What does a billionaire from Hong Kong say about investing a quarter of his wealth in gold?

SadaNews - Over three decades, Chia Ching-Hai has been a symbol of value-based investment in Asia, having built Value Partners Group into a leading investment powerhouse in equity selection worth billions of dollars.

Now, the former fund manager is investing a significant portion of his personal wealth in gold and advises others to do the same. Sources familiar with the matter say that precious metals constitute about a quarter of his family office's assets, valued at $1.4 billion, which Chia manages through this office. A year ago, precious metals made up about 15% of the family office's portfolio.

Chia, 71, said in an interview with Bloomberg News: "I have been a very patient investor - I bought precious metals and did not trade them, considering them part of my lifelong savings. Eventually, their volume has gradually increased."

Chia's optimistic outlook on gold makes him an exception in the world of ultra-wealthy investors, even as the precious metal continues to hit record levels. According to the UBS Global Family Wealth Management Report for 2025, the average allocation to gold and precious metals was only 2% in 2024.

Chia encourages investors to build a portfolio consisting of 60% stocks, 20% bonds, and 20% precious metals, with gold at the forefront. He declined to comment on the performance of his family office and its holdings.

He did not start with the gold price boom

Chia began his investments in precious metals with small amounts in 2008, and then accelerated his pace with large purchases of physical gold exchange-traded funds a decade later, according to sources familiar with his plans.

This has resulted in total gains of $251.1 million, or a 167% increase, according to the sources. He also invested in shares of gold mining companies, as well as physical gold bars and coins.

Chia stated, "I only buy, I never sell," adding that he did some minor trades in 2025. He does not use derivatives or structured products, nor does he borrow money to invest.

Metals, including gold, silver, copper, and tin, have reached record levels at the start of the year, driven by expectations of the U.S. Federal Reserve easing monetary policy, political pressures from the Trump administration, and geopolitical tensions.

Meanwhile, some Asian family wealth management offices, such as Cavendish Investment, go beyond intermediaries to trade physical gold directly, allocating large shares of their investment portfolios to this metal.

Gold and silver prices rose further this week, as President Trump's efforts to take control of Greenland raised concerns of a trade war between the United States and Europe.

Mass escape of assets

Following the freezing of Russian assets in 2022 and recent tensions in Venezuela and Iran, Chia said the world is entering a phase of "mass escape of assets." Wealthy Asian families are increasingly moving their money to the region to protect themselves from U.S. sanctions or potential asset seizures. He stated that gold is considered a good means to preserve this wealth.