A commodity is a raw material traded on financial markets - on Deblock, that means gold, silver, palladium and platinum. These are real, physical assets whose prices move with global supply, demand and economic conditions. Gold in particular is seen as a safe-haven asset - investors buy it to protect their wealth when markets get shaky.
When you buy a commodity through Deblock, the metal is actually purchased and physically stored. Techblock buys the corresponding quantity of real metal and holds it via a licensed third-party institution, so you hold a genuine claim to that quantity of metal.
One important thing to know: you can't request physical delivery. The metal stays in custody, and the only way to access its value is to sell it back through the app - the proceeds are credited directly to your main balance.
Who actually holds my commodities, and can I move them elsewhere?
Techblock holds your commodities on a custodial basis through a third-party financial institution. For security reasons we can't share which institution.
Techblock can't access, move or trade your holdings outside the specific scenarios set out in the Terms & Conditions (termination, fraud, or a regulatory requirement).
Is the commodities service regulated?
No. The commodities service is not regulated in the EEA and is not covered by any investor compensation scheme. You're solely responsible for your investment decisions.
What happens if Techblock becomes insolvent?
Your commodity holding is segregated from Techblock's own assets and doesn't form part of Techblock's general estate in an insolvency. It would be identified and realised for your benefit, with the net proceeds credited directly to your main balance.
However, if the third-party financial institution holding the metals became insolvent, Techblock would rank as an unsecured creditor, which may affect your ability to recover the full value of your holding. There is no compensation scheme covering this scenario.
What happens to my commodities if my account is closed?
If your account is closed, your commodity holdings are automatically sold at the prevailing market price and converted to EUR, credited to your main balance. They can't be transferred out as-is.