1 Kilo Asahi Refining Silver Bar

Johnson Matthey's Successor in the Kilo Bar Market

The 1 Kilo Asahi Refining silver bar carries a name that is relatively new in bullion branding but backed by one of the industry's most significant acquisitions. In 2015, Asahi Holdings of Japan acquired Johnson Matthey's gold and silver refining operations for $186 million, inheriting not just the physical refineries but also Johnson Matthey's LBMA London Good Delivery accreditation for both gold and silver. Johnson Matthey bars are among the most sought-after vintage bullion products; Asahi is the direct continuation of that refining operation.

Asahi Refining operates refineries in Salt Lake City (Utah), Brampton (Ontario, Canada), and a minting facility in Miami (Florida). The Salt Lake City facility is the former Johnson Matthey refinery, and the minting operation holds ISO 9001:2015 certification. Each 1 Kilo bar contains 32.151 troy ounces (1,000 grams) of .999 fine silver, stamped with the Asahi rising sun logo, weight, and purity designations.

At the 1 Kilo weight, this bar competes at the lowest premium tier of the retail silver market. The kilo format is the international standard metric bullion weight, widely traded across European and Asian markets. Asahi's LBMA accreditation provides global resale acceptance, while the North American refining and minting operations mean strong domestic availability in both the US and Canada. For North American buyers seeking a kilo bar from an LBMA-accredited refiner without importing from Europe, Asahi is the most readily available option.

Asahi Refining's product range extends well beyond standard bars. The company also produces silver rounds including the Buffalo and Liberty designs, leveraging the minting capability at its Miami facility. The standard kilo bar, however, is a core institutional product focused on silver weight at the lowest possible premium.

1 Kilo Asahi Refining Silver Bar Specifications

The LBMA Good Delivery accreditation is the bar's most significant credential beyond its physical specifications. This accreditation, inherited intact from Johnson Matthey, means the refinery's assaying processes and production standards meet the requirements that govern the London bullion market. Any LBMA-member dealer worldwide will accept an Asahi bar at face value without independent verification.

Asahi Refining also holds a Canadian refinery in Brampton, Ontario, giving the company production capability on both sides of the US-Canada border. This dual-country manufacturing presence supports distribution across North America with minimal import complexity for buyers in either country.

Asahi Refining Bar Tax Treatment by Country

The Asahi Refining silver bar is a refinery product with no legal tender status. As an LBMA-accredited .999 silver bar, it qualifies for the standard investment silver tax treatment in all major jurisdictions.

Purchase Tax

• United States: No federal sales tax. Most states exempt investment bullion. IRA-eligible at .999 purity from an LBMA-accredited refiner, broadly accepted by IRA custodians. The US-based refining operation eliminates import considerations.
• Canada: GST/HST exempt for silver at 99.9%+ purity. The Brampton, Ontario refinery makes this a domestically produced Canadian product, eliminating import duties.
• United Kingdom: Subject to 20% VAT on silver. No exemption for silver bars regardless of refiner status.
• Australia: GST-free for investment-grade silver at 99.9%+ purity from an LBMA-accredited refiner.
• New Zealand: GST-exempt for fine silver at 99.9%+ purity.
• Singapore: GST-exempt under the Investment Precious Metals scheme for silver bars at 99.9%+ purity from LBMA-accredited refiners.
• Hong Kong: No sales tax, no import duty.
• EU: Subject to local VAT rates on silver (17-27%).
• South Africa: Subject to 15% VAT on silver.

Capital Gains and Retirement Accounts

US capital gains on silver are taxed at the collectibles rate of up to 28% for long-term holdings. The Asahi bar qualifies for IRA inclusion through approved custodians, enabling tax-deferred (Traditional IRA) or tax-free (Roth IRA) growth. In Canada, capital gains on bullion are subject to a 50% inclusion rate at the individual's marginal tax rate. The UK applies CGT at 18-24% with no exemption for silver bars. Singapore and Hong Kong have no capital gains tax, making them the most favourable jurisdictions for silver disposal.

Asahi Refining vs Other LBMA Kilo Bars

The Asahi Refining kilo bar competes in the LBMA-accredited segment of the 1 Kilo silver bar market. Its primary competitive advantage is North American availability from domestic US and Canadian refineries, backed by institutional credibility inherited from Johnson Matthey.

Against the 1 Kilo Royal Canadian Mint bar, the RCM offers .9999 purity (four nines) and sovereign government backing from a Crown corporation. RCM bars carry slightly higher premiums reflecting the government mint premium, but they also tend to command stronger resale premiums. For Canadian buyers specifically, both are domestically produced and GST/HST exempt. The choice often comes down to whether the government mint premium is worth the marginally purer product and sovereign backing.

Compared to the Swiss refinery bars from Valcambi, PAMP Suisse, and Argor-Heraeus, Asahi competes on equal LBMA footing but from a different geographic base. The Swiss bars have deeper European market penetration and stronger brand recognition in Asian markets. Asahi has the advantage in North America, where its US and Canadian operations mean lower shipping costs, faster delivery, and no import duties. For European or Asian buyers, the Swiss names are typically the default choice.

The 1 Kilo ABC Cast Bar from ABC Refinery is the LBMA-accredited equivalent in the Australian market. Like Asahi in North America, ABC has the domestic distribution advantage in its home market. Both hold LBMA accreditation; the choice for international buyers comes down to regional availability and shipping economics.

Against generic or private-mint 1 Kilo silver bars, the Asahi bar's LBMA accreditation provides measurably tighter bid-ask spreads at resale. The premium over generics is modest at the kilo weight (the per-ounce premium difference narrows as bar size increases), making the LBMA-accredited option the more cost-effective choice over the full investment cycle for most buyers.