONS OF REGISTERED OWNERS OF SHARES

 

Section 3.1.      Liability of Registered Owner for Taxes and Other Governmental Charges . If any tax or other governmental charge shall become payable by the Trustee with respect to any transfer or redemption of Shares, such tax or other governmental charge shall be payable by the Registered Owner of such Shares to the Trustee. The Trustee shall refuse to effect any registration of transfer of such Shares or any withdrawal of Trust Property represented by such Shares until such payment is made, and may withhold any distributions, or may sell for the account of the Registered Owner thereof Trust Property or Shares, and may apply such distributions or the proceeds of any such sale in payment of such tax or other governmental charge, and the Registered Owner of such Shares shall remain liable for any deficiency. The Trustee shall distribute any net proceeds of a sale made under the preceding sentence that remain, after payment of the tax or other governmental charge, to the Registered Owners entitled thereto as in the case of a distribution in cash.

 

Section 3.2.      Warranties on Deposit of Gold . Every Person depositing Gold under this Agreement shall be deemed thereby to represent and warrant that the Gold meets the requirements to be Gold and contains the required number of Fine Ounces, that the Person making such deposit is duly authorized to do so and that at the time of delivery, the Gold is free and clear of any lien, pledge, encumbrance, right, charge or claim (other than the rights created by this Agreement). All representations and warranties deemed made under this Section 3.2 shall survive the deposit of Gold, Delivery or Surrender of Shares or termination of this Agreement.

 

 
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ARTICLE 4.

ADMINISTRATION OF THE TRUST

 

Section 4.1.     Evaluation of Gold . As promptly as practicable after 4:00 p.m. (New York time), on each Business Day, the Trustee shall determine the value of the Gold held by the Trust on the basis of the Valuation Relevant Price for that day. If no Valuation Relevant Price is announced on a Business Day, the Trustee shall determine the value of the Gold held by the Trust for that day on the basis of the most recently announced Valuation Relevant Price. However, if the Trustee and the Sponsor determine that the price specified in the two preceding sentences is inappropriate as a basis for evaluation, they shall identify an alternative basis for evaluation to be employed by the Trustee. Gold deliverable under a Purchase Order shall be included in the amount of Gold held for the purposes of this Section 4.1 beginning on the first Business Day following the Order Date. Gold deliverable under a Redemption Order shall be excluded from the amount of Gold held for the purposes of this Section 4.1 beginning on the first Business Day following the Order Date. Neither the Trustee nor the Sponsor shall be liable to any Person for the determination that the most recently announced Valuation Relevant Price is not appropriate as a basis for evaluation of the Gold held by the Trust or for any determination as to the alternative basis for evaluation, provided that such determination is made in good faith. If the Sponsor shall determine from time to time that a given price will be the "Valuation Relevant Price", public notice of that determination shall be given prior to the first Business Day on which such price is used to value the Gold held by the Trust

 

Section 4.2.      Responsibility of the Trustee for Evaluations . The Sponsor, Depositors, Registered Owners and Beneficial Owners may rely on any evaluation or determination of any amount made by the Trustee, and the Sponsor shall have no responsibility for the accuracy thereof. The determinations made by the Trustee under this Agreement shall be made in good faith upon the basis of, and the Trustee shall not be liable for any errors contained in, information reasonably available to it. The Trustee shall be under no liability to the Sponsor, or to Depositors, Registered Owners or Beneficial Owners, for errors in judgment; provided , however , that this provision shall not protect the Trustee against any liability to which it would otherwise be subject by reason of negligence or bad faith in the performance of its duties.

 

Section 4.3.      Trust Evaluation . As promptly as practicable after completion of the evaluation required under Section 4.1 on each Business Day, the Trustee shall subtract all accrued fees, expenses and other liabilities of the Trust from the total value of the Gold held by the Trust determined by the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.1 and all other assets of the Trust. The resulting figure is the "Net Asset Value" of the Trust. The Trustee shall also divide the Net Asset Value of the Trust by the number of Shares outstanding as of the close of business on the date of the evaluation then being made, which figure is the "Net Asset Value per Share." Shares deliverable under a Purchase Order shall be considered to be outstanding for purposes of this Section 4.3 beginning on the first Business Day following the Order Date. Shares deliverable under a Redemption Order shall not be considered to be outstanding for purposes of this Section 4.3 beginning on the first Business Day following the Order Date.

 

Section 4.4.      Cash Distributions . Whenever the Trustee distributes any cash, the Trustee shall distribute the amount available for the distribution to the Registered Owners entitled thereto, in proportion to the number of Shares held by them respectively; provided , however , that in the event that the Trustee shall be required to withhold and does withhold from such cash an amount on account of taxes, the amount distributed to the Registered Owners shall be reduced accordingly. The Trustee shall distribute only such amount, however, as can be distributed without attributing to any Registered Owner a fraction of one cent. Any such fractional amounts shall be rounded to the nearest whole cent and so distributed to Registered Owners entitled thereto.

 

 
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Section 4.5.      Other Distributions . Whenever the Trustee receives any property in respect of Trust Property other than cash proceeds of a sale of Trust Property (including any claim that accrues in favor of the Trust on account of any loss of deposited Gold or other Trust Property), the Trustee shall cause the securities or other property received by it to be distributed to the Registered Owners entitled thereto, in proportion to the number of Shares held by them respectively, after deduction or upon payment of the expenses of the Trustee, in any manner that the Trustee may deem lawful, equitable and feasible for accomplishing such distribution; provided , however , that if in the opinion of the Trustee such distribution cannot be made proportionately among the Registered Owners entitled thereto, or if for any other reason (including, but not limited to, any requirement that the Trustee withhold an amount on account of taxes or other governmental charges or that securities must be registered under the Securities Act of 1933 in order to be distributed to Registered Owners) the Trustee deems such distribution not to be lawful and feasible, the Trustee shall adopt such method as it deems lawful, equitable and feasible for the purpose of effecting such distribution, after deduction or upon payment of the expenses of the Trustee, including, but not limited to, the public or private sale of the securities or property thus received, or any part thereof, and the net proceeds of any such sale shall be distributed by the Trustee to the Registered Owners entitled thereto as in the case of a distribution received in cash.

 

Section 4.6.     Fixing of Record Date . Whenever any distribution will be made, or whenever the Trustee receives notice of any solicitation of proxies or consents from Registered Owners, or whenever for any reason there is split, reverse split or other change in the outstanding Shares, or whenever the Trustee shall find it necessary or convenient in respect of any matter, the Trustee, in consultation with the Sponsor, shall fix a record date for the determination of the Registered Owners who shall be (i) entitled to receive such distribution or the net proceeds of the sale thereof, (ii) entitled to give such proxies or consents in respect of any such solicitation or (iii) entitled to act in respect of any other matter for which the record date was set.

 

Section 4.7.      Payment of Expenses; Gold Sales .

 

(a)        The following charges are or may be accrued and paid by the Trust:

 

(1)     the service fee payable to the Sponsor as set forth in Section 5.8;

 

(2)     expenses of the Trust not assumed by the Sponsor pursuant to Section 5.3(g);

 

(3)     taxes and other governmental charges;

 

(4)     expenses and costs of any extraordinary services performed by the Trustee or the Sponsor on behalf of the Trust or action taken by the Trustee or the Sponsor to protect the Trust or the interests of Registered Owners; and

 

(5)     indemnification of the Sponsor as provided in Section 5.6(d).

 

 
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The Trustee shall, when directed by the Sponsor, and, in the absence of such direction, may, in its discretion, sell Gold in such quantity and at such times, as may be necessary to permit payment of expenses under this Agreement. The Trustee is authorized to sell Gold at such times and in the smallest amounts required to permit payment of expenses as they come due, it being the intention to avoid or minimize the Trust’s holdings of assets other than Gold. Neither the Trustee nor the Sponsor shall have any liability for loss or depreciation resulting from sales of Gold so made. The Trustee shall not be liable or responsible in any way for depreciation or loss incurred by reason of any sale made pursuant to the Sponsor’s direction or otherwise in accordance with this Section.

 

(b)     If at any time and from time to time, the Trustee and Sponsor determine that the amount of cash included in the Trust Property exceeds the anticipated expenses of the Trust during the following month, the Trustee shall distribute the excess to the Registered Owners under Section 4.4.

 

Section 4.8.      Statements and Reports .

 

(a)     After the end of each fiscal year and within the time period required by applicable laws, rules and regulations, at the Sponsor’s expense, the Trustee shall send to the Registered Owners at the end of such fiscal year, an annual report of the Trust containing financial statements that will be prepared by the Trustee and audited by independent accountants designated by the Sponsor and such other information as may be required by such laws, rules and regulations or otherwise, or which the Sponsor determines shall be included. The Trustee may distribute the annual report by any means acceptable to the Registered Owners.

 

(b)     The Trustee shall provide the Sponsor with such certifications, supporting documents and other evidence regarding the Internal Control Over Financial Reporting established and maintained by the Trust, and used by the Trustee in connection with its preparation of the financial statements of the Trust, as may be reasonably necessary in order to enable the Sponsor to prepare and file or furnish to the Commission any certifications regarding such matters which may be required to be included with the Trust’s periodic reports under the Exchange Act.

 

Section 4.9.      Further Provisions for Gold Sales . In addition to selling Gold in accordance with Section 4.7, the Trustee shall sell Gold whenever any one or more of the following conditions exist:

 

(a)     the Sponsor has notified the Trustee that such sale is required by applicable law or regulation; or

 

(b)     this Agreement has been terminated and the Trust Property is to be liquidated in accordance with Section 6.2.

 

Unless otherwise directed by the Sponsor, when selling Gold the Trustee shall endeavor to place orders with dealers (which may include the Custodian) through which it may reasonably expect to obtain a favorable price and good execution of orders.

 

The Trustee and the Sponsor shall not be liable or responsible in any way for depreciation or loss incurred by reason of any sale made pursuant to this Section 4.9.

 

 
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Section 4.10.    Counsel . The Sponsor may from time to time employ counsel to act on behalf of the Trust and perform any legal services in connection with the Gold and the Trust, including any legal matters relating to the possible disposition or acquisition of any Gold. The fees and expenses of such counsel shall be paid by the Sponsor.

 

Section 4.11.    Grantor Trust . Nothing in this Agreement, any agreement with a Custodian, or otherwise, shall be construed to give the Trustee the power to vary the investment of the Beneficial Owners within the meaning of Section 301.7701-4(c) under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) or any similar or successor provision of the regulations under the Code, nor shall the Sponsor give the Trustee any direction that would vary the investment of the Beneficial Owners. However, the Trustee shall not be liable to any Person for any failure of the Trust to qualify as a grantor trust under the Code or any comparable provision of the laws of any State or other jurisdiction where that treatment is sought, except that this sentence shall not limit the Trustee’s responsibility for the administration of the Trust in accordance with this Agreement.

 

ARTICLE 5.

THE TRUSTEE AND THE SPONSOR

 

Section 5.1.      Maintenance of Office and Transfer Books by the Trustee .

 

(a)     Until termination of this Agreement in accordance with its terms, the Trustee shall maintain facilities for the execution and Delivery, registration, registration of transfers and Surrender of Shares in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.

 

(b)     The Trustee shall keep books for the registration of Shares and registration of transfers of Shares which at all reasonable times shall be open for inspection by the Registered Owners.

 

(c)     The Trustee may, and at the reasonable written request of the Sponsor shall, close the transfer books at any time or from time to time if such action is deemed necessary or advisable in the reasonable judgment of the Trustee or the Sponsor.

 

(d)     If any Shares are listed on one or more stock exchanges in the United States, the Trustee shall act as Registrar or, with the written approval of the Sponsor (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld), appoint a registrar or one or more co-registrars for registry of such Shares in accordance with any requirements of such exchange or exchanges.

 

Section 5.2.      Prevention or Delay in Performance by the Sponsor or the Trustee . Neither the Sponsor nor the Trustee nor any of their respective directors, employees, agents or affiliates shall incur any liability to any Registered Owner, Beneficial Owner or Depositor if, by reason of any provision of any present or future law or regulation of the United States or any other country, or of any governmental or regulatory authority or stock exchange, or by reason of any act of God or war or terrorism or other circumstances beyond its control, the Sponsor or the Trustee is prevented or forbidden from, or would be subject to any civil or criminal penalty on account of, or is delayed in, doing or performing any act or thing which by the terms of this Agreement it is provided shall be done or performed and accordingly the Sponsor or the Trustee does not do that thing or does that thing at a later time than would otherwise be required. The Sponsor and the Trustee will not incur any liability to any Registered Owner or Beneficial Owner or Depositor by reason of any non-performance or delay in the performance of any act or thing which by the terms of this Agreement it is provided may be done or performed, or by reason of any exercise of, or failure to exercise, any discretion provided for in this Agreement.

 

 
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Section 5.3.      Obligations of the Sponsor and the Trustee .

 

(a)     Neither the Sponsor nor the Trustee assumes any obligation nor shall either of them be subject to any liability under this Agreement to any Registered Owner or Beneficial Owner or Depositor (including, without limitation, liability with respect to the worth of the Trust Property), except that each of them agrees to perform its obligations specifically set forth in this Agreement without negligence or bad faith.

 

(b)     Neither the Sponsor nor the Trustee shall be under any obligation to prosecute any action, suit or other proceeding in respect of any Trust Property or in respect of the Shares on behalf of a Registered Owner, Beneficial Owner, Depositor or other Person.

 

(c)     Neither the Sponsor nor the Trustee shall be liable for any action or non-action by it in reliance upon the advice of or information from legal counsel, accountants, any Depositor, any Registered Owner or any other Person believed by it in good faith to be competent to give such advice or information.

 

(d)     The Trustee shall not be liable for any acts or omissions made by a successor Trustee whether in connection with a previous act or omission of the Trustee or in connection with any matter arising wholly after the resignation of the Trustee, provided that in connection with the issue out of which such potential liability arises the Trustee performed its obligations without negligence or bad faith while it acted as Trustee.

 

(e)     The Trustee and the Sponsor shall have no obligation to comply with any direction or instruction from any Registered Owner or Beneficial Owner or Depositor regarding Shares except to the extent specifically provided in this Agreement.

 

(f)      The Trustee shall be a fiduciary under this Agreement; provided , however , that the fiduciary duties and responsibilities and liabilities of the Trustee shall be limited by, and shall be only those specifically set forth in, this Agreement.

 

(g)     The Sponsor shall be responsible for all organizational expenses of the Trust, and for the following administrative and marketing expenses of the Trust: the Trustee’s monthly fee, the Custodian’s fee, listing fees of the Exchange, registration fees charged by the Commission, printing and mailing costs, audit fees and expenses and legal fees and expenses not in excess of $100,000 per year.

 

Section 5.4.      Resignation or Removal of the Trustee; Appointment of Successor Trustee .

 

(a)     The Trustee may at any time resign as Trustee hereunder by written notice of its election so to do, delivered to the Sponsor, and such resignation shall take effect upon the appointment of a successor Trustee and its acceptance of such appointment as hereinafter provided.

 

 
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(b)     The Sponsor may remove the Trustee in its discretion by written notice delivered to the Trustee in the manner provided in Section 7.5 at least 90 days prior to the fifth anniversary of the date of the Original Depositary Trust Agreement or, thereafter, by written notice delivered to the Trustee at least 90 days prior to the last day of any subsequent three-year period.

 

(c)     If at any time the Trustee

 

(i)     ceases to be a Qualified Bank,

 

(ii)    is in material breach of its obligations under this Agreement and fails to cure such breach within 30 days after receipt of written notice from the Sponsor or Registered Owners acting on behalf of at least 25% of the outstanding Shares specifying such default and requiring the Trustee to cure such default, or

 

(iii)   fails to consent to the implementation of an amendment to the Trust’s initial Internal Control Over Financial Reporting deemed necessary by the Sponsor and, after consultations with the Sponsor, the Sponsor and the Trustee fail to resolve their differences regarding such proposed amendment,

 

the Sponsor, acting on behalf of the Registered Owners, may remove the Trustee by written notice delivered to the Trustee in the manner provided in Section 7.5, and such removal shall take effect upon the appointment of a successor Trustee and its acceptance of such appointment as hereinafter provided.

 

(d)     If the Trustee acting hereunder resigns or is removed, the Sponsor, acting on behalf of the Registered Owners, shall use its reasonable efforts to appoint a successor Trustee, which shall be a Qualified Bank. Every successor Trustee shall execute and deliver to its predecessor and to the Sponsor, acting on behalf of the Registered Owners, an instrument in writing accepting its appointment hereunder, and thereupon such successor Trustee, without any further act or deed, shall become fully vested with all the rights, powers, duties and obligations of its predecessor; but such predecessor, nevertheless, upon payment of all sums due it and on the written request of the Sponsor, acting on behalf of the Registered Owners, shall execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor all rights and powers of such predecessor hereunder, shall duly assign, transfer and deliver all right, title and interest in the Trust Property to such successor, and shall deliver to such successor a list of the Registered Owners of all outstanding Shares. The Sponsor or any such successor Trustee shall promptly mail notice of the appointment of such successor Trustee to the Registered Owners.

 

(e)     Any corporation into which the Trustee may be merged, consolidated or converted in a transaction in which the Trustee is not the surviving corporation shall be the successor of the Trustee without the execution or filing of any document or any further act. During the 90-day period following the effectiveness of a merger, consolidation or conversion described in the preceding sentence, the Sponsor may, by written notice to the Trustee, remove the Trustee and designate a successor Trustee in compliance with the provisions of subsection (c) above.

 

 
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Section 5.5.      The Custodian .

 

(a)     The direction to the Trustee to enter into the Custodian Agreement with the Current Custodian is hereby confirmed. If, upon the resignation of any Custodian, there would be no Custodian acting hereunder, the Trustee shall, promptly after receiving notice of such resignation, at the direction of the Sponsor appoint a substitute custodian or custodians selected by the Sponsor, each of which shall thereafter be a Custodian hereunder. When directed by the Sponsor, and to the extent permitted by, and in the manner provided by, the relevant Custodian Agreement, the Trustee shall remove the Custodian and appoint a substitute custodian or appoint an additional custodian or custodians selected by the Sponsor, each of which shall thereafter be a Custodian hereunder. Each such substitute or additional custodian shall, forthwith upon its appointment, enter into one or more Custodian Agreements in form and substance approved by the Sponsor (provided, however, that the rights and duties of the Trustee hereunder and under the then-existing Custodian Agreements shall not be materially altered by such new Custodian Agreements without its consent). After the date of this Agreement, the Trustee shall not enter into or amend any Custodian Agreement with a Custodian without the written approval of the Sponsor (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed). When instructed by the Sponsor, the Trustee shall demand that a Custodian deliver such of the Gold held by it as is requested of it to any other Custodian or such substitute or additional Custodian or Custodians selected by the Sponsor. In connection with such delivery, the Trustee will, solely if and in the manner directed by the Sponsor, cause the physical Gold to be weighed or assayed and any such weighing and assay shall be an expense of the Trust pursuant to Section 4.7(a)(2). The Trustee shall have no liability for any delivery of Gold or weighing or assaying of delivered physical Gold directed by the Sponsor pursuant to the preceding provisions of this paragraph and, in the absence of such direction from the Sponsor, shall have no obligation to effect such a delivery or to cause the delivered physical Gold to be weighed, assayed or otherwise validated.

 

(b)     The Trustee shall have no obligation to monitor the activities of any Custodian other than (i) to receive and review such reports of the Gold held for the Trust by such Custodian and of transactions in Gold held for the account of the Trust made by such Custodian pursuant to the Custodian Agreement and (ii) to send a form of annual questionnaire for such Custodian to the Sponsor for the Sponsor’s review and approval, to send the annual questionnaire as approved by the Sponsor to such Custodian and, upon receipt of such Custodian’s responses to the annual questionnaire, to forward such responses to the Sponsor and to facilitate any further inquiry of such Custodian regarding such responses which may be specified by the Sponsor . The accounts and operations of, and the Gold held for the Trust by, each Custodian shall be audited or examined by accountants, auditors or other inspectors selected by the Sponsor at such times as directed by the Sponsor and as permitted by the Custodian Agreements. In no event shall the Trustee be liable for (i) any loss or damage resulting from the actions or omissions of, or the insolvency of, any Custodian or loss or damage to the Gold while in the possession of, or in transit to or from, any Custodian, (ii) the amount, validity or adequacy of insurance maintained by any Custodian, (iii) any defect in Gold held by any Custodian, (iv) any failure of the Gold to conform to the requirements of “good delivery” under the rules of the London Bullion Market Association or (v) any failure of the Gold to conform to a description thereof provided by any Custodian to the Trustee.

 

 
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(c)     Upon the appointment of any successor Trustee hereunder, each Custodian then acting under Custodian Agreements with the predecessor of such Trustee shall forthwith become, without any further act or writing, the agent hereunder of such successor Trustee, and the appointment of such successor Trustee shall in no way impair the authority of each such Custodian; but the successor Trustee so appointed shall, nevertheless, on the written request of any Custodian, execute and deliver to such Custodian all such instruments as may be proper to give to such Custodian full and complete power and authority as agent hereunder of such successor Trustee.

 

Section 5.6.      Indemnification .

 

(a)     The Sponsor shall indemnify the Trustee, its directors, employees and agents (the “Trustee Indemnified Persons”) against, and hold each of them harmless from, any loss, liability, cost, expense or judgment (including, but not limited to, the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel) (collectively “Indemnified Amounts”) that is incurred by any of them and that arises out of or is related to (i) any offer or sale by the Trust of Baskets of Shares under this Agreement, (ii) acts performed or omitted pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement, as the same may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, (A) by a Trustee Indemnified Person or (B) by the Sponsor or (iii) any filings with or submissions to the Commission in connection with or with respect to the Shares (which by way of illustration and not by way of limitation, include any registration statement and any amendments or supplements thereto filed with the Commission or any periodic reports or updates that may be filed under the Exchange Act, or any failure to make any filings with or submissions to the Commission which are required to be made in connection with or with respect to the Shares), except that the Sponsor shall not have any obligations under this Section 5.6(a) to pay Indemnified Amounts incurred as a result of and attributable to (x) the negligence or bad faith of, or material breach of the terms of this Agreement by, the Trustee, (y) written information furnished in writing by the Trustee to the Sponsor expressly for use in the registration statement, or any amendment thereto, or periodic or other report filed with the Commission relating to the Shares that is not materially altered by the Sponsor or (z) any misrepresentations or omissions made by a Depositor (other than the Sponsor) in connection with such Depositor’s offer and sale of Shares.

 

(b)     The Trustee shall indemnify the Sponsor, its directors, employees and agents against, and hold each of them harmless from, any Indemnified Amounts (i) caused by the negligence or bad faith of the Trustee or (ii) arising out of any information furnished in writing to the Sponsor by the Trustee expressly for use in the registration statement, or any amendment thereto or periodic or other report, filed with the Commission relating to the Shares that is not materially altered by the Sponsor.

 

 
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(c)     If the indemnification provided for in Section 5.6(a) or (b) is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless the indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above, then the indemnifying party shall contribute to the Indemnified Amounts referred to in subsection (a) or (b) above (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Sponsor on the one hand and the Trustee on the other hand from the offering of the Shares which are the subject of the action or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Sponsor on the one hand and the Trustee on the other hand in connection with the action, statement or omission which resulted in such Indemnified Amount as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact from which the action arises relates to information supplied by the Sponsor or the Trustee and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission or the act or omission from which the action arises. The amount of Indemnified Amounts referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (c) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim which is the subject of this subsection (c).

 

(d)     The Sponsor and its shareholders, directors, officers, employees, affiliates (as such term is defined under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) and subsidiaries (each a “Sponsor Indemnified Party”) shall be indemnified from the Trust and held harmless against any loss, liability or expense incurred without (1) negligence, bad faith, willful misconduct or willful malfeasance on the part of such Sponsor Indemnified Party arising out of or in connection with the performance of its obligations under this Agreement or any actions taken in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement or (2) reckless disregard on the part of such Sponsor Indemnified Party of its obligations and duties under this Agreement. Such indemnity shall include payment from the Trust of the costs and expenses incurred by such Sponsor Indemnified Party in defending itself against any claim or liability in its capacity as Sponsor. Any amounts payable to a Sponsor Indemnified Party under this Section 5.6(d) may be payable in advance or shall be secured by a lien on the Trust. The Sponsor may, in its discretion, undertake any action which it may deem necessary or desirable in respect of this Agreement and the rights and duties of the parties hereto and the interests of the Registered Owners and, in such event, the legal expenses and costs of any such actions shall be expenses and costs of the Trust and the Sponsor shall be entitled to be reimbursed therefor by the Trust.

 

 
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(e)     If an action, proceeding (including, but not limited to, any governmental investigation), claim or dispute (collectively, a “Proceeding”) in respect of which indemnity may be sought by either party is brought or asserted against the other party, the party seeking indemnification (the “Indemnitee”) shall promptly (and in no event more than seven (7) days after receipt of notice of such Proceeding) notify the party obligated to provide such indemnification (the “Indemnitor”) of such Proceeding. The failure of the Indemnitee to so notify the Indemnitor shall not impair the Indemnitee’s ability to seek indemnification from the Indemnitor (but only for costs, expenses and liabilities incurred after such notice) unless such failure adversely affects the Indemnitor’s ability to adequately oppose or defend such Proceeding. Upon receipt of such notice from the Indemnitee, the Indemnitor shall be entitled to participate in such Proceeding and, to the extent that it shall so desire and provided no conflict of interest exists as specified in clause (i) below and there are no other defenses available to Indemnitee as specified in clause (iii) below, to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnitee (in which case all attorney’s fees and expenses shall be borne by the Indemnitor and the Indemnitor shall in good faith defend the Indemnitee). The Indemnitee shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such Proceeding and to participate in the defense thereof, but, in such case, no fees and expenses of such counsel shall be borne by the Indemnitor unless such fees and expenses are otherwise required to be indemnified under Section 5.06(a), (b) or (d), as applicable, and (i) there is such a conflict of interest between the Indemnitor and the Indemnitee as would preclude, in compliance with the ethical rules in effect in the jurisdiction in which the Proceeding was brought, one lawyer from representing both parties simultaneously, (ii) the Indemnitor fails, within the earlier of (x) twenty (20) days following receipt of notice of the Proceeding from the Indemnitee or (y) seven (7) days prior to the date the first response or appearance is required to be made in such Proceeding, to assume the defense of such Proceeding with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnitee or (iii) there are legal defenses available to Indemnitee that are different from or are in addition to those available to the Indemnitor. No compromise or settlement of such Proceeding may be effected by either party without the other party’s consent unless (m) there is no finding or admission of any violation of law and no effect on any other claims that may be made against such other party and (n) the sole relief provided is monetary damages that are paid in full by the party seeking the settlement. Neither party shall have any liability with respect to any compromise or settlement effected without its consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld. The Indemnitor shall have no obligation to indemnify and hold harmless the Indemnitee from any loss, expense or liability incurred by the Indemnitee as a result of a default judgment entered against the Indemnitee unless such judgment was entered after the Indemnitor agreed, in writing, to assume the defense of such Proceeding.

 

Section 5.7.      Charges of Trustee .

 

(a)     Each Depositor, and each Person surrendering Shares for the purpose of withdrawing Trust Property, shall pay to the Trustee a fee of $500 per transaction for the Delivery of Shares pursuant to Section 2.4 and the Surrender of Baskets of Shares pursuant to Section 2.6 or 6.2 (or such other fee as the Trustee, with the prior written consent of the Sponsor, may from time to time announce).

 

(b)     The Trustee is entitled to receive from the Sponsor fees for its services and reimbursement for its out-of-pocket expenses in accordance with written agreements between the Sponsor and the Trustee.

 

(c)     The Trustee is entitled to charge the Trust for all expenses and disbursements incurred by it under Section 5.12(a) or that are of the type described in Sections 4.7(a)(2) or (3) of this Agreement (including the fees and disbursements of its legal counsel), except that the Trustee is not entitled to charge the Trust for (i) expenses and disbursements incurred by it prior to the commencement of trading of Shares on the Exchange and (ii) fees of agents for performing services the Trustee is required to perform under this Agreement.

 

Section 5.8.      Charges of Sponsor .

 

(a)     The Sponsor is entitled to receive from the Trust, as an expense of the Trust, a fee for services at an annualized rate of 0.25% of Net Asset Value, computed and accrued on a daily basis in the manner instructed by the Sponsor and paid monthly in arrears.

 

 
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(b)     The Sponsor is entitled to receive reimbursement from the Trust for all expenses and disbursements incurred by it under the last sentence of Section 5.6(d) or that are of the type described in Sections 4.7(a)(2), (3) or (4) of this Agreement, except that the Sponsor is not entitled to charge the Trust for (i) expenses and disbursements incurred by it prior to the commencement of trading of Shares on the Exchange and (ii) fees of agents for performing services the Sponsor is required to perform under this Agreement.

 

Section 5.9.     Retention of Trust Documents . The Trustee is authorized to destroy those documents, records, bills and other data compiled during the term of this Agreement at the times permitted by the laws or regulations governing the Trustee, unless the Sponsor reasonably requests the Trustee in writing to retain those items for a longer period.

 

Section 5.10.    Federal Securities Law Filings .

 

(a)     The Sponsor shall (i) prepare and file a registration statement with the Commission and take such action as is necessary from time to time to qualify the Shares for offering and sale under the federal securities laws of the United States, including the preparation and filing of amendments and supplements to such registration statement, (ii) promptly notify the Trustee of any amendment or supplement to the registration statement or prospectus, of any order preventing or suspending the use of any prospectus, of any request for the amending or supplementing of the registration statement or prospectus or if any event or circumstance occurs which is known to the Sponsor as a result of which the registration statement or prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (iii) provide the Trustee from time to time with copies, including copies in electronic form, of the prospectus, as amended and supplemented, in such quantities as the Trustee may reasonably request and (iv) prepare and file any periodic reports or updates that may be required under the Exchange Act. The Trustee shall furnish to the Sponsor any information from the records of the Trust that the Sponsor reasonably requests in writing that is needed to prepare any filing or submission that the Sponsor or the Trust is required to make under the federal securities laws of the United States.

 

(b)     The Sponsor shall have all necessary and exclusive power and authority to (i) from time to time adopt, implement or amend such disclosure controls and procedures as are necessary or desirable, in the Sponsor’s reasonable judgment, to ensure compliance with the disclosure and ongoing reporting obligations under any applicable securities laws; (ii) appoint and remove the auditors of the Trust; and (iii) seek from the relevant securities or other regulatory authorities such relief, clarification or other action as the Sponsor shall deem necessary or desirable regarding the disclosure or financial reporting obligations of the Trust.

 

(c)     The policies and procedures comprising the Trust’s initial Internal Control Over Financial Reporting have been adopted and copies thereof have been delivered to the appropriate officers of the Sponsor and the Trustee. Amendments to such initial Internal Control Over Financial Reporting may be proposed from time to time by the Sponsor, but such amendments may not be adopted in connection with the preparation of the Trust’s financial statements without the Trustee’s consent (which consent will not be unreasonably withheld or delayed).

 

Section 5.11.    Prospectus Delivery . The Trustee shall, if required by the federal securities laws of the United States, in any manner permitted by such laws, deliver at the time of issuance of Shares, a copy of the relevant prospectus, as most recently furnished to the Trustee by the Sponsor, to each Depositor.

 

 
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Section 5.12.    Discretionary Actions by Trustee; Consultation .

 

(a)     The Trustee may, in its discretion, undertake any action that it considers necessary or desirable to protect the Trust or the interests of the Registered Owners. The expenses incurred by the Trustee in connection with taking any action under the preceding sentence (including the fees and disbursements of legal counsel) shall be expenses of the Trust, and the Trustee shall be entitled to be reimbursed for those expenses by the Trust.

 

(b)     The Trustee shall notify and consult with the Sponsor before undertaking any action under subsection (a) above or if the Trustee becomes aware of any development or event that affects the administration of the Trust but is not contemplated or provided for in this Agreement.

 

(c)     The Sponsor shall notify and consult with the Trustee before undertaking any action under the last sentence of Section 5.6(d) or if the Sponsor becomes aware of any development or event that affects the administration of the Trust but is not contemplated or provided for in this Agreement.

 

ARTICLE 6.

 

AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION

 

Section 6.1.      Amendment . The Trustee and the Sponsor may amend any provisions of this Agreement without the consent of any Registered Owner. Any amendment that imposes or increases any fees or charges (other than taxes and other governmental charges, registration fees or other such expenses), or that otherwise prejudices any substantial existing right of the Registered Owners will not become effective as to outstanding Shares until 30 days after notice of such amendment is given to the Registered Owners. Every Registered Owner and Beneficial Owner, at the time any amendment so becomes effective, shall be deemed, by continuing to hold any Shares or an interest therein, to consent and agree to such amendment and to be bound by this Agreement as amended thereby. In no event shall any amendment impair the right of the Registered Owner of Shares to Surrender Baskets of Shares and receive therefor the amount of Trust Property represented thereby, except in order to comply with mandatory provisions of applicable law.

 

Section 6.2.      Termination .

 

(a)     The Trustee shall set a date on which this Agreement will terminate and mail notice of that termination to the Registered Owners at least 30 days prior to the date set for termination if any of the following occurs:

 

(i)     The Trustee is notified that the Shares are delisted from a national securities exchange and are not approved for listing on another national securities exchange within five Business Days of their delisting;

 

 
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(ii)     Registered Owners acting in respect of at least 75% of the outstanding Shares notify the Trustee that they elect to terminate the Trust;

 

(iii)     60 days have elapsed since the Trustee notified the Sponsor of the Trustee’s election to resign and a successor trustee has not been appointed and accepted its appointment as provided in Section 5.4;

 

(iv)     the Commission determines that the Trust is an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the Trustee has actual knowledge of such Commission determination;

 

(v)     the aggregate market capitalization of the Trust, based on the closing price for the Shares, was less than $350 million for five consecutive trading days and the Trustee receives, within six months after the last of those trading days, notice from the Sponsor of its decision to terminate the Trust;

 

(vi)     the CFTC determines that the Trust is a commodity pool under the Commodity Exchange Act of 1936, as amended, and the Trustee has actual knowledge of that determination; or

 

(vii)     the Trust fails to qualify for treatment, or ceases to be treated, for United States federal income tax purposes, as a grantor trust, and the Trustee receives notice from the Sponsor that the Sponsor determines that, because of that tax treatment or change in tax treatment, termination of the Trust is advisable.

 

(b)     If no event specified in subsection (a) above occurs first, the Trust shall terminate on January 19, 2045, and the Trustee shall mail a notice of that impending termination to the Registered Owners at least 30 days before that anniversary.

 

(c)     On and after the date of termination of this Agreement, the Registered Owner of Shares will, upon (i) Surrender of those Shares, (ii) payment of the fee of the Trustee for the Surrender of Shares provided in Section 5.7, and (iii) payment of any applicable taxes or other governmental charges, be entitled to Delivery, to him or upon his order, of the amount of Trust Property represented by those Shares. The Trustee shall not accept any deposits of Gold after the date of termination of this Agreement. If any Shares remain outstanding after the date of termination of this Agreement, the Trustee thereafter shall discontinue the registration of transfers of Shares, shall not make any distributions to Registered Owners, and shall not give any further notices or perform any further acts under this Agreement, except that the Trustee shall continue to collect distributions pertaining to Trust Property and hold the same uninvested and without liability for interest, pay the Trust’s expenses and sell Gold as necessary to meet those expenses and shall continue to deliver Trust Property, together with any distributions received with respect thereto and the net proceeds of the sale of any other property, in exchange for Shares Surrendered to the Trustee (after deducting or upon payment of, in each case, the fee of the Trustee set forth in Section 5.7 for the Surrender of Shares, any expenses for the account of the Registered Owner of such Shares in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, and any applicable taxes or other governmental charges). At any time after the expiration of 90 days following the date of termination of this Agreement, the Trustee may sell the Trust Property then held under this Agreement and may thereafter hold uninvested the net proceeds of any such sale, together with any other cash then held by it under this Agreement, unsegregated and without liability for interest, for the pro rata benefit of the Registered Owners of Shares that have not theretofore been Surrendered, such Registered Owners thereupon becoming general creditors of the Trustee with respect to such net proceeds. After making such sale, the Trustee shall be discharged from all obligations under this Agreement, except to account for such net proceeds and other cash (after deducting, in each case, any fees, expenses, taxes or other governmental charges payable by the Trust, the fee of the Trustee for the Surrender of Shares and any expenses for the account of the Registered Owner of such Shares in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, and any applicable taxes or other governmental charges). Upon the termination of this Agreement, the Sponsor shall be discharged from all obligations under this Agreement except for its obligations to the Trustee under Section 5.6. Sections 5.6, 5.7 and 5.8 shall survive termination of this Agreement.

 

 
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ARTICLE 7.

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 7.1.      Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original and all of such counterparts shall constitute one and the same instrument. Copies of this Agreement shall be filed with the Trustee and shall be open to inspection by any Registered Owner during the Trustee’s business hours.

 

Section 7.2.      Third-Party Beneficiaries . This Agreement is for the exclusive benefit of the parties hereto, and shall not be deemed to give any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim whatsoever to any other Person.

 

Section 7.3.     Severability . In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this Agreement should be or become invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement shall in no way be affected, prejudiced or disturbed thereby.

 

Section 7.4.      Registered Owners, Beneficial Owners and Depositors as Parties; Binding Effect . The Registered Owners, Beneficial Owners and Depositors from time to time shall be parties to this Agreement and shall be bound by all of the terms and conditions hereof by their acceptance of Shares or any interest therein or by their depositing Gold, as the case may be.

 

Section 7.5.      Notices .

 

(a)     All notices given under this Agreement must be in writing.

 

 
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(b)     Any and all notices to be given to the Trustee or the Sponsor shall be deemed to have been duly given (i) when it is actually delivered by a messenger or recognized courier service, (ii) five days after it is mailed by registered or certified mail, postage paid or (iii) when receipt of a facsimile transmission is acknowledged via a return receipt or receipt confirmation as requested by the original transmission, in each case to or at the address set forth below:

 

To the Trustee:

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
2 Hanson Place
9th Floor

Brooklyn, New York 11217
Attention: ETF Services, Brooklyn

Telephone: (718) 315-5013
Facsimile: (718) 315-4850

 

or any other place to which the Trustee may have transferred its Corporate Trust Office with notice to the Sponsor.

 

To the Sponsor:

 

iShares ® Delaware Trust Sponsor LLC

400 Howard Street

San Francisco, CA 94105

Attn: Product Management Team, Intermediary Investor and Exchange-Traded Products Department

Telephone:                (415) 670-4671

Facsimile:                 (415) 618-5097

 

with a copy to:

 

iShares ® Delaware Trust Sponsor LLC

400 Howard Street

San Francisco, CA 94105

Attn: Legal Department

Telephone:                (415) 670-2860

Facsimile:                 (415) 618-5731

 

or any other place to which the Sponsor may have transferred its principal office with notice to the Trustee.

 

(c)     Any and all notices to be given to a Registered Owner shall be deemed to have been duly given (i) when actually delivered by messenger or a recognized courier service, (ii) when mailed, postage prepaid or (iii) when sent by facsimile transmission confirmed by letter, in each case at or to the address of such Registered Owner as it appears on the transfer books of the Trustee, or, if such Registered Owner shall have filed with the Trustee a written request that any notice or communication intended for such Registered Owner be delivered to some other address, at the address designated in such request.

 

 
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Section 7.6.      Agent for Service; Submission to Jurisdiction . The Sponsor hereby (i) irrevocably designates and appoints CT Corporation System, located at 111 Eighth Avenue, New York, New York 10011, U.S.A., as the Sponsor’s authorized agent upon which process may be served in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to the Shares, the Trust Property or this Agreement, (ii) consents and submits to the jurisdiction of any state or federal court in The City of New York, State of New York, in which any such suit or proceeding may be instituted, and (iii) agrees that service of process upon said authorized agent (or any successor thereto from time to time duly appointed as such by the Sponsor and the name and address of which shall have been informed in writing by the Sponsor to the Trustee) shall be deemed in every respect effective service of process upon the Sponsor in any such suit or proceeding. The Sponsor further agrees to maintain the appointment of an agent for service of process in full force and effect for so long as any Shares remain outstanding or this Agreement remains in force. In the event the Sponsor fails to continue such designation and appointment in full force and effect, the Sponsor hereby waives personal service of process upon it and consents that any such service of process may be made by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, directed to the Sponsor at its address last specified for notices hereunder, and service so made shall be deemed completed five (5) days after the same shall have been so mailed.

 

Section 7.7.      Governing Law . This Agreement shall be interpreted under, and all rights and duties under this Agreement shall be governed by, the internal substantive laws (but not the choice of law rules) of the State of New York.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

 
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed this Fourth Amended and Restated Depositary Trust Agreement as of the day and year first set forth above.

 

 

 

 

 

 

iSHARES ® DELAWARE TRUST SPONSOR LLC

 

 

 

as Sponsor

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/  Raymund Santiago

 

 

 

Name: Raymund Santiago

 

 

 

Title: Director

 

       
       
       
  THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,  
    as Trustee  
       
       
  By: /s/ Stephen Cook  
    Name:Stephen Cook  
    Title: Managing Director  

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

[Form of Certificate]

 

THE SHARES EVIDENCED HEREBY REPRESENT RIGHTS WITH RESPECT TO UNDERLYING TRUST PROPERTY (AS DEFINED IN THE DEPOSITARY TRUST AGREEMENT REFERRED TO HEREIN) HELD BY THE TRUST AND DO NOT EVIDENCE AN OBLIGATION OF, OR AN INTEREST IN, AND ARE NOT GUARANTEED BY THE SPONSOR OR THE TRUSTEE OR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES. NEITHER THE SHARES NOR THE UNDERLYING TRUST PROPERTY ARE INSURED UNDER ANY AGREEMENT THAT DIRECTLY BENEFITS THE TRUST OR GUARANTEED BY ANY GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY OR ANY OTHER PERSON.

 

UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“DTC”), TO THE AGENT AUTHORIZED BY THE ISSUER FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE, OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.

 

 

 

 

iSHARES ® GOLD TRUST SHARES
ISSUED BY
iSHARES ® GOLD TRUST
REPRESENTING
FRACTIONAL INTERESTS IN DEPOSITED GOLD AND ANY OTHER TRUST PROPERTY

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as Trustee

 

No.____

* Shares

 

CUSIP: 464285105

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as Trustee (hereinafter called the Trustee), hereby certifies that CEDE & CO., as nominee of the Depository Trust Company, or registered assigns, IS THE OWNER OF * Shares issued by iShares ® Gold Trust, each representing a fractional undivided interest in the net assets of the Trust, as provided in the Agreement referred to below. The Trustee’s Corporate Trust Office is located at a different address than its principal executive office. Its Corporate Trust Office is located at 2 Hanson Place, Brooklyn, New York 11217, and its principal executive office is located at 225 Liberty Street, New York, New York 10281.

 

This Certificate is issued upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Fourth Amended and Restated Depositary Trust Agreement dated as of December 22, 2016 (the “Agreement”) among iShares ® Delaware Trust Sponsor LLC (herein called the Sponsor), the Trustee, all Registered Owners and Beneficial Owners from time to time of Shares issued thereunder and all Depositors. By becoming a Registered Owner or Beneficial Owner, or by depositing Gold, a Person becomes a party to the Agreement and is bound by all the terms and conditions of the Agreement. The Agreement sets forth the rights of Depositors and Registered Owners and the rights and duties of the Trustee and the Sponsor. Copies of the Agreement are on file at the Trustee’s Corporate Trust Office in New York City.

 

The Agreement is hereby incorporated by reference into and made a part of this Certificate as if set forth in full in this place. Capitalized terms not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Agreement.

 

This Certificate shall not be entitled to any benefits under the Agreement or be valid or obligatory for any purpose unless it is executed by the Trustee by the manual or facsimile signature of a duly authorized signatory of the Trustee and, if a Registrar (other than the Trustee) for the Shares shall have been appointed, countersigned by the manual signature of a duly authorized officer of the Registrar.

 

Dated:

   

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,

 

 

   

 

as Trustee

 

           

 

   

 

 

 

 

   

By:

 

 

 

THE TRUSTEE’S CORPORATE TRUST OFFICE ADDRESS IS
2 HANSON PLACE, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK 11217


*

That number of Shares held at The Depository Trust Company at any given point in time.

Exhibit 4.2

 

 

 

iShares ® Gold Trust

 

Standard Terms for Authorized Participant Agreements

 

Dated as of December 22, 2016

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Page

 

ARTICLE I      ORDERS FOR PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION

1

     

Section 1.01.

Authorization to Purchase and Redeem Baskets

1

     

Section 1.02.

Procedures for Orders

1

     

Section 1.03.

Consent to Recording

1

     

Section 1.04.

Irrevocability

1

     

Section 1.05.

Costs and Expenses

1

     

Section 1.06.

Delivery of Property to the Trust

1

     

Section 1.07.

Title to Deposit Property and iShares Surrendered for Redemption

1

     

Section 1.08.

Certain Payments or Distributions

2

     

ARTICLE II      AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES

2

     

Section 2.01.

Certification

2

     

Section 2.02.

PIN Numbers

3

     

Section 2.03.

Termination of Authority

3

     

Section 2.04.

Verification

3

     

ARTICLE III     STATUS OF THE AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT

3

     

Section 3.01.

Clearing Status

3

     

Section 3.02.

Broker-Dealer Status.

3

     

Section 3.03.

Foreign Status

4

     

Section 3.04.

Compliance with Certain Laws

4

     

Section 3.05.

Authorized Participant Status

4

     

ARTICLE IV    ROLE OF AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT

4

     

Section 4.01.

Independent Contractor

4

     

Section 4.02.

Rights and Obligations of DTC Participant

4

     

Section 4.03.

Beneficial Owner Communications

5

     

ARTICLE V     MARKETING MATERIALS AND REPRESENTATIONS

5

     

Section 5.01.

Authorized Participant’s Representation

5

     

Section 5.02.

Prospectus

5

     

ARTICLE VI    INDEMNIFICATION; LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

6

     

Section 6.01.

Indemnification

6

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

  Page

ARTICLE VII   MISCELLANEOUS

  6
     

Section 7.01.

Commencement of Trading

6

     

Section 7.02.

Definitions

6

 

 
ii 

 

 

STANDARD TERMS FOR AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT AGREEMENTS (the “ Standard Terms ”) agreed to as of December 22, 2016, by and between The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation, and iShares Delaware Trust Sponsor LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

 

ARTICLE I

 

ORDERS FOR PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION

 

 

Section 1.01. Authorization to Purchase and Redeem Baskets . Subject to the provisions of the Authorized Participant Agreement, during the term of the Authorized Participant Agreement, the Authorized Participant will be authorized to purchase and redeem Baskets of iShares in compliance with the provisions of the Trust Agreement.

 

Section 1.02. Procedures for Orders . Each party hereto agrees to comply with the provisions of the Trust Agreement and the Procedures to the extent applicable to it.

 

Section 1.03. Consent to Recording . The phone lines used by the Trustee, the Custodian or their affiliated persons may be recorded, and the Authorized Participant hereby consents to the recording of all calls with any of those parties.

 

Section 1.04. Irrevocability . The Authorized Participant agrees on behalf of itself and any Authorized Participant Client that delivery to the Trustee of an Order shall be irrevocable; provided that each of the Trust and the Sponsor reserves the right to reject any Order in compliance with the provisions of the Trust Agreement.

 

Section 1.05. Costs and Expenses . The Authorized Participant shall be responsible for any and all expenses and costs incurred by the Trust in connection with any Orders.

 

Section 1.06. Delivery of Property to the Trust . The Authorized Participant understands and agrees that in the event Deposit Property is not transferred to the Trust by the time specified in the Purchase Order and in compliance with the Procedures and the Trust Agreement, a Purchase Order may be cancelled by the Trustee and the Authorized Participant will be solely responsible for all costs incurred by the Trust, the Trustee or the Custodian related to the cancelled Order.

 

Section 1.07. Title to Deposit Property and iShares Surrendered for Redemption . The Authorized Participant represents and warrants to the Trustee that:

 

a.     in connection with each Purchase Order, the Authorized Participant will have full power and authority to transfer to the Trust the corresponding Deposit Property, and that upon delivery of such Deposit Property to the Custodian and/or the relevant subcustodian in accordance with the Procedures, the Trust will acquire good and unencumbered title to such property, free and clear of all liens, charges, duties imposed on the transfer of assets and encumbrances and not subject to any adverse claims or transferability restrictions, whether arising by operation of law or otherwise; and

 

b.     in connection with a Redemption Order, the Authorized Participant will have full power and authority to surrender to the Trustee for redemption the corresponding iShares, and upon such surrender the Trust will acquire good and unencumbered title to such iShares, free and clear of all liens, charges, duties imposed on the transfer of assets and encumbrances and not subject to any adverse claims, transferability restrictions (whether arising by operation of law or otherwise), loan, pledge, repurchase or securities lending agreements or other arrangements which would preclude the delivery of such iShares on a “regular way” basis.

 

 
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Section 1.08. Certain Payments or Distributions .

 

a.     With respect to any Purchase Order, the Trust acknowledges and agrees to return to the Authorized Participant any payment, distribution or other amount paid to the Trust in respect of any Deposit Property transferred to the Trust that, based on the valuation of such Deposit Property at the time of transfer, should have been paid to the Authorized Participant. Likewise, the Authorized Participant acknowledges and agrees to return to the Trust any payment, distribution or other amount paid to the Authorized Participant or any Authorized Participant Client in respect of any Deposit Property transferred to the Trust that, based on the valuation of such Deposit Property at the time of transfer, should have been paid to the Trust.

 

b.     With respect to any Redemption Order, the Authorized Participant on behalf of itself and any Authorized Participant Client acknowledges and agrees to return to the Trust any payment, distribution or other amount paid to it or an Authorized Participant Client in respect of any property transferred to the Authorized Participant or any Authorized Participant Client that, based on the valuation of such property at the time of transfer, should have been paid to the Trust. The Trust is entitled to reduce the amount of any property due to the Authorized Participant or any Authorized Participant Client by an amount equal to any payment, distribution or other sum to be paid to the Authorized Participant or to the Authorized Participant Client in respect of any property transferred to the Authorized Participant or any Authorized Participant Client that, based on the valuation of such property at the time of transfer, should be paid to the Trust. Likewise, the Trust acknowledges and agrees to return to the Authorized Participant or any Authorized Participant Client any payment, distribution or other amount paid to it in respect of any iShares transferred to the Trust that, based on the valuation of such iShares at the time of transfer, should have been paid to the Authorized Participant or such Authorized Participant Client.

 

ARTICLE II

 

AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES

 

Section 2.01. Certification . Concurrently with the execution of the Authorized Participant Agreement, the Authorized Participant shall deliver to the Trust a certificate signed by the Authorized Participant’s Secretary or other duly authorized official setting forth the names, e-mail addresses and telephone and facsimile numbers of all persons authorized to give instructions relating to any activity contemplated hereby or any other notice, request or instruction on behalf of the Authorized Participant (each an “ Authorized Representative ”) The Trustee may request updates to such certificate from time to time, in a form approved by the Trustee, but no less frequently than annually. Such certificate and any updates thereto may be accepted and relied upon by the Trust as conclusive evidence of the facts set forth therein and shall be considered to be in full force and effect until (i) receipt by the Trustee of a superseding certificate or update to a certificate in a form approved by the Trustee bearing a subsequent date, or (ii) termination of the Authorized Participant Agreement.

 

 
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Section 2.02. PIN Numbers . The Trustee shall issue to each Authorized Participant a unique personal identification number (“ PIN Number ”) by which such Authorized Participant shall be identified and instructions issued by the Authorized Participant shall be authenticated. The PIN Number shall be kept confidential and only provided to Authorized Representatives. The Authorized Participant may revoke the PIN Number at any time upon written notice to the Trustee, and the Authorized Participant shall be responsible for doing so in the event that it becomes aware that an unauthorized person has received access to its PIN Number or has or intends to use the PIN Number in an unauthorized manner.

Upon receipt of such written request, the Trustee shall, as promptly as practicable, de-activate the PIN Number. If an Authorized Participant’s PIN Number is changed, the new PIN Number will become effective on a date mutually agreed upon by the Authorized Participant and the Trustee. The Authorized Participant agrees that, absent the Trustee’s fraud, willful misconduct or failure to cancel the PIN Number promptly following a written request to do so from the Authorized Participant or the termination of the Authorized Participant Agreement, none of the Trust or the Trustee shall be liable for losses incurred by the Authorized Participant as a result of unauthorized use of the Authorized Participant’s PIN Number prior to the time the Authorized Participant provides notice to the Trustee of the termination or revocation of authority pursuant to Section 2.03.

 

Section 2.03. Termination of Authority . Upon the termination or revocation of authority of an Authorized Representative by the Authorized Participant, the Authorized Participant shall (i) give immediate written notice of such fact to the Trustee and such notice shall be effective upon receipt by the Trustee; and (ii) request a new PIN Number. The Trustee shall, as promptly as practicable, deactivate the PIN Number upon receipt of such written notice.

 

Section 2.04. Verification . The Trustee may assume that all instructions issued to it using the Authorized Participant’s PIN Number have been properly placed by Authorized Representatives, unless the Trustee has actual knowledge to the contrary or the Authorized Participant has revoked its PIN Number. The Trustee shall have no duty to verify that an Order is being placed by an Authorized Representative. The Authorized Participant agrees that the Trustee shall not be responsible for any losses incurred by the Authorized Participant as a result of an Authorized Representative identifying himself or herself as a different Authorized Representative or an unauthorized person identifying himself or herself as an Authorized Representative, unless the Trustee previously received from the Authorized Participant written notice to revoke its PIN Number.

 

ARTICLE III

 

STATUS OF THE AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT

 

Section 3.01. Clearing Status . The Authorized Participant represents, covenants and warrants that, as of the date of execution of the Authorized Participant Agreement, and at all times during the term of the Authorized Participant Agreement, the Authorized Participant is and will be entitled to use the clearing and settlement services of each of the national or international clearing and settlement organizations through which, in compliance with the Procedures, the transactions contemplated hereby will clear and settle. Any change in the foregoing status of the Authorized Participant shall terminate the Authorized Participant Agreement and the Authorized Participant shall give prompt written notice thereof to the Trustee.

 

 

Section 3.02. Broker-Dealer Status . The Authorized Participant represents and warrants that, unless the following paragraph is applicable to it, it is (i) registered as a broker-dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, (ii) qualified to act as a broker or dealer in the states or other jurisdictions where it transacts business to the extent so required by applicable law, and (iii) a member in good standing of FINRA. The Authorized Participant agrees that it will maintain such registrations, qualifications, and membership in good standing and in full force and effect throughout the term of the Authorized Participant Agreement. The Authorized Participant further agrees to comply with all Federal laws, the laws of the states or other jurisdictions concerned, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, to the extent such laws and regulations are applicable to the Authorized Participant’s transactions in iShares, and with the Constitution, By-Laws and Conduct Rules of FINRA applicable to its activities as an Authorized Participant, and that it will not offer or sell iShares in any state or jurisdiction where they may not lawfully be offered and/or sold.

 

 
3

 

 

Section 3.03. Foreign Status . If the Authorized Participant is offering and selling iShares in jurisdictions outside the several states, territories and possessions of the United States and is not otherwise required to be registered, qualified, or a member of FINRA as set forth in the preceding paragraph, the Authorized Participant nevertheless agrees to observe the applicable laws of the jurisdiction in which such offer and/or sale is made (e.g., it will not offer or sell iShares of the Trust in any state or jurisdiction where they may not lawfully be offered and/or sold), to comply with the full disclosure requirements of the 1933 Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and to conduct its business in accordance with the spirit of the FINRA Conduct Rules.

 

Section 3.04. Compliance with Certain Laws . If the Authorized Participant is subject to the requirements of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (“ U.S.A. PATRIOT Act ”), the Authorized Purchaser is in compliance with the anti-money laundering and related provisions of the U.S.A. PATRIOT Act.

 

Section 3.05. Authorized Participant Status .

 

a.     The Authorized Participant understands and acknowledges that the method by which Baskets of iShares will be created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. For example, because new Baskets of iShares may be issued and sold by the Trust on an ongoing basis, at any point a “distribution”, as such term is used in the 1933 Act, may occur. The Authorized Participant understands and acknowledges that some activities on its part, depending on the circumstances, may result in its being deemed a participant in a distribution in a manner which could render it a statutory underwriter and subject it to the prospectus delivery and liability provisions of the 1933 Act.

 

b.     The Sponsor shall ensure that the Prospectus contains an accurate and current listing of Authorized Participants.

 

ARTICLE IV

 

ROLE OF AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT

 

Section 4.01. Independent Contractor . The Authorized Participant acknowledges and agrees that for all purposes of the Authorized Participant Agreement, the Authorized Participant will be deemed to be an independent contractor, and will have no authority to act as agent for the Trust or the Trustee in any matter or in any respect. The Authorized Participant agrees to make itself and its employees available, upon request, during normal business hours to consult with the Trustee, the Sponsor or their designees concerning the performance of the Authorized Participant’s responsibilities under the Authorized Participant Agreement; provided, however, that the Authorized Participant shall be under no obligation to divulge or otherwise disclose any information that the Authorized Participant reasonably believes (i) it is under legal obligation not to disclose, or (ii) it is confidential or proprietary in nature.

 

Section 4.02. Rights and Obligations of DTC Participant . In executing the Authorized Participant Agreement, the Authorized Participant agrees in connection with any purchase or redemption transactions in which it acts for an Authorized Participant Client or for any other DTC Participant or indirect participant, or any other Beneficial Owner, that it shall extend to any such party all of the rights, and shall be bound by all of the obligations, of a DTC Participant in addition to any obligations that it undertakes hereunder or in accordance with the Procedures.

 

 
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Section 4.03. Beneficial Owner Communications . The Authorized Participant agrees, subject to any limitations arising under federal or state securities laws relating to privacy or other obligations it may have to its customers, to assist the Trustee or the Sponsor in determining the ownership level of each beneficial owner relating to positions in iShares that the Authorized Participant may hold as record holder. In addition, the Authorized Participant agrees, in accordance with applicable laws, rules and regulations, at the request of the Sponsor or the Trustee to forward to such beneficial owners written materials and communications received from the requesting party in sufficient quantities to allow mailing thereof to such beneficial owners, including notices, annual reports, disclosure or other informational materials and any amendments or supplements thereto that may be required to be sent by the Sponsor or the Trustee to such beneficial owners pursuant to the Trust Agreement or applicable law or regulation, or that the Sponsor or the Trustee reasonably wishes to distribute, at its own expense, to such beneficial owners.

 

ARTICLE V

 

MARKETING MATERIALS AND REPRESENTATIONS

 

Section 5.01. Authorized Participant’s Representation . The Authorized Participant represents, warrants and agrees that it will not make, or permit any of its representatives to make, any representations concerning iShares other than those contained in the Trust’s then current Prospectus or in any promotional materials or sales literature furnished to the Authorized Participant by the Sponsor. The Authorized Participant agrees to provide each purchaser of iShares, whenever required by Rule 173 under the 1933 Act, a notice in compliance with the provisions of such Rule. The Authorized Participant agrees not to furnish or cause to be furnished to any person or display or publish any information or materials relating to iShares (including, without limitation, promotional materials and sales literature, advertisements, press releases, announcements, statements, posters, signs or other similar materials), except such information and materials as may be furnished to the Authorized Participant by the Sponsor and such other information and materials as may be approved in writing by the Sponsor. The Authorized Participant understands that the Trust will not be advertised as offering redeemable securities, and that any advertising materials will prominently disclose that the iShares are not redeemable units of beneficial interest in the Trust. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Authorized Participant may, without the written approval of the Sponsor, prepare and circulate in the regular course of its business reports, research or similar materials that include information, opinions or recommendations relating to iShares (i) for public dissemination, provided that such reports, research or similar materials compare the relative merits and benefits of iShares with other products and do not discuss iShares more prominently than such other products and (ii) for internal use by the Authorized Participant. Copies of the then current Prospectus of the Trust will be supplied by the Sponsor to the Authorized Participant in reasonable quantities upon request.

 

Section 5.02. Prospectus . The Sponsor will provide, or cause to be provided, to the Authorized Participant copies of the then current Prospectus and any printed supplemental information in reasonable quantities upon request. The Sponsor will notify, or cause to be notified, the Authorized Participant when a revised, supplemented or amended Prospectus for the iShares is available, and make available to the Authorized Participant copies of such revised, supplemented or amended Prospectus at such time and in such quantities as may be reasonable to permit the Authorized Participant to comply with any obligation the Authorized Participant may have to deliver such Prospectus to its customers. The Sponsor shall be deemed to have complied with this Section 5.02 when the Authorized Participant has received such revised, supplemented or amended Prospectus by e-mail, in printable form, with such number of hard copies as may be agreed from time to time by the parties promptly thereafter.

 

 
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ARTICLE VI

 

INDEMNIFICATION; LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

 

Section 6.01. Indemnification . The provisions of this Section 6.01 shall survive termination of the Agreement.

 

a.     The Authorized Participant shall indemnify and hold harmless the Sponsor, the Trustee, the Trust, the Custodian (which the parties agree is a third-party beneficiary under this Subsection 6.01(a)) their respective subsidiaries, Affiliates, directors, officers, employees and agents, and each person, if any, who controls such persons within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (each an “ Indemnified Party ”) from and against any loss, liability, cost and expense (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by such Indemnified Party as a result of (i) any breach by the Authorized Participant of any representations or warranties of the Authorized Participant (including under Section 3.2 of the Depositary Trust Agreement); (ii) any failure on the part of the Authorized Participant to perform any of its obligations set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement; (iii) any failure by the Authorized Participant to comply with applicable laws, including rules and regulations of self-regulatory organizations, that apply to it; or (iv) actions of such Indemnified Party in reliance upon any instructions issued in accordance with the Procedures reasonably believed by such Indemnified Party to be genuine and to have been given by the Authorized Participant.

 

b.     The Authorized Participant shall not be liable to any Indemnified Party for any damages arising out of (i) mistakes or errors in data provided in connection with purchase or redemption transactions except for data provided by the Authorized Participant, or (ii) mistakes or errors by, or arising out of interruptions or delays of communications with, the Trustee or any Indemnified Party.

 

ARTICLE VII

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 7.01. Commencement of Trading .     The Authorized Participant may not submit an Order prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement, or amendment to the registration statement, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and pursuant to which the Authorized Participant is identified as such in the Prospectus.

 

Section 7.02.      Definitions . The capitalized terms used herein are defined as follows.

 

a.     “1933 Act” means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

b.     “Affiliate” shall have the meaning given to it by Rule 501(b) under the 1933 Act.

 

c.     “Authorized Participant Agreement” shall mean each Authorized Participant Agreement among the Authorized Participant, the Trustee and the Sponsor into which these Standard Terms shall have been incorporated by reference.

 

d.     “Authorized Participant” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in the introductory paragraph of the Authorized Participant Agreement.

 

e.     “Authorized Participant Client” means any party on whose behalf the Authorized Participant acts in connection with an Order (whether a customer or otherwise).

 

f.      “Authorized Representative” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 2.01 hereof.

 

 
6

 

 

g.     “Basket” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in the Recitals to the Authorized Participant Agreement.

 

h.     “Beneficial Owner” shall have the meaning given to it by Rule 16a-1(a)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

 

i.     “Business Day” shall mean each day the exchange on which the iShares trade is open for regular trading.

 

j.      “Custodian” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in the Procedures.

 

k.     “Deposit Property” means property which, in compliance with the provisions of the Trust Agreement, must be transferred by the Authorized Participant to the Trust in exchange for iShares.

 

l.      “DTC” means The Depository Trust Company.

 

m.    “FINRA” means the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

 

n.     “Indemnified Party” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 6.01.a hereof.

 

o.     “iShares” means iShares issued by the Trust pursuant to the provisions of the Trust Agreement.

 

p.     “Order” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 1 of the Authorized Participant Agreement.

 

q.     “Procedures” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 1 of the Authorized Participant Agreement.

 

r.     “Prospectus” means the Trust’s current prospectus included in its effective registration statement, as supplemented or amended from time to time.

 

s.     “Purchase Order” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 1 of the Authorized Participant Agreement.

 

t.      “Redemption Order” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 1 of the Authorized Participant Agreement.

 

u.     “Sponsor” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in the introductory paragraph of the Authorized Participant Agreement.

 

v.     “Trust” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in the introductory paragraph of the Authorized Participant Agreement.

 

w.    “Trust Agreement” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in the introductory paragraph of the Authorized Participant Agreement.

 

x.     “Trustee” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in the introductory paragraph of the Authorized Participant Agreement.

 

 
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Sponsor and the Trustee have executed these Standard Terms as of the date set forth above.

 

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON , in its capacity as Trustee

 

 

By:

/s/ Thomas O’Donnell

 

 

Name: Thomas O Donnell

 

 

Title: Managing Director

 

     
     
     
iSHARES DELAWARE TRUST SPONSOR LLC , in its capacity as Sponsor
     
     
By: /s/ Jack Gee  
  Name:   Jack Gee  
  Title: Managing Director  

 

Exhibit 10.1

 

 

 

 

JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A, London Branch     

 

and

 

The Bank of New York Mellon

 

 

 


 

 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED

 

CUSTODIAN AGREEMENT

 

 


 

 

 

 
 

 

 

THIS SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED CUSTODIAN AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”) is made on December 22, 2016

 

BETWEEN

 

(1)

JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A, London Branch, a company incorporated with limited liability as a National Banking Association, whose principal London office is at 125 London Wall, London EC2Y 5AJ (" we " or " us "); and

 

(2)

The Bank of New York Mellon, a banking corporation organized under the laws of the State of New York, whose principal place of business is at2 Hanson Place, Brooklyn, New York 11217, United States of America, in its capacity as trustee of the iShares ® Gold Trust, formerly known as the iShares ® COMEX ® Gold Trust (" Trust "), (in such capacity " you ").

 

INTRODUCTION

 

We have agreed, pursuant to the First Amended and Restated Custodian Agreement between you and us dated September 2, 2010, and as amended by a First Amendment dated February 10, 2012 (the " First Amended and Restated Custodian Agreement "), to open and maintain for you the Account (as defined below) and to provide other services to you in connection with the Account. This Agreement sets out the terms under which we will provide those services to you and the arrangements which will apply in connection with those services.

 

IT IS AGREED AS FOLLOWS

 

 

1.

INTERPRETATION

 

 

1.1

Definitions: In this Agreement:

 

" Account " means the account constituted by the Allocated Account and the Unallocated Account.

 

" Account Balance " means, in relation to the Account, all your rights to and interest in the balance from time to time on that Account.

 

" Allocated Account " means the sub-account maintained by us in your name recording the amount of Bullion received and held by us for you on an allocated basis.

 

“Authorized Persons” means the persons of the Trustee identified in clause 5.1 of this Agreement.

 

" Availability Date " means the Business Day on which you wish to transfer or deliver Gold to us for deposit into the Account.

 

" BNYM " means The Bank of New York Mellon, a banking corporation organized under the laws of the State of New York.

 

" Bullion " means any Gold held by us or any Sub-Custodian in the Allocated Account from time to time.

 

 
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" Business Day " means a Custodian Day (as defined in the Procedures).

 

" Customs " means HM Revenue and Customs.

 

" eBTS " or " Website " means the electronic Bullion Transfer System website developed by us.

 

" Fees " means the fees and charges referred to in clause 10.1 of this Agreement.

 

“First Amended and Restated Custodian Agreement " has the meaning set forth in the Introduction.

 

" Gold " means gold that meets the requirements of "good delivery" under the rules of the LBMA expressed in troy ounces and with a minimum fineness of 0.995.

 

" HMRC Agreement " means the agreement between Customs and the LBMA in relation to supplies of bullion (as set out in Section 1 of Customs’ Notice 700/57/04— Administrative agreements entered into with trade bodies ).

 

" LBMA " means the London Bullion Market Association or its successors.

 

Losses ” means the items identified in clause 11.4 of this Agreement.

 

" Ounce " means a troy ounce of Gold.

 

" Procedures " means the document entitled "iShares ® Gold Trust Creation and Redemption Procedures" attached as Schedule 1 (as amended from time to time).

 

" Rules " means the rules, regulations, practices and customs of the LBMA, the Bank of England and such other regulatory authority or other body as shall affect the activities contemplated by this Agreement.

 

“Sponsor” means iShares ® Delaware Trust Sponsor LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, or its successors.

 

" Sub-Custodian " means a sub-custodian, agent or depository (including an entity within our corporate group), appointed by us to perform any of our duties under this Agreement including the custody and safekeeping of Bullion.

 

Termination Date ” means the date of the termination of this Agreement identified in clause 12.1(a) of this Agreement.

 

" Unallocated Account " means the sub-account maintained by us in your name recording the amount of Gold which either we or you, as the case may be, have a right to call upon the other party to deliver to it.

 

" VAT " means value added tax as imposed by the VATA (as amended or reenacted from time to time) and legislation supplemental thereto and any other tax (whether imposed in the United Kingdom in substitution thereof or in addition thereto or elsewhere) of a similar fiscal nature.

 

 
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" VAT Group " means a group for the purposes of the VAT Grouping Legislation.

 

" VAT Grouping Legislation " means:

 

(a)     sections 43 to 43D (inclusive) of VATA; and

 

(b)     the Value Added Tax (Groups: eligibility) Order 2004 (SI 2004/1931).

 

" VATA " means the Value Added Tax Act 1994.

 

" Vault Location " means our vault premises in London, New York or Toronto, as applicable.

 

Website ” means the JPMorgan Chase Bank website identified in clause 5.2 of this Agreement.

 

" Withdrawal Date " means the Business Day on which you wish to withdraw Gold from the Account.

 

 

1.2

Headings: The headings in this Agreement do not affect its interpretation.

 

 

1.3

Singular and plural: References to the singular include the plural and vice versa.

 

 

1.4

VAT Groups : References to any right, entitlement or obligation of any person under the laws in relation to VAT shall (where appropriate and unless the context otherwise requires) be construed, at any time when such person is treated as a member of a VAT Group, to include a reference to the right, entitlement or obligation under such laws of the representative member of such VAT Group at such time.

 

 

1.5

Amendment and Restatement: With effect from and including December 22, 2016, the First Amended and Restated Custodian Agreement shall be amended and restated on the terms of this Agreement. Subject to such amendment and restatement, the First Amended and Restated Custodian Agreement shall continue in full force and effect.

 

2.

ACCOUNT

 

 

2.1

Opening Account: We shall open and maintain the Account. The Account shall comprise:

 

 

(a)

an Allocated Account in respect of Gold which you ask us to hold for you on an allocated basis; and

 

 

(b)

an Unallocated Account in respect of Gold which you ask us to hold for you on an unallocated basis,

 

which together shall be treated as a single account for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context requires otherwise.

 

 

2.2

Deposits and withdrawals : The balance of your Account shall reflect the combined balance on your Allocated Account and Unallocated Account. The balance of the Allocated Account shall reflect the amount of Bullion. The balance of the Unallocated Account shall reflect your or our entitlement to delivery of an amount of Gold from the other party, in each case equal to the amount of deposits less withdrawals of Gold made by you pursuant to the terms of this Agreement in relation to the Unallocated Account.

 

 
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2.3

Denomination of Account: The Account shall be denominated in Ounces.

 

 

2.4

Delivery, Receipt and Maintenance of Gold: We will receive, hold, release and deliver Gold from the Account only in accordance with this Agreement and the Procedures. In the event of a conflict between the terms of this Agreement and those of the Procedures, the Procedures shall prevail; provided, however , that any amendment to the Procedures after the date of this Agreement which modifies the scope of our duties or liabilities shall only be binding upon us to the extent that it has been adopted by you and the Sponsor with our prior written consent (which consent will not be unreasonably withheld or delayed).

 

 

2.5

Reports: We will provide reports to you relating to deposits into and withdrawals from the Account and the Account Balance in such form and with such frequency (but not less than monthly) as may be agreed between you and us including the reports specified in sub-clauses (a) and (b) below. We will notify you by telex, SWIFT or fax on each day there is activity in an account of the balance in the account on such day and of any instruction to which we were unable to give effect. Such reports will also be available to you daily by means of eBTS, however the paper record will prevail.

 

 

(a)

For each Business Day, not later than 9:00 a.m., New York time on the following Business Day, we will transmit to you information showing the movement of Gold into and out of the Account, identifying separately each transaction and any substitution of Gold made under clause 2.7.

 

 

(b)

We will supply to you at least monthly, within ten Business Days following the end of each calendar month a written statement which:

 

 

(i)

lists all property held in the Account including a weight list for the Gold in the Allocated Account containing information sufficient to uniquely identify each bar of Gold;

 

 

(ii)

identifies the entity having physical possession of each bar; and

 

 

(iii)

details all transactions involving the Account, including daily balances held in the Unallocated Account and all transfers to or from the Account or any account with a Sub-Custodian containing Gold held for your benefit and any substitutions or relocations of Gold held in the Account.

 

 

(c)

We will maintain a secure website, whereby you shall gain access to the list of all bars of Gold in the Account, which list shall be updated at least weekly and include the following information for each bar of Gold:

 

 

(i)

relevant Vault Location;

 

 

(ii)

gross weight;

 

 

(iii)

fineness;

 

 
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(iv)

serial identification number;

 

 

(v)

size;

 

 

(vi)

fine Ounces; and

 

 

(vii)

applicable refinery name.

 

Such reports shall also include any other information that you may reasonably request. We will provide additional weight lists to you upon your request.

 

 

2.6

Reversal of entries: We at all times reserve the right to reverse any provisional or erroneous entries to the Account with effect back-valued to the date upon which the final or correct entry (or no entry) should have been made.

 

 

2.7

Substitution of Gold : With your prior approval (in consultation with the Sponsor), we may substitute other Gold for Bullion, provided that there is no change in the total number of Ounces of Bullion.

 

 

2.8

Access to Records; Inspection Rights: We will permit your officers and properly designated representatives and independent public accountants for the Trust identified by you reasonable access to the records of the Account for the purpose of confirming the content of those records. Upon at least ten days' prior notice, during our regular banking hours, any such officer or properly designated representative, any independent public accountants for the Trust identified by you and any person designated by any regulatory authority having jurisdiction over you or the Trust will be entitled to examine on our premises the Gold held by us on our premises pursuant to this Agreement and our records regarding the Gold held hereunder at a Sub-Custodian, but only upon receipt from you of properly authorised instructions to that effect. Unless we have received at least ten days' prior notice and reasonable assurances (in the our sole discretion) that any costs and expenses incurred in connection therewith will be indemnified to us, we shall not be required to move to our premises any Gold held at a Sub-Custodian for purposes of making it available for inspection as provided herein. In addition, we understand that, in connection with the preparation of the financial statements of the Trust that will be filed from time to time with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, officers of the Sponsor will be required by law or regulation to provide written assurances regarding the reliability of the internal controls used in the preparation of those financials. To the extent that our activities or controls in our capacity as custodian of the Trust assets are relevant to the information presented in the financial statements of the Trust, we will cooperate with the Sponsor and the Trustee to enable the Sponsor to provide the required written assurances referred to above, including (but not limited to) by providing the Sponsor's and the Trust's external auditors with any necessary information and reports regarding our internal control over financial reporting as far as such reporting relates to the scope of our duties.

 

3.

DEPOSITS

 

 

3.1

Procedure: You may at any time notify us of your intention to deposit Gold. A deposit must be made (in the manner and accompanied by such documentation as we may require) by:

 

 

(a)

(in the case of the Unallocated Account only) transfer from an account relating to Gold and having the same denomination as that to which the Account relates; or

 

 
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(b)

the delivery of Gold to us at any Vault Location, through any recognised clearing member of the LBMA (acting as delivery agent), or as we may otherwise direct, at your expense and risk. All deposits of Gold delivered to us must be in the form of bars which comply with the Rules (including the Rules relating to good delivery and fineness) or in such other form as may be agreed between you and us.

 

 

3.2

Notice requirements: Any notice relating to a deposit of Gold must:

 

 

(a)

be received by us no later than the time specified in the Procedures unless otherwise agreed;

 

 

(b)

in the case of a deposit pursuant to clause 3.1(a), specify the details of the account from which the Gold will be transferred;

 

 

(c)

in the case of a deposit pursuant to clause 3.1(b), specify the name of the person or carrier that will deliver the Gold to us at a Vault Location, or as we may direct, and the manner in which the Gold will be packed; and

 

 

(d)

specify the amount (in the appropriate denomination) of the Gold to be credited to the Account, the Availability Date, and any other information which we may from time to time require.

 

 

3.3

Timing: A deposit of Gold will not be credited to the Account until:

 

 

(a)

in the case of a deposit pursuant to clause 3.1(a), an account of ours with any bank, broker or other firm has been credited with an amount equal to the amount of such deposit; and

 

 

(b)

in the case of a deposit pursuant to clause 3.1(b), we have received the Gold and verified compliance with the Rules (without prejudice to clause 11.1), weighed it in accordance with LBMA practice to confirm that it is the required weight, confirmed all markings, and determined on the basis of a visual inspection that it is not damaged and there is no reason to believe it is not accurately described in the delivery instruction.

 

 

3.4

Capacity; Right to refuse Precious Metal or amend procedure: We will use our best efforts to have available the necessary capacity to take delivery of Gold on your behalf at the locations specified in clause 7.4 of this Agreement by parties making such deliveries; for this purpose we are authorised to, at our own risk and expense, move Gold held in the Account from one location to another location otherwise permitted under this Agreement; provided, that we will not be required to take any additional delivery of Gold if, after giving effect to such delivery, the aggregate value of Bullion would exceed U.S.$50 billion.

 

 
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4.

WITHDRAWALS

 

 

4.1

Release of Gold : No Gold held in the Account shall be released in any manner whatsoever except upon your written instructions and in accordance with the Procedures. We will deliver Gold by making Gold bars available for collection at our office or at the office of a Sub-Custodian at which the Gold is held. However, we will, upon your order, deliver amounts of up to 430 Ounces from the Unallocated Account.

 

 

4.2

Procedure: You may at any time notify us of your intention to withdraw Gold standing to the credit of the Account. A withdrawal may be made (in the manner and accompanied by such documentation as we may require) by:

 

 

(a)

(in the case of the Unallocated Account only) transfer to an account relating to Gold and having the same denomination as that to which the Account relates; or

 

 

(b)

the collection of Gold from us at any Vault Location, or at the vault premises of such Sub-Custodian as we may direct, at your expense and risk. Without prejudice to clause 11.1, any Gold made available to you will be in the form of bars which comply with the Rules (including the Rules relating to good delivery and fineness) or in such other form as may be agreed between you and us. We are entitled to select which bars are to be made available to you.

 

 

4.3

Notice requirements: Any notice relating to a withdrawal of Gold must:

 

 

(a)

be received by us no later than the time set out in the Procedures;

 

 

(b)

specify the details of the account to which the Gold is to be transferred or the name of the person or carrier that will collect the Gold from us (as applicable); and

 

 

(c)

specify the amount of Gold to be withdrawn from the Allocated Account and the amount (in the appropriate denomination) of any Gold to be debited to the Unallocated Account, the Withdrawal Date, and any other information which we may from time to time require.

 

 

4.4

Collection of Bullion: You must collect, or arrange for the collection of Bullion being withdrawn from us or the Sub-Custodian at your expense and risk. We will advise you of the Vault Location or the vault premises of such Sub-Custodian as we may direct from which the Bullion may be collected no later than one Business Day prior to the Withdrawal Date.

 

5.

INSTRUCTIONS

 

 

5.1

Your representatives: Whenever in this Agreement it is provided that we are authorised to act or refrain from acting on instructions, approval or consent of, or notice from, you, we are so authorised to act or refrain from acting only on instructions, approval, consent or notice given in accordance with this clause 5. We are authorised to rely and act upon written instructions signed by an authorised person designated in Schedule 2 (" Authorised Persons "), as amended from time to time by written notice to us. Except where otherwise provided in this Agreement, we are further authorised to rely upon instructions received orally or by any other means which are identified as having been given by an Authorised Person and which conform to any agreement which might be entered between you and us regarding the method of identification or the means of transmission of such instructions, including through eBTS. Any oral instructions shall be promptly confirmed in writing. Until we receive written notice to the contrary, we are entitled to assume that any Authorised Person has full and unrestricted power to give us instructions on your behalf. We are also entitled to rely on any instructions which are from, or which purport to emanate from, any person who appears to have such authority; provided, that, other than for any instructions transmitted through an authenticated electronic transmission system, if any such person is not an Authorized Person, we will promptly contact you to seek to verify his authority to act on your behalf.

 

 
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5.2

eBTS: All transfers into and out of the Account(s) shall be made upon receipt of, and in accordance with, instructions given by you to us. Such instructions may be given either: a. through eBTS, accessible through the JPMorgan Chase Bank website (the " Website ") by you pursuant to the terms of the Website agreement; or b. if, for any reason the Website is not operational, and unless otherwise agreed, any such instruction or communication shall be effective if given by authenticated electronic transmission (including tested telex and SWIFT) or such other electronic messaging system as the parties may from time to time agree.

 

 

5.3

Amendments: Once given, instructions continue in full force and effect until they are cancelled, amended or superseded. Any such instructions shall have effect only after actual receipt by us.

 

 

5.4

Unclear or ambiguous instructions: If, in our opinion, any instructions are unclear or ambiguous, we will use reasonable endeavours (taking into account any relevant time constraints) to obtain clarification of those instructions but, failing that, we may in our absolute discretion and without any liability on our part, act upon what we believe in good faith such instructions to be or refuse to take any action or execute such instructions until any ambiguity or conflict has been resolved to our satisfaction.

 

 

5.5

Refusal to execute: We reserve the right to refuse to execute instructions if in our opinion they are or may be contrary to the Rules or any applicable law.

 

6.

CONFIDENTIALITY

 

 

6.1

Disclosure to others: Subject to clause 6.2, each party shall respect the confidentiality of information acquired under this Agreement and neither will, without the consent of the other, disclose to any other person any information acquired under this Agreement provided that nothing in this Agreement will prevent or condition the filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission of a copy of this Agreement in connection with the registration of the public offering of its shares by the Trust.

 

 

6.2

Permitted disclosures: Each party accepts that from time to time the other party may be required by law or the Rules, or requested by a government department or agency, fiscal body or regulatory authority, to disclose information acquired under this Agreement. In addition, the disclosure of such information may be required by a party's auditors, by its legal or other advisors or by a company which is in the same group of companies as a party ( e.g. , a subsidiary or holding company of a party). Each party irrevocably authorises the other to make such disclosures without further reference to such party.

 

 
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7.

CUSTODY SERVICES

 

 

7.1

Appointment: You hereby appoint us to act as custodian of the Bullion in accordance with this Agreement and any Rules which apply to us.

 

 

7.2

Segregation of Bullion : We will segregate the Bullion from any precious metal which we own or hold for other customers or which BNYM owns in its own right and we will request Sub-Custodians to segregate the Bullion from any precious metals owned by any of the foregoing.

 

 

7.3

Ownership of Bullion : We will identify in our books that the Bullion belongs to you.

 

 

7.4

Location of Bullion : The Bullion must be held by us at a Vault Location or at the vaults of any Sub-Custodian in England, United States, or Canada, unless otherwise agreed between you and us (with the Sponsor's approval).

 

 

7.5

Minimi z ation of Gold held in Unallocated Account: We will seek to minimise the amount of Gold held in the Unallocated Account by allocating, on each Business Day, bars of Gold to the Allocated Account in substitution for holdings of an equivalent denomination in the Unallocated Account such that no Gold is held in the Unallocated Account at the close of such Business Day. If in the process of reducing to zero the number of Ounces in the Unallocated Account on any Business Day we allocate to the Allocated Account a Gold bar with an aggregate weight in excess of your balance in the Unallocated Account prior to such allocation, we and the Trust will be co-owners of such Gold bar in proportion to our respective ownership interests. We will take reasonable steps to limit at all times the number of bars of Bullion co-owned by the Trust and us to no more than one and, for this purpose, any allocation to the Allocated Account will seek to eliminate such co-ownership by first transferring to the Trust the portion of any jointly owned Gold bar not owned by the Trust.

 

 

7.6

Charges; Liens: The Bullion and Gold held in Unallocated Account shall not be subject to any right, charge, security interest, lien or claim of any kind in favour of us, any Sub-Custodian or any creditor of any of them, except a lien for payment for the safe custody and administration of the Bullion or Gold held in Unallocated Account. We shall not loan, hypothecate, pledge or otherwise encumber any Bullion or Gold held in Unallocated Account absent your written instructions.

 

 

7.7

Insurance : We undertake that we maintain insurance in support of our custodial obligations under this Agreement including covering any loss of Gold. Evidence of such insurance coverage is available upon request. In the event that we elect to reduce, cancel or not to renew such insurance, we will give you prior written notice as follows: in the case of a reduction, we will endeavour to provide such notice at least 30 days prior to the effective date of the reduction; and in the event of a cancellation or expiration of the insurance without renewal we will provide such notice at least 30 days prior to the last day of insurance coverage. You acknowledge that any such insurance is held for our benefit and not for the benefit of you or the Trust, and that notwithstanding clause 11.6 you may not submit any claim under the terms of such insurance.

 

 

7.8

Notice of Changes: We will notify you promptly in writing if we become aware that (i) we receive notice of any claim against the Account other than a claim for payment of safe custody or administration permitted by this Agreement; (ii) we otherwise fail to comply with any of the provisions of this Agreement; or (iii) any of our representations and warranties in clause 9 shall cease to be true and correct.

 

 
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7.9

Other Information: We will provide to you (i) our most recent audited financial statements promptly after such statements are prepared; (ii) a copy of any reports obtained by us on the accounting system and internal accounting controls and procedures used by any Sub-Custodian at which any Gold is held; (iii) information regarding market policies and procedures, the local law applicable to our activities, and the overall regulatory and economic environment in which we operate; and (iv) the names and addresses of the governmental agencies or regulatory authorities which supervise or regulate us and any Sub-Custodian with which Gold has been deposited pursuant to this Agreement.

 

 

7.10

Purchases of Gold by us: When requested by you on any Business Day on which Gold held by the Trust is evaluated, we will purchase from you, for cash and for same day settlement, the amount of Gold that you specify as necessary to pay the expenses of the Trust at a price per Ounce equal to the price used by you for the evaluation of the Trust's Gold on such date. We will pay to you or to your order the proceeds of each purchase of Gold made under this clause when requested by you or otherwise on the first Business Day following the end of the month in which the transaction occurred.

 

 

8.

SUB-CUSTODIANS AND AGENTS

 

 

8.1

Sub-Custodians: We may appoint Sub-Custodians to perform any of our duties under this Agreement including the custody and safekeeping of Bullion. We will use reasonable care in the appointment of any Sub-Custodian. Gold held by a Sub-Custodian shall be kept in our account at such Sub-Custodian, and we will separately identify on our books Gold that is so held on your behalf. Our account with each such Sub-Custodian will be subject only to our instructions. Any Sub-Custodian will be a member of the LBMA.

 

 

8.2

Liability for Sub-Custodians: Our use of Sub-Custodians shall be without prejudice to our obligations and liabilities under this Agreement.

 

 

8.3

Notice: We will provide you on request with the name and address of any Sub-Custodian of Bullion along with any other information which you may reasonably require concerning the appointment of a Sub-Custodian.

 

 

8.4

Monitoring: We will monitor the conduct of each Sub-Custodian, and promptly advise you of any difficulties or problems (financial, operational or otherwise) existing with respect to such Sub-Custodian of which we are aware and will take appropriate and lawful action to protect and safekeep your Gold deposited with such Sub-Custodian, including to the extent feasible, the withdrawal of such Gold from such Sub-Custodian.

 

 

8.5

Access and Inspection: We will not entrust Gold held in the Account to any Sub-Custodian unless that Sub-Custodian grants rights of access and inspection to records and Gold that are similar to those granted by us under this Agreement.

 

 
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8.6

Use of Agents: We may in our discretion use agents in connection with handling transactions under this Agreement, provided that any such use shall not relieve us of any of our responsibilities or liabilities hereunder.

 

9.

REPRESENTATIONS

 

 

9.1

Your representations : You represent and warrant to us that:

 

 

(a)

the Trust is and will remain duly constituted with all necessary authority, powers, consents, licences and authorisations and all necessary action has been taken to enable it to engage in the transactions provided for under this Agreement;

 

 

(b)

you are and will remain duly appointed as trustee of the Trust and have and will have unencumbered legal title to the assets of the Trust at all times;

 

 

(c)

you have all necessary authority, powers, consents, licences and authorisations and have taken all necessary action to enable you lawfully to enter into and perform your duties and obligations under this Agreement;

 

 

(d)

the persons entering into this Agreement on your behalf have been duly authorised to do so; and

 

 

(e)

this Agreement and the obligations created under it are binding upon you and enforceable against you in accordance with its terms (subject to applicable principles of equity) and do not and will not violate the terms of the Rules or any order, charge or agreement by which you are bound.

 

You undertake to notify us in the event that any of the statements set out in the sub-clauses ceases to be true.

 

 

9.2

Our representations: We represent and warrant to you that:

 

 

(a)

We are a bank, duly organized under the laws of our country of organization as set forth above, and are regulated as such by that country's government or an agency thereof;

 

 

(b)

this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered on our behalf and constitutes our legal, valid and binding obligation;

 

 

(c)

we are, and will continue to be during the term of this Agreement, a member of the LBMA;

 

 

(d)

the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by us do not and will not violate any applicable law or regulation and do not require the consent of any governmental or other regulatory body except for such consents and approvals as have been obtained; and

 

 

(e)

Gold substituted by us under clause 2.7 has a fine weight at least equal to the fine weight of the Bullion for which it is substituted.

 

 
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10.

FEES AND EXPENSES

 

 

10.1

Fees : Our fees will be paid in accordance with the fee agreement which has been executed by the parties hereto and the Sponsor, as assigneee of BlackRock Asset Management International Inc., as that agreement may be amended from time to time by the parties to it in accordance with its terms. Details of charges (including charges with respect to the use of the eBTS Website, if any, transfer clearing charges and storage charges) will be advised to you by us in writing from time to time.

 

 

10.2

Credit balances: No interest or other amount will be paid by us on any credit balance on the Unallocated Account.

 

 

10.3

Debit balances: You are not entitled to overdraw the Unallocated Account except to the extent that there is equivalent Bullion in the Allocated Account. If for any reason the Unallocated Account is overdrawn beyond 430 Ounces, we may at our sole discretion and without any further consent from you transfer equivalent Bullion from the Allocated Account in satisfaction of such debit balance.

 

11.

SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITY

 

 

11.1

Disclaimer of liability: You understand and agree that we will not know, except as provided in clause 3.3(b), will not have any duty to determine and, except as provided in clause 9.2(e), in making any report required under this Agreement, will not be considered to be making any representation or warranty as to whether in fact the Gold deposited with us contains the amount of pure gold indicated on the bars. Except for Gold deposited by us in substitution for other Gold held in the Account under clause 2.7, WE DISCLAIM ALL LIABILITY FOR THE GENUINENESS AND FINENESS OF GOLD DEPOSITED WITH US UNDER THIS AGREEMENT.

 

 

11.2

Exclusion of liability : We will use reasonable care in the performance of our duties under this Agreement and without prejudice to clause 11.1 will only be responsible for any loss or damage suffered by you as a direct result of any negligence, fraud or wilful default on our part in the performance of our duties, and in which case our liability will not exceed the aggregate of the market value of the Bullion and the balance of the Unallocated Account at the time of such negligence, fraud or wilful default.

 

 

11.3

Force majeure : Neither we, nor any of our directors, employees, agents or affiliates shall incur any liability to you if, by reason of any provision of any present or future law or regulation of the United Kingdom or any other country, or of any governmental or regulatory authority or stock exchange, or by reason of any act of God or war or terrorism or other circumstances beyond our control, we are prevented or forbidden from, or would be subject to any civil or criminal penalty on account of, or are delayed in, doing or performing any act or thing which by the terms of this Agreement it is provided shall be done or performed and accordingly we do not do that thing or do that thing at a later time than would otherwise be required.

 

 

11.4

Indemnity in favour of us : You shall indemnify and keep us indemnified (on an after tax basis) on demand against all costs and expenses, damages, liabilities and losses (including but not limited to reasonable legal fees and expenses) ( " Losses " ) which we may suffer or incur directly in connection with this Agreement except to the extent that such Losses are due directly to our negligence, wilful default or fraud.

 

 
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11.5

Indemnity in favour of you: We shall be liable for and shall indemnify you for, and hold you harmless from, any Losses incurred by you (individually or in your capacity as trustee) directly relating to or arising from any breach of our representations and warranties contained in this Agreement, any failure by us to act or refrain from acting in accordance with instructions under clause 5 from you, or any physical loss, destruction or damage to the Bullion, except, in each case, for Losses arising from nuclear fission or fusion, radioactivity, war, terrorist event, invasion, insurrection, civil commotion, riot, strike, act of government or public authority, act of God or a similar cause that is beyond our control, provided that our liability under this clause shall be limited to the value of Gold under custody at the time of the act or omission giving rise to the claim under this clause. You will notify us promptly of any proceeding or claim for which you may seek indemnity, and we shall cooperate fully with you with respect to any such proceeding or claim. Any deposit of Gold held in the Account with a Sub-Custodian pursuant to Section 8 hereof shall not affect our responsibilities or liabilities or in any way limit or relieve us of our responsibilities or liabilities under this Section 11, and we shall remain fully liable with respect to such Gold as if we had retained physical possession of it.

 

 

11.6

Subrogation: You and the Trust will be subrogated to us with respect to any claim against a Sub-Custodian or any other person for any loss or damage suffered by you or the Trust if and to the extent that you and the Trust have not been made whole for such loss or damage, and we hereby assign all such rights to you. Your exercise of the rights granted in this clause shall not affect our liabilities under the preceding provisions of this clause 11.

 

 

11.7

Exculpation in respect of offer document: We and our officers, directors, employees, agents and sub-custodians shall not be responsible or liable in any manner for any recitals, statements, representations or warranties made by any person other than us under or in connection with the establishment of, or sale of interests in, the Trust, including without limitation any offer document, prospectus, filings, marketing documentation or other documentation relating thereto.

 

12.

TERMINATION

 

 

12.1

Method: Either party may terminate this Agreement by giving not less than 180 Business Days written notice to the other party, provided that we may terminate this Agreement immediately on written notice in the event that any of the statements set out in clause 9.1(a)-(e) become untrue , and you may terminate this Agreement immediately on written notice following an event specified in clause 7.8 provided that clause 11 shall survive termination of this Agreement. Any such notice given by you must specify:

 

 

(a)

the date on which the termination will take effect (the " Termination Date ");

 

 

(b)

the person to whom any Bullion and any credit balance on the Unallocated Account is to be transferred; and

 

 

(c)

all other necessary arrangements for the transfer or repayment, as the case may be, of any Account Balance.

 

 
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12.2

Redelivery arrangements: If you do not make arrangements acceptable to us for the transfer or repayment of any Bullion or credit balance in the Unallocated Account we may continue to store the Bullion or maintain that Unallocated Account (as the case may be), in which case we will continue to charge the Fees payable under clause 10. If you have not made arrangements acceptable to us for the redelivery of the Bullion or transfer or repayment of any credit balance in the Unallocated Account (as the case may be) within 6 months of the date specified in the termination notice as the date on which the termination will take effect, we will be entitled to close the Account, sell the Bullion and close the Unallocated Account and account to you for the proceeds after deducting any amounts due to us under this Agreement.

 

 

12.3

Existing rights : Termination shall not affect rights and obligations then outstanding under this Agreement which shall continue to be governed by this Agreement until all obligations have been fully performed.

 

 

12.4

eBTS : Effective the Termination Date the use of the Website will automatically be terminated and no further access to the Website will be permitted.

 

13.

VALUE ADDED TAX

 

 

13.1

VAT included : All sums payable or other consideration provided to us by you or the Sponsor in connection with this Agreement (including, without limitation, pursuant to the fee agreement referred to in clause 10.1) are inclusive of any VAT which is or becomes chargeable on the supply or supplies for which such sums or other consideration (or any part thereof) are the whole or part of the consideration for VAT purposes and section 89 of VATA shall not apply to affect the amount of such sums or value of such other consideration.

 

 

13.2

Supplies of Gold: Notwithstanding clause 13.1, where, pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement:

 

 

(a)

(i)     you instruct us in writing to remove any Gold from the black box; and

 

 

(ii)    we, or any Sub-Custodian for us, are required to account to Customs for any VAT in respect of such removal,

 

you shall pay to us a sum equal to the amount of such VAT, such payment to be made within 5 Business Days of receipt by you of a valid VAT invoice (or a copy of such invoice where the original of the same has been issued to the person to whom you instructed us to deliver the relevant Gold).

 

(b)       you or any other person makes a supply to us for VAT purposes and VAT is or becomes chargeable on such supply, we shall, within 5 Business Days of receipt of a valid VAT invoice in respect of such supply, pay to you a sum equal to the amount of such VAT, save to the extent that we (acting reasonably and in good faith) are not entitled to credit or repayment in respect of such VAT from Customs.

 

In this clause 13.2 the terms "remove" (and any derivation thereof) and "black box" to be construed in accordance with the HMRC Agreement.

 

 
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14.

NOTICES AND RECORD-KEEPING

 

 

14.1

Form: A notice or other communication under or in connection with this Agreement may be given orally unless required in writing under this Agreement. References to writing includes an electronic transmission.

 

 

14.2

Method of transmission: Any notice or other communication required to be in writing may be delivered personally or sent by first class post, pre-paid recorded delivery (or air mail if overseas), authenticated electronic transmission (including telex, fax and SWIFT) or such other electronic transmission as the parties may from time to time agree, to the party due to receive the notice or communication, addressed as follows, or to another address, number or destination specified by that party by written notice to the other:

 

 

14.2.1

If to us,

 

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., London branch

125 London Wall

London, England EC2Y 5AJ

Attention: Peter L. Smith

Facsimile: + 44 120 2345348

 

 

14.2.2

If to you,

 

The Bank of New York Mellon

2 Hanson Place

9 th Floor

Brooklyn, New York 11217

Attention: ETF Services, Brooklyn

Telephone: + 718 315 5013

Facsimile: + 718 315 4850

 

 

14.3

Deemed receipt on notice: A notice or other communication under or in connection with this Agreement will be deemed received only if actually received or delivered.

 

 

14.4

Recording of calls: We may record telephone conversations without use of a warning tone. Such recordings will be our sole property and accepted by you as evidence of the orders or instructions given; provided that in case of any dispute or disagreement regarding any conversation so recorded we will promptly share the recordings with you and your representatives; and provided further , that we will have no obligations to retain any such recordings prior to becoming aware of any such dispute or disagreement.

 

 

14.5

Records: We will maintain adequate records identifying the Gold as belonging to you. Such records shall include, with respect to the Account:

 

 

(a)

journals or other records of original entry containing an itemised daily record in detail of all receipts and deliveries of Gold (including adequate information to uniquely identify each bar of Gold received in or delivered from the Allocated Account and the person from whom each bar was delivered; and

 

 

(b)

ledgers (or other records) reflecting:

 

 
- 15 -

 

 

 

(i)

Gold in our physical possession, or held by any Sub-Custodian; and

 

 

(ii)

Gold held in the Unallocated Account and allocations made daily in respect thereof, as provided in clause 7.5; and

 

 

(iii)

such other books and records as you may reasonably request.

 

 

14.6

Annual Certificate: We will deliver annually to you and more frequently if requested by you, a certificate dated the date of delivery, certifying that we have, since the date of this Agreement or the date of the preceding such certificate, complied with the terms and conditions of this Agreement and that our representations and warranties in clause 9 of this Agreement continue to be true and correct.

 

15.

GENERAL

 

 

15.1

No advice: Our duties and obligations under this Agreement do not include providing you with investment advice. In asking us to open and maintain the Account, you do so in reliance upon your own judgement and we shall not owe to you any duty to exercise any judgement on your behalf as to the merits or suitability of any deposits into, or withdrawals from, an Account.

 

 

15.2

Assignment : This Agreement is for the benefit of and binding upon us both and our respective successors and assigns. You may not assign, transfer or encumber, or purport to assign, transfer or encumber, your right, title or interest in relation to any Account or any right or obligation under this Agreement or any part of any of the foregoing unless we otherwise agree in writing.

 

 

15.3

Amendments : Any amendment to this Agreement must be agreed in writing and be signed by us both. Any amendment affecting the rights of the Sponsor under this Agreement shall require written consent of the Sponsor. Unless otherwise agreed, an amendment will not affect any legal rights or obligations which may already have arisen.

 

 

15.4

Partial invalidity: If any of the clauses (or part of a clause) of this Agreement becomes invalid or unenforceable in any way under the Rules or any law, the validity of the remaining clauses (or part of a clause) will not in any way be affected or impaired.

 

 

15.5

Entire agreement: This document represents the entire agreement, and supersedes any previous agreements between you and us relating to the subject matter of this Agreement.

 

 

15.6

Joint and several liability : If there is more than one of you, your responsibilities under this Agreement apply to each of you individually as well as jointly.

.

 

15.7

Counterparts: This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts each of which when executed and delivered is an original, but all the counterparts together constitute the same agreement.

 

 

15.8

Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999: Other than the Sponsor, a person who is not a party to this Agreement shall have no rights under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties Act) 1999.

 

 
- 16 -

 

 

 

15.9

Legal opinion: We will furnish to you an opinion of counsel acceptable to you addressed to you and dated the date hereof to the effect that:

 

 

(a)

our execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement have been duly authorized by us and do not and will not violate any applicable law or regulation and do not require the consent of any governmental or other regulatory body; and

 

 

(b)

this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by us and constitutes our legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable in accordance with its terms subject to principles of equity.

 

16.

PROCEDURES

 

The provisions of the Procedures are hereby incorporated into and made a part of this Agreement, subject to clause 2.4. You and we agree to comply with the Procedures. You, with the prior written consent of the Sponsor, may modify the Procedures from time to time upon reasonable advance notice and, if the modifications relate to our duties, after consultation with us.

 

17.

GOVERNING LAW AND JURISDICTION

 

 

17.1

Governing law: This Agreement is governed by, and will be construed in accordance with, English law.

 

 

17.2

Jurisdiction: The English courts have non-exclusive jurisdiction to settle any disputes or claims which may arise out of or in connection with this Agreement and, for these purposes you irrevocably submit to the jurisdiction of the English courts.

 

 

17.3

Waiver of immunity: To the extent that you may in any jurisdiction claim for yourself or your assets any immunity from suit, judgement, enforcement or otherwise howsoever, you agree not to claim and irrevocably waive any such immunity to which you would otherwise be entitled (whether on grounds of sovereignty or otherwise) to the full extent permitted by the laws of such jurisdiction.

 

 

17.4

Service of process : If you are situated outside England and Wales, process by which any proceedings in England are begun may be served on you by being delivered to the address specified below. This does not affect our right to serve process in another manner permitted by law.

 

                          Address for service of process :

The Bank of New York Mellon

c/o BNY Mellon (London Branch)

One Canada Square

Canary Wharf

London E14 5AL

England

 

 

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

 
- 17 -

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF , the parties hereto have duly executed this Agreement as of the date first above written.

 

 

Signed on behalf of

JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., London Branch

by

 

 Signature:

/s/ Peter L. Smith

 Name:

Peter L. Smith

 Title:

Managing Director

 

Signed on behalf of

The Bank of New York Mellon

solely in its capacity as trustee of the iShares ® Gold Trust

by

 

 Signature:

/s/ Stephen Cook

 Name:

Stephen Cook

 Title:

Managing Director

 

 

 

 

Schedule 1

 

Creation and Redemption Procedures

 

 

 

 

iSHARES ® GOLD TRUST

 

CREATION AND REDEMPTION PROCEDURES

 

adopted by the Sponsor and the Trustee (each as defined below) as of September 2, 2010 (as amended December 22, 2016)

 

 

ARTICLE I

 

DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

 

Section 1.01.      D efinitions .     For purposes of these Procedures, unless the context otherwise requires, the following terms will have the following meanings:

 

“Authorized Participant” shall have the meaning ascribed to the term in Section 1.1 of the Trust Agreement.

 

“Authorized Participant Agreement” shall mean, with respect to an Authorized Participant, such Authorized Participant's Authorized Participant Agreement with the Trustee and the Sponsor.

 

“Authorized Representative” shall mean, with respect to an Authorized Participant, each individual who, pursuant to the provisions of its Authorized Participant Agreement, has the power and authority to act on behalf of the Authorized Participant in connection with the placement of Purchase Orders or Redemption Orders and is in possession of the personal identification number (PIN) assigned by the Trustee for use in any communications regarding Purchase or Redemption Orders on behalf of such Authorized Participant.

 

“Basket” shall have the meaning ascribed to the term in Section 1.1 of the Trust Agreement.

 

“Basket Gold Amount” shall have the meaning ascribed to the term in Section 1.1 of the Trust Agreement.

 

“Business Day” shall have the meaning ascribed to the term in Section 1.1 of the Trust Agreement.

 

“Creation and Redemption Line” shall mean a telephone number designated as such by the Trustee and communicated to each Authorized Participant in compliance with the notice provisions of the respective Authorized Participant Agreement.

 

“Custodial Account” shall mean an account established by the Trustee with a Custodian pursuant to the Custodian Agreement.

 

“Custodian” shall mean a financial institution or other entity with which the Trustee shall have entered into an agreement for the custody of the Trust's property; provided, that if there is more than one Custodian at any time, a reference in these Procedures to “the Custodian” in connection with a particular Purchase Order or Redemption Order shall be to such Custodian as the Trustee shall have designated for purposes of such Purchase Order or Redemption Order.

 

Custodian Agreement ” shall mean, as of any date, the Custodian Agreement at the time in effect between the Trustee and the Custodian.

 

 
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“Custodian Day” shall mean, with respect to a Custodian, a day on which the facilities at which a Delivery of Gold is to take place to or by such Custodian on behalf of the Trust are open for business.

 

“Delivery” shall mean a delivery of Gold or Shares, as applicable, in each case effected according to the definition of “Deliver” in Section 1.1 of the Trust Agreement.

 

Depositor ” shall mean any Authorized Participant that deposits Gold into the Trust, either for its own account or on behalf of another Person that is the owner or beneficial owner of that Gold.

 

“DTC” shall mean The Depository Trust Company, its nominees and their respective successors.

 

“Fine Ounces” shall have the meaning ascribed to the term in Section 1.1 of the Trust Agreement.

 

“Gold” shall have the meaning ascribed to the term in Section 1.1 of the Trust Agreement.

 

“iShares” shall mean shares issued by the Trustee representing fractional, undivided interests in the net assets of the Trust.

 

“LBMA” shall mean the London Bullion Market Association.

 

“Order Cut-Off Time” shall have the meaning ascribed to the term in Section 1.1 of the Trust Agreement.

 

“Order Date” shall have, (i) with respect to a Purchase Order, the meaning ascribed to the term in Section 2.3 of the Trust Agreement; and (ii) with respect to a Redemption Order, the meaning ascribed to the term in Section 2.6 of the Trust Agreement.

 

“Person” shall mean any natural person or any limited liability company, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

 

“Procedures” shall mean these Creation and Redemption Procedures, as may be amended from time to time.

 

“Purchase Order” shall mean an order to purchase one or more Baskets in the form from time to time adopted by the Trustee.

 

“Redemption Order” shall mean an order to redeem one or more Baskets in the form from time to time adopted by the Trustee.

 

“Registered Owner” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 1.1 of the Trust Agreement.

 

“Sponsor” shall mean iShares Delaware Trust Sponsor LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, in its capacity as sponsor of the Trust, and any successor thereto in such capacity.

 

“Transaction Fee” shall mean, as of any date, the fee at the time in effect pursuant to Section 5.7(a) of the Trust Agreement.

 

 
2

 

 

“Trust” shall mean the iShares ® Gold Trust, a trust governed by the provisions of the Trust Agreement and formerly known as the iShares ® COMEX ® Gold Trust.

 

“Trustee” shall mean The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation formerly known as The Bank of New York, in its capacity as Trustee under the Trust Agreement, and any successor thereto in compliance with the provisions thereof.

 

“Trust Agreement” shall mean, as of any date, the Depositary Trust Agreement at the time in effect among the Trustee, the Sponsor, all owners and beneficial owners from time to time of iShares and all Depositors.

 

“Unallocated Basis” shall have the meaning ascribed to the term in Section 1.1 of the Trust Agreement.

 

“Valuation Relevant Price” shall mean, as of any date, the price used by the Trustee on such date to determine in compliance with the Trust Agreement the value of the Gold held by the Trust.

 

“VAT” shall mean (a) any tax imposed pursuant to or in compliance with the Sixth Directive of the Council of the European Economic Communities (77/388/EEC) including, in relation to the United Kingdom, value added tax imposed by the Value Added Tax Act 1994 and legislation and regulations supplemental thereto; and (b) any other tax of a similar nature, whether imposed in a member state of the European Union or elsewhere, in substitution for, or levied in addition to, such tax referred to in “(a)”.

 

Section 1.02.      I nterpretation . In these Procedures:

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all references to Sections, clauses, paragraphs, schedules or exhibits, are to Sections, clauses, paragraphs, schedules or exhibits in or to these Procedures.

 

The words “hereof”, “herein”, “hereunder” and words of similar import shall refer to these Procedures as a whole, and not to any individual provision in which such words may appear.

 

A reference to any statute, law, decree, rule, regulation or other applicable norm shall be construed as a reference to such statute, law, decree, rule, regulation or other applicable norm as re- enacted, re-designated or amended from time to time.

 

A reference to any agreement, instrument or document shall be construed as a reference to such agreement, instrument or document as the same may have been amended from time to time in compliance with the provisions thereof.

 

Section 1.03.      C onflicts . In case of conflict between any provision of these Procedures and the terms of the Trust Agreement, the terms of the Trust Agreement shall control.

 

 
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ARTICLE II

 

CREATION PROCEDURES

 

Section 2.01.       Creation of i Shares . The issuance and Delivery of iShares shall take place only in integral numbers of Baskets in compliance with the following rules:

 

a.         Authorized Participants wishing to acquire from the Trustee one or more Baskets shall place a Purchase Order with the Trustee on any Business Day; provided, however, that only Purchase Orders received by the Trustee prior to the Order Cut-Off Time on a Business Day on which a Valuation Relevant Price is announced shall have such Business Day as the Order Date. Purchase Orders received by the Trustee on or after the Order Cut-Off Time on a Business Day (except as otherwise provided in Section 2.01(b)(ii)), or on a Business Day on which the Valuation Relevant Price is not announced, will not be accepted. A new Purchase Order may be submitted in accordance with these Procedures.

 

b.         For purposes of paragraph “a” above, a Purchase Order shall be deemed “received” by the Trustee only when each of the following has occurred:

 

(i)     An Authorized Representative shall have placed a telephone call to the Trustee's Creation and Redemption Line, or entered a Purchase Order through the Trustee’s electronic order entry system, as such may be available and constituted from time to time (the use of which shall be subject to the Order Entry System Terms and Conditions attached hereto as Annex A ), informing the Trustee that the Authorized Participant wishes to place a Purchase Order for a specified number of Baskets, and the location or locations where the Authorized Participant intends to make Delivery of the Basket Gold Amount corresponding to each Basket (such locations to be limited to those where, in compliance with the Custodian Agreement, a Custodian is authorized to hold Gold on behalf of the Trust and for which written procedures for the delivery of Gold to and from such locations in connection with the creation and redemption of Baskets have been agreed to by the Custodian, the Trustee and the Sponsor). If the Authorized Participant wishes to settle a Purchase Order in a time frame other than the third Business Day following the Order Date ( i.e. , T + 3), such request must be made to the Trustee upon placement of the Purchase Order and must be approved by the Trustee in its sole discretion.

 

(ii)     Within one hour following such telephone call, the Trustee shall have received, via electronic mail message, a duly completed, irrevocable Purchase Order executed by an Authorized Representative of such Authorized Participant (which Purchase Order may be received after the Order Cut-Off Time if such telephone call was made prior to the Order Cut-Off Time).

 

c.         The Trustee will ask the Custodian to confirm whether delivery can be made at the locations indicated by the Authorized Participant.

 

d.        Before accepting a Purchase Order, the Trustee shall make sure that there exists at least one location at which the Authorized Participant is willing to Deliver, and the Custodian is capable of accepting, the requisite amount of Gold in connection with such Purchase Order. Should the Trustee elect to accept the Purchase Order, it shall communicate its decision by sending to the Authorized Participant (with copies to the Custodian at the offices of the Custodian in London and at each location at which the Authorized Participant will be expected to Deliver Gold pursuant to paragraph “c” above), via facsimile or electronic mail message, no later than 5:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Order Date for such Purchase Order a copy of the corresponding Purchase Order endorsed “Accepted” by the Trustee and indicating the Basket Gold Amount that the Authorized Participant shall Deliver to the Custodian in respect of each Basket. For Purchase Orders submitted via the Trustee’s electronic order entry system which the Trustee has elected to accept, the Authorized Participant will receive an automated electronic mail message indicating the acceptance of the Purchase Order and indicating the Basket Gold Amount that the Authorized Participant shall Deliver to the Custodian in respect of each Basket, and the Purchase Order will be marked “Accepted” in the Trustee’s electronic order entry system. Prior to the transmission of the Trustee's acceptance as specified above, a Purchase Order will only represent the Authorized Participant's unilateral offer to deposit Gold in exchange for Baskets and will have no binding effect upon the Trust, the Trustee, the Custodian or any other party.

 

 
4

 

 

e.     Unless waived by the Trustee in writing, the Authorized Participant will be responsible for the cost of transportation of Gold to the location where it is to be Delivered, as well as for the cost of transportation of any Gold that has to be removed from a location at which the Authorized Participant wishes to make Delivery in order to make capacity available for such Delivery at such location. The Basket Gold Amount corresponding to each Basket must be delivered at the locations specified by the Custodian no later than 10:00 a.m. (local time at the place of Delivery) on the settlement date of the Purchase Order, which shall be the third Custodian Day following the Order Date unless prior approval for earlier settlement has been granted by the Trustee in its sole discretion. Delivery may be made for deposit either in the Trustee's Custodial Account, in an account with a subcustodian of the Custodian or in an account of the Authorized Participant with the Custodian. If delivery is made for deposit in the Authorized Participant's account with the Custodian, it will be accompanied by an irrevocable order to the Custodian authorizing the transfer of the Gold so delivered to the Trustee's Custodial Account against the delivery by the Trustee of the corresponding number of iShares as provided in paragraph “h” or “i” below, as applicable. The Authorized Participant shall contact the Custodian to obtain information regarding the location of the facilities where Delivery shall take place. The Custodian shall take all necessary measures to ensure that the facilities at which Delivery is to take place in respect of a Purchase Order are prepared to take such Delivery no later than 10:00 a.m. (local time at the place of Delivery) on the third Custodian Day following the applicable Order Date.

 

f.      Gold shall be Delivered to the Custodian in the form of Gold bars only and must be accompanied by the corresponding bar list; provided, that an amount of Gold not exceeding 430 Ounces may be Delivered to the Custodian on an Unallocated Basis. Gold that has been Delivered to the Custodian no later than 10:00 a.m. (local time at the place of Delivery) on a Custodian Day shall be allocated by the Custodian to the Trustee's Custodial Account no later than 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the date of such Delivery. Where Gold is Delivered to the Custodian after 10:00 a.m. (local time at the place of Delivery) on a Custodian Day, the Custodian (i) will use its commercially reasonable efforts to allocate such Gold to the Trustee's Custodial Account no later than 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the date of such Delivery and (ii) will allocate such Gold to the Trustee's Custodial Account no later than 9:00 a.m. (New York time) on the next Custodian Day following the date of such Delivery.

 

g.     The Custodian shall allocate Gold to the Trustee's Custodial Account by (i) making entries in the Custodian's books and records to identify such Gold as being held for the Trust, it being understood that such entries shall identify each bar of Gold so allocated by refiner, assay, serial number and gross and fine weight; (ii) physically segregating from Gold held by the Custodian for its own account or on behalf of other clients the Gold so allocated to the Trustee's Custodial Account; and (iii) sending to the Trustee, via electronic mail message, a written confirmation of the allocation, including the identification of the bars allocated as described above.

 

 
5

 

 

h.        On the third Business Day following the Order Date corresponding to a Purchase Order, or on such earlier date as the Trustee in its discretion may agree, the Trustee shall issue the aggregate number of iShares corresponding to the Baskets ordered by the Authorized Participant and Deliver them, by credit to the account at DTC which the Authorized Participant shall have identified for such purpose in its Purchase Order, provided that, by 1:00 p.m. (New York time) on the date such issuance and Delivery is to take place:

 

(i)        the Custodian shall have reported in writing or by electronic communication to the Trustee that:

 

(a)      in the case of Gold bars delivered by the Authorized Participant, it has reviewed the corresponding bar list and the Gold received from the Authorized Participant to assure that the Gold matches the description in the bar list in terms of weight, fineness, refiner's marks and bar numbers and that, based on that review and on such further examination as the Custodian customarily performs in respect of gold purchased for its own account, the Gold deposited by the Authorized Participant in respect to such Purchase Order (A) complies with (1) the “Good Delivery” Rules of the LBMA, and/or (2) such other standards as the Custodian and the Trustee, with the approval of the Sponsor, may have adopted; and (B) except as otherwise permitted pursuant to the documents governing the Custodial Account, is held by the Custodian on behalf of the Trust in allocated form; or

 

(b)     in the case of Gold delivered by the Authorized Participant on an Unallocated Basis, the corresponding amount of Gold has been credited to the Trustee’s Custodial Account and (except as otherwise permitted pursuant to the documents governing the Custodial Account) been allocated to the Trustee's Custodial Account, and the Gold so allocated is in compliance with the provisions of the paragraph above;

 

(ii)       the Trustee shall have received from the Authorized Participant the applicable Transaction Fee;

 

(iii)      the Authorized Participant shall have agreed to pay, or reimburse the Custodian, the Trustee or the Trust for the amount of any applicable taxes (including VAT) which are or become due in connection with the Delivery of Gold to the Custodian; and

 

(iv)      any other conditions to the issuance under the Trust Agreement shall have been satisfied.

 

i.        In all other cases, the Authorized Participant shall consult with the Sponsor to determine the ongoing status of the Purchase Order, and the Trustee shall issue the aggregate number of iShares corresponding to the Baskets ordered by the Authorized Participant and Deliver them by credit to the account at DTC which the Authorized Participant shall have identified for such purpose in its Purchase Order on the Business Day following the date on which the conditions set forth in clauses (i) to (iv) of paragraph “h” above shall have been met.

 

 
6

 

 

ARTICLE III

 

REDEMPTION PROCEDURES

 

Section 3.01.       Redemption of iShares . Redemption of iShares shall take place only in integral numbers of Baskets in compliance with the following rules:

 

a.        Authorized Participants wishing to redeem one or more Baskets shall place a Redemption Order with the Trustee on any Business Day; provided, however, that only Redemption Orders received by the Trustee prior to the Order Cut-Off Time on a Business Day on which a Valuation Relevant Price is announced shall have such Business Day as the Order Date. Redemption Orders received by the Trustee on or after the Order Cut-Off Time on any Business Day (except as otherwise provided in Section 3.01(b)(ii)), or on a Business Day on which the Valuation Relevant Price is not announced, will not be accepted. A new Redemption Order may be submitted in accordance with these Procedures.

 

b.        For purposes of paragraph “a” above, a Redemption Order shall be deemed “received” by the Trustee only when each of the following has occurred:

 

(i)     An Authorized Representative shall have placed a telephone call to the Trustee's Creation and Redemption Line informing the Trustee that the Authorized Participant wishes to place a Redemption Order for a specified number of Baskets, or entered a Redemption Order through the Trustee’s electronic order entry system, as such may be available and constituted from time to time (the use of which shall be subject to the Order Entry System Terms and Conditions attached hereto as Annex A). If the Authorized Participant wishes to settle a Redemption Order in a time frame other than the third Business Day following the Order Date (i.e., T + 3), such request must be made to the Trustee upon placement of the Redemption Order and must be approved by the Trustee in its sole discretion.

 

(ii)     Within one hour following such telephone call, the Trustee shall have received, via electronic mail message, a duly completed, irrevocable Redemption Order executed by an Authorized Representative of such Authorized Participant (which Redemption Order may be received after the Order Cut-Off Time if such telephone call was made prior to the Order Cut-Off Time).

 

c.        Should the Trustee elect to accept such Redemption Order, it shall communicate its decision to the Authorized Participant by sending to the Authorized Participant (with copy to the Custodian), via facsimile or electronic mail message, no later than 5:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Order Date for such Redemption Order a copy of the corresponding Redemption Order endorsed “Accepted” by the Trustee and indicating the Basket Gold Amount that the Custodian shall Deliver to the Authorized Participant in respect of each Basket being redeemed. For Redemption Orders submitted via the Trustee’s electronic order entry system that the Trustee elects to accept, the Authorized Participant will receive an automated electronic mail message indicating the acceptance of the Redemption Order and indicating the Basket Gold Amount that the Custodian shall Deliver to the Authorized Participant in respect of each Basket, and the Redemption Order will be marked “Accepted” in the Trustee’s electronic order entry system.

 

d.        Unless otherwise agreed to by the Custodian, Gold will be Delivered by the Custodian in the form of Gold bars only; provided, that an amount of Gold not exceeding 430 Ounces may be Delivered by the Custodian on an Unallocated Basis. While a redeeming Authorized Participant will be entitled to express a preference as to the city or facility where it would like to have the Basket Gold Amount delivered, the Trustee, in consultation with the Custodian and taking into account the best interests of the Trust and the Registered Owners, will have final authority to decide where such delivery will take place. The Custodian shall inform via electronic mail message or facsimile sent to an Authorized Representative of the redeeming Authorized Participant no later than 11:00 a.m. (New York time) on the first Custodian Day following the Order Date of such Redemption Order the exact location(s) where Delivery will be made, and the amount of Gold to be Delivered to the Authorized Participant at each such location.

 

 
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e.         Provided that by 10:00 a.m. (New York time) on the third Custodian Day following the Order Date of a Redemption Order, the Trustee shall have confirmed in writing or by electronic communication to the Custodian that:

 

(i)     the Authorized Participant has Delivered to the Trustee's account at DTC the total number of iShares to be redeemed by such Authorized Participant pursuant to such Redemption Order;

 

(ii)     the Trustee has received the corresponding Transaction Fee;

 

(iii)    the Authorized Participant has agreed to pay, or reimburse the Custodian, the Trustee or the Trust for the amount of any applicable taxes (including VAT) which are or becomes due in connection with the Delivery of Gold to the Authorized Participant; and

 

(iv)    any other conditions to the redemption under the Trust Agreement have been satisfied,

 

the Custodian will, as applicable, on such day, at the locations and in the amounts specified in the communication sent in compliance with paragraph d above: (A) Deliver to such Authorized Participant the corresponding amounts of Gold which complies with (1) the Good Delivery Rules of the LBMA, and/or (2) such other standards as the Custodian and the Trustee, with the approval of the Sponsor, may have adopted; and, if applicable, (B) Deliver Gold to the redeeming Authorized Participant by crediting the account indicated by the redeeming Authorized Participant in its Redemption Order. Having made such Delivery, the Custodian will send written confirmation thereof to the Trustee who will then cancel the iShares so redeemed.

 

f.        In all other cases, Delivery must be completed by the Custodian as soon as, in the reasonable judgment of the Custodian, it is practicable following receipt of written confirmation from the Trustee as described in clauses “i” to “iv” of paragraph “e” above.

 

g.      The foregoing provisions notwithstanding, the Custodian shall not be liable for any failure or delay in making Delivery of Gold in respect of a Redemption Order arising from nuclear fission or fusion, radioactivity, war, terrorist event, invasion, insurrection, civil commotion, riot, strike, act of government, public authority or act of God, or a similar cause that is beyond the Custodian's control. In the event of any such delay, the time to complete Delivery in respect of a Redemption Order will be extended for a period equal to that during which the inability to perform continues.

 

h.      In the event that, by 10:00 a.m. (New York time) on the third Custodian Day following the Order Date of a Redemption Order the Trustee's account at DTC shall not have been credited with the total number of iShares corresponding to the total number of Baskets to be redeemed pursuant to such Redemption Order, the Trustee will cancel such Redemption Order and will send via electronic mail message notice of such cancellation to the respective Authorized Participant and the Custodian.

 

 
8

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Sponsor and the Trustee have executed these Creation and Redemption Procedures as of the date set forth above.

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON ,

in its capacity as Trustee

 

 

By:

/s/ Thomas O’Donnell

 

 

Name:    Thomas O’Donnell

Title:  Managing Director

 

 

 

 

     
     

iSHARES DELAWARE TRUST SPONSOR LLC,

in its capacity as Sponsor

 
     
     
By: /s/ Jack Gee  
  Name:  Jack Gee  
  Title:     Managing Director  

 

 

 

 

ANNEX A

 

ORDER ENTRY SYSTEM TERMS AND CONDITIONS

 

This Annex shall govern use by an Authorized Participant of the electronic order entry system for placing Purchase Orders and Redemption Orders for iShares ® Gold Trust (the “System”). Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Authorized Participant Agreement (the “AP Agreement”). In the event of any conflict between the terms of this Annex and the main body of the AP Agreement with respect to the placing of Purchase Orders and Redemption Orders, the terms of this Annex shall control.

 

1.      (a) Authorized Participant shall provide to the Trustee a duly executed authorization letter, in a form satisfactory to Trustee, identifying those Authorized Persons who will access the System. Authorized Participant shall notify the Trustee promptly in writing, including, but not limited to, by electronic mail, in the event that any person’s status as an Authorized Person is revoked or terminated, in order to give the Trustee a reasonable opportunity to terminate such Authorized Person’s access to the System. The Trustee shall promptly revoke access of such Authorized Person to the electronic entry systems through which Purchase Orders and Redemption are submitted by such person on behalf of the Authorized Participant.

 

(b) It is understood and agreed that each Authorized Person shall be designated as an authorized user of Authorized Participant for the purpose of the AP Agreement. Upon termination of the AP Agreement, the Authorized Participant’s and each Authorized Person’s access rights with respect to System shall be immediately revoked.

 

2.     Trustee grants to Authorized Participant a personal, nontransferable and nonexclusive license to use the System solely for the purpose of transmitting Purchase Orders and Redemption Orders and otherwise communicating with Trustee in connection with the same. Authorized Participant shall use the System solely for its own internal and proper business purposes. Except as set forth herein, no license or right of any kind is granted to Authorized Participant with respect to the System. Authorized Participant acknowledges that Trustee and its suppliers retain and have title and exclusive proprietary rights to the System. Authorized Participant further acknowledges that all or a part of the System may be copyrighted or trademarked (or a registration or claim made therefor) by Trustee or its suppliers. Authorized Participant shall not take any action with respect to the System inconsistent with the foregoing acknowledgments. Authorized Participant may not copy, distribute, sell, lease or provide, directly or indirectly, the System or any portion thereof to any other person or entity without Trustee’s prior written consent. Authorized Participant may not remove any statutory copyright notice or other notice included in the System. Authorized Participant shall reproduce any such notice on any reproduction of any portion of the System and shall add any statutory copyright notice or other notice upon Trustee’s request.

 

3.     (a) Authorized Participant acknowledges that any user manual or other documentation (whether in hard copy or electronic form) (collectively, the “Material”), which is delivered or made available to Authorized Participant regarding the System is the exclusive and confidential property of Trustee. Authorized Participant shall keep the Material confidential by using the same care and discretion that Authorized Participant uses with respect to its own confidential property and trade secrets, but in no event less than reasonable care. Authorized Participant may make such copies of the Material as is reasonably necessary for Authorized Participant to use the System and shall reproduce Trustee’s proprietary markings on any such copy. The foregoing shall not in any way be deemed to affect the copyright status of any of the Material which may be copyrighted and shall apply to all Material whether or not copyrighted. TRUSTEE AND ITS SUPPLIERS MAKE NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, CONCERNING THE MATERIAL OR ANY PRODUCT OR SERVICE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

 

(b) Upon termination of the AP Agreement for any reason, Authorized Participant shall return to Trustee all copies of the Material which is in Authorized Participant’s possession or under its control.

 

4.     Authorized Participant agrees that it shall have sole responsibility for maintaining adequate security and control of the user IDs, passwords and codes for access to the System, which shall not be disclosed to any third party without the prior written consent of Trustee. Trustee shall be entitled to rely on the information received by it from the Authorized Participant and Trustee may assume that all such information was transmitted by or on behalf of an Authorized Person regardless of by whom it was actually transmitted, unless the Authorized Participant shall have notified the Trustee a reasonable time prior that such person is not an Authorized Person.

 

 

 

 

5.     Trustee shall have no liability in connection with the use of the System, the access granted to the Authorized Participant and its Authorized Persons hereunder, or any transaction effected or attempted to be effected by the Authorized Participant hereunder, except for damages incurred by the Authorized Participant as a direct result of Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct. WITHOUT LIMITING THE GENERALITY OF THE FOREGOING, IT IS HEREBY AGREED THAT IN NO EVENT SHALL TRUSTEE OR ANY MANUFACTURER OR SUPPLIER OF EQUIPMENT, SOFTWARE OR SERVICES BE RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES WHICH THE AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT MAY INCUR OR EXPERIENCE BY REASON OF ITS HAVING ENTERED INTO OR RELIED ON THIS AGREEMENT, OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE ACCESS GRANTED TO THE AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT HEREUNDER, OR ANY TRANSACTION EFFECTED OR ATTEMPTED TO BE EFFECTED BY THE AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT HEREUNDER, EVEN IF TRUSTEE OR SUCH MANUFACTURER OR SUPPLIER HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, NOR SHALL TRUSTEE OR ANY SUCH MANUFACTURER OR SUPPLIER BE LIABLE FOR ACTS OF GOD, MACHINE OR COMPUTER BREAKDOWN OR MALFUNCTION, INTERRUPTION OR MALFUNCTION OF COMMUNICATION FACILITIES, LABOR DIFFICULTIES OR ANY OTHER SIMILAR OR DISSIMILAR CAUSE BEYOND SUCH PERSON’S REASONABLE CONTROL.

 

6.     Trustee reserves the right to revoke Authorized Participant’s access to the System, with written notice, upon any breach by the Authorized Participant of the terms and conditions of this Annex.

 

7.     Trustee shall acknowledge through the System its receipt of each Purchase Order or Redemption Order communicated through the System, and in the absence of such acknowledgment Trustee shall not be liable for any failure to act in accordance with such Purchase Order or Redemption Order and Authorized Participant may not claim that such Purchase Order or Redemption Order was received by Trustee. Trustee may in its discretion decline to act upon any instructions or communications that are insufficient or incomplete or are not received by Trustee in sufficient time for Trustee to act upon, or in accordance with, such instructions or communications.

 

8.     Authorized Participant agrees to use reasonable efforts consistent with its own procedures used in the ordinary course of business to prevent the transmission through the System of any software or file which contains any viruses, worms, harmful component or corrupted data and agrees not to use any device, software, or routine to interfere or attempt to interfere with the proper working of the Systems.

 

9.     Authorized Participant acknowledges and agrees that encryption may not be available for every communication through the System, or for all data. Authorized Participant agrees that Trustee may deactivate any encryption features at any time, without notice or liability to Authorized Participant, for the purpose of maintaining, repairing or troubleshooting its systems.

 

 

 

 

Schedule 2

 

Authorised Persons of the Trustee

 

 

Name

Title

   

Chris Yedreyeski

Managing Director

Joseph Montalto Vice President
Todd Francis Senior Associate

Tommy Hu

Associate