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T HMV Bullion (HMV), a company incorporated in Batam, Riau Islands, has launched an online gold and silver platform, the first ever held in Indonesia, to make gold and silver trading more accessible to middle- and lower-end investors.

Introduced amid the dwindling worldwide supply of gold and silver, it says the new platform is aimed to serve the needs of investors through its online platform as well as its retail office.

Speaking after the launch on Monday, HMV Bullion’s managing director Mike Poulos said the demand for the precious commodities from central banks, managed funds, investors and the industry was on the rise.

Gold and silver are widely used as a hedge against inflation and as a safe haven against monetary instability, he said. “Gold and silver are expected to be in a multi-year bull market. Prices are projected to escalate tremendously from current levels in line with the industry demand and in response to significant inflationary pressures globally led by accelerated money printing by central banks and, in turn, devaluation in all fiat paper currencies,” Poulos said.

Current global condition indicates that the precious metals, especially silver, are primed to be one of the most outstanding investments for the next decade, he said.

In silver alone, he said, there were more than 2,000 industrial applications using this shiny metal, while new applications were constantly brought to light in green energy innovation, medical and future technology advancements, further adding upside pressure to worldwide demand.

Poulos said Batam as a free-trade zone was chosen as the base of the company because purchases within the island excluded value-added tax. However, VAT applies to purchases that will be shipped outside Batam. The company’s chief strategists Hansel Kao said that with the opening of online trading, HMV Bullion claimed that investors could now buy gold and silver, affordably and conveniently, without the hassle of high minimum amount and quantity.

“The company is borne out of a genuine interest to serve the local community in Indonesia as well as an efficient platform for investors worldwide to benefit from investments in gold and silver,” he said. “The company, which is created for investors by investors, wishes to serve the best of customers’ needs and become the leading gold and silver trading platform in this region.”

HMV offers customized bullion designs as well as a wide variety of denominations to choose. Currencies of choice include the rupiah and US dollar to facilitate global investors.