Top 10 Traded Metals

Structured Commodity Finance

Top 10 Traded Metals

Metal trading is a documentation and timing business before it is a margin business. A cargo can be commercially sound and still fail to close if title chain, assay terms, inspection logic, and payment sequencing are not aligned.

This page ranks ten heavily traded metal products by global trade value and maps each one to practical financing structures for physical execution. If your team is preparing a live mandate, review how our process works and the scope on our trade finance advisory page.

We run a transaction-led model: file intake, indicative structuring terms, underwriting memo, lender distribution, and execution support through condition cleanup.

You can see the full operating scope on our services overview.

Top 10 Traded Metals By 2024 Global Trade Value

# Metal Product HS Code Global Trade Value (2024) Common Finance Structure
1 Gold 7108 USD 565B Bullion trade lines, collateral-backed bridge structures, strict compliance and provenance controls.
2 Iron Ore 2601 USD 162B Bulk cargo LC frameworks, shipment-linked working capital, and offtake-backed flows.
3 Copper Ores and Concentrates 2603 USD 105B Pre-export and in-transit structures tied to assay, moisture, and treatment charge terms.
4 Refined Copper 7403 USD 95.6B Cathode inventory finance, LC-at-sight import programs, receivables assignments.
5 Raw Aluminium 7601 USD 78.9B Warehouse and transit-backed facilities with borrowing-base concentration controls.
6 Platinum 7110 USD 47B High-control precious metals structures with documented custody and insured logistics.
7 Ferroalloys 7202 USD 44.3B Industrial offtake-linked short tenor finance with quality and shipment verification triggers.
8 Silver 7106 USD 31.6B Bullion and industrial silver trade programs with controlled settlement pathways.
9 Raw Zinc 7901 USD 15B Refined metal import and inventory turns supported by purchase-order backed lines.
10 Raw Nickel 7502 USD 14.4B Battery-chain and stainless-linked finance structures with tight counterparty monitoring.
Method note: ranking is based on 2024 global trade values at HS product level for liquid metal products commonly financed in physical trade flows.

How Metal Transactions Become Lender-Ready

Contract And Incoterms Discipline

Contract logic, transfer point, and payment trigger must read as one system. Most declines start here when legal and commercial drafting conflict.

Inspection And Assay Control

Lab protocol, dispute clauses, and tolerance bands must be pre-defined. Ambiguous assay mechanics create immediate lender hesitation.

Title, Custody, And Insurance Evidence

Lenders need visible control of title chain and custody path, supported by insurance that matches transport and storage exposure.

Payment Instrument Precision

LC and security language has to match real shipment behavior. Template clauses copied from unrelated deals often create documentary mismatch.

Borrowing-Base And Reporting Pack

Eligibility criteria, haircuts, concentration limits, and reporting cadence must be clear before lender outreach begins.

Execution Path With Defined Milestones

Clean sequence from submission to close: underwriting memo, targeted distribution, lender Q&A, condition cleanup, and closing documents.

What Gets Rejected Fast

Unclear counterparty chain, soft proof-of-funds claims, missing assay framework, and unrealistic spread assumptions are common decline triggers. Mandates do not bypass credit discipline.

Where Financely Adds Value

We structure and distribute transactions through funding partners. We do not sell guaranteed approvals. The job is to convert a commercial opportunity into a file that can survive lender scrutiny.

If your transaction is live, submit it through our formal intake path. That is the fastest way to move from raw discussion to executable terms.

Submit Your Metals Trade File

Send your transaction for screening and indicative structuring terms.

Submit Your Deal

FAQ

Do you provide direct lending?

No. We structure and distribute mandates with funding partners subject to underwriting and final credit decisions.

Can first-time metal traders apply?

Yes, if counterparties are credible, documents are coherent, and execution assumptions are realistic.

Do you handle both concentrates and refined metals?

Yes. Structures differ by product, shipment profile, quality mechanics, and settlement chain.

How long does structuring take?

Timing depends on data quality, document readiness, and lender condition cycles after outreach.

What if one lender declines?

We capture the decline rationale, adjust the structure where feasible, then continue outreach within mandate scope.

What is the first step?

Submit the deal file so we can assess fit and issue a structured path to finance.

Compliance notice: Commercial information only. Not legal, tax, accounting, or investment advice. All mandates are best-efforts and subject to KYC, AML, sanctions screening, legal documentation, and partner credit approval.