Core Viewpoint - The recent tax policy changes have led several banks, including Hengfeng Bank, to announce their exit from the brand gold sales business, citing compliance pressures and market trends as primary reasons [1][4]. Group 1: Bank Actions - Hengfeng Bank will cease brand gold sales by December 22, 2025, and will gradually exit existing business [1]. - It is the first commercial bank to announce such a decision since the implementation of the new tax policy [1]. Group 2: Compliance and Market Dynamics - The new tax policy has increased compliance requirements for banks, particularly regarding internal accounting and usage declarations, which has added operational complexity and risk [4]. - Industry insiders believe that compliance pressure is a direct trigger for banks to stop brand gold sales [4]. Group 3: Market Trends and Consumer Preferences - There is a structural shift in market demand towards financial products like gold ETFs, which are more convenient and cost-effective compared to physical gold [5]. - The new tax policy exempts transactions without physical delivery from VAT, making non-physical products like accumulative gold and paper gold more attractive for banks to promote [5]. Group 4: Future Directions for Banks - Banks are likely to transition from selling physical gold to promoting standardized products like gold ETFs and accumulative gold, moving towards a role as asset allocation service providers [5][6]. - The regulatory environment is increasingly favoring a shift towards standardized, transparent, and low-friction virtual gold markets, which may further diminish the commercial viability of physical gold sales for banks, especially smaller ones [6].

Group 1 - The article discusses practical tips for purchasing gold bars from banks, highlighting the differences in gold bar names and prices among various banks [4][8] - It emphasizes that banks do not produce gold bars but act as intermediaries, selling gold bars produced by precious metal manufacturers, with a purity of 99.99% [4] - The current gold price in Shanghai is noted as 942.2 yuan per gram, with specific prices for different banks, such as 956.7 yuan for CCB gold and 966.7 yuan for ABC's gold [4] Group 2 - The purchasing process for gold bars is outlined, indicating that customers can either visit a bank in person or use online banking apps to buy gold [8][10] - For online purchases, customers can select from various categories and complete the transaction easily, with delivery typically handled by a courier service [8] - An alternative method called "accumulated gold" allows customers to buy gold incrementally at real-time prices, which is more budget-friendly for workers [10] Group 3 - The article explains how to liquidate gold bars, noting that they should remain in their original packaging for bank buyback, although some banks do not buy back their own gold bars [11] - It warns about potential scams in the gold buyback process, advising customers to choose reputable stores for selling their gold [11] - The article mentions that some larger stores offer better buyback prices compared to banks, highlighting the importance of selecting trustworthy establishments for transactions [11]

Group 1 - The retail prices of gold in domestic jewelry stores show a divergence, with major brands like Chow Tai Fook and Chow Sang Sang maintaining a unified price of 1078 yuan per gram, while Lao Feng Xiang offers a slightly lower price of 1075 yuan per gram [1] - In terms of bank gold bar prices, Minsheng Bank's investment gold bar is priced at 844 yuan per gram, while China Construction Bank's "Jianhang Gold" gold bar is priced at 842 yuan per gram [1]