Account settings

This screen refines your BullionVault account. Use it to set your identity and contact details, time-zone, burglar alarm etc.

The procedure to change your account settings

The settings screen

Account identity

• Password: You can reset your password.

Account preferences

• Public nickname: This is the name that appears on BullionVault's public audits. It should be something which has no prospect of being linked to you. We generate a unique nickname for you when your account is created. You can change it to something you prefer. Please do not select an offensive nickname, or use someone's real name.
• My currency: This is the currency of your on-line valuation. It does not restrict you to dealing in it, but it means that when you go to ACCOUNT submenu BALANCE the top section of your screen will give you a valuation in the currency you prefer.
• My time zone: when you set this correctly we are able to make our screens and outputs show times in the most convenient way for you. More about time-zones More about time-zones.

Auto-Invest

• Automatic purchase of gold: Set this and funds in your account will be used for the automatic purchase of gold in the Zurich vault at the 3pm London Price published daily on the London Bullion Market Association’s website which is used as a global benchmark by the professional wholesale gold market. More about the Regular Gold Investment Plan.

Communications preferences

• Language: Set this to choose which language emails sent to you will be in. This will affect all automatic communication relating to your account, including statements and contract notes.
• News & notifications (email): Set this to be sent news about the BullionVault service, such as when we release new products or update existing functions.
• Gold market weekly update (email, in English): Set this and our research team will send you a short news report every week. These emails are available in English only.
• Login alerts (email): Set this and we send you an email when you log in. Log-in feedback is a good security policy for you, but of course this type - which is free - depends on your monitoring your email.
• Login alerts (SMS): Set this and we send an SMS to your mobile when you log in. Log-in feedback is a good security policy for you, and because most people carry their mobile with them this is a system which reliably contacts you even when you have not thought about your bullion or the internet for months. We call this service your Burglar Alarm. There is a small per-message cost to cover the telecommunications charges. Perhaps set this option if you expect to access BullionVault infrequently.
• Order alerts (email): Set this and we send you an email when you enter an order. Order feedback is a good security policy for you, but of course this type - which is free - depends on your monitoring your email. Most irregular users should probably keep this option enabled, but if you post lots of orders maybe turn it off for a quieter email account.
• Order alerts (SMS): Set this and we send an SMS to your mobile when you order. This is a variation of the Burglar Alarm sounding on every log-in. There is a small per-message cost to cover the telecommunications charges. Perhaps use it if you log in frequently but don't expect to enter many orders.
• Statements: Set this to choose whether to have monthly statements for your account emailed to you or just a notification to let you know it is available for download from your HISTORY submenu STATEMENT page.

Contact details

• Name: Enter your full name. Abbreviated names are less easy for us to confirm against your account verification documents.

  The best thing to put in here is the name of the bank account which you intend to use to fund your BullionVault account - or a close approximation to it.

  BullionVault is obliged under money laundering legislation to be sure that money which you use to buy bullion comes from a single bank account in your real name, and not from a false identity. Your bank has already verified your identity, and when we receive your money (which is always via the banking system) one of the checks we do is on the account name. Your BullionVault account funding will be smoother if you make it easy for us to see that your BullionVault account is named the same as your funding bank account, which will be what we see on your incoming payment.

  For the same reasons it will also make it easier for your bank to accept withdrawal proceeds from BullionVault if they can see the account name we quote matches the account name they use for you.

  Preferred format: "JOHN DAVID SMITH" ; Other possibles: "SMITH, JOHN DAVID"; "SMITH J.D"; or maybe for a company "JD SMITH INC".

• Email address : Please use an email address which you monitor. We send your dealing advices and contracts to your email address, and also notifications (where enabled) of account log-ins. If you do not monitor the email address you enter here your safety is compromised.
• Second email address: This allows you to send trusted third parties dealing advice and monthly statements.
• Home address : Your private residential address.
• Cell / Mobile number : We use this to sound your 'Burglar Alarm' with text messages, sometimes to contact you for other reasons. Note for cellphone users in the United States.
• Home phone number : Your home phone number.

Security options

• Two-factor authentication: Set this and you will be asked to enter a secure code (generated by an app on your computer or mobile device) whenever you log into your account. This extra level of security is recommended if you regularly use public computers to access your account. More about two-factor authentication.

Banking details

Your BullionVault account is tied to a single bank account set by us when you first deposit funds. For security and money laundering reasons it cannot be manually changed.