OUNZ VanEck Merk Gold Trust

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

 

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): August 2, 2023

 

VANECK MERK GOLD TRUST

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

New York		001-36459		46-6582016
(State or other jurisdiction		(Commission File Number)		(IRS Employer
of incorporation)				Identification No.)

 

c/o Merk Investments LLC

1150 Chestnut St

Menlo Park, California 94025

(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (650) 323-4341

 

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report) 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

☐

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

☐

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

☐

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

☐

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class		Trading Symbol(s)		Name of each exchange on which registered
VanEck Merk Gold Shares		OUNZ		NYSE Arca

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

 

Emerging growth company ☐

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

 

 

 

Item 8.01. Other Events.

 

On August 2, 2023, Merk Investments LLC, as sponsor of the VanEck Merk Gold Trust, issued a press release entitled “Merk Investments Sets August 7, 2023 to Change Pricing Index for VanEck® Merk® Gold Trust (OUNZ).” The full text of the press release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d) Exhibits

 

Exhibit Number		Description
99.1		Press Release of Merk Investments LLC, dated August 2, 2023
104		Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted in iXBRL, and included in exhibit 101).

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.

 

MERK INVESTMENTS LLC Sponsor of the VanEck Merk Gold Trust
By:	/s/ Axel Merk
Name:	Axel Merk
Title:	President and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer)

 

August 2, 2023

 

 

2

 

Exhibit 99.1

 

 

Merk Investments sets August 7, 2023, to Change Pricing Index for VanEck® Merk® Gold Trust (OUNZ)

 

MENLO PARK, CA. August 2, 2023 – Merk Investments, LLC (“Merk” or the “Sponsor”), as sponsor of the VanEck Merk Gold Trust (NYSE: OUNZ; the “Trust”), will change the benchmark price used to value the gold held or receivable by the Trust from the LBMA PM Gold Price to the Solactive Gold Spot Index (“SOLAGOLD”) effective August 7, 2023 (the “Index Change Date”).

 

In May 2023, Merk announced its intention to change the pricing index for the VanEck Merk Gold Trust. The Index Change Date has now been finalized to be August 7, 2023. The Sponsor has instructed The Bank of New York Mellon, the trustee of the Trust, to begin using SOLAGOLD to determine the net asset value (“NAV”) of the Trust on the Index Change Date.

 

About Merk Investments

 

Merk’s mission is to help our clients achieve superior risk-adjusted portfolio performance. Through a robust investment process, we aim to deliver truly uncorrelated returns that seek optimal profit potential within tailored investment objectives. Merk provides investment advice on liquid global markets, including domestic and international equities, fixed income, commodities and currencies and their respective derivative markets. Merk manages over U.S. $1 billion in gold, gold equities and a stagflation themed ETF.

 

For important information about the VanEck Merk Gold Trust, including how to obtain a prospectus and how to invest, please visit www.merkgold.com.

 

Media Contact

 

Axel Merk

merkinvestments.com/contact

(650) 323-4341

 

This information does not constitute a solicitation or an offer to buy or sell any investment security, nor provide investment advice. Merk Investments LLC.

 

Important Disclosures

 

This press release does not constitute legal or tax advice. Please read the prospectus and consult with your tax adviser for tax related questions pertaining to OUNZ.

 

Before investing, you should carefully consider the Trust’s investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. This and other information is in the prospectus, a copy of which may be obtained by visiting www.merkgold.com/prospectus or calling 855-MRK OUNZ. Please read the prospectus carefully before you invest.

 

 

Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. The Trust is not an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 or a commodity pool for the purposes of the Commodity Exchange Act. Shares of the Trust are not subject to the same regulatory requirements as mutual funds. Because shares of the Trust are intended to reflect the price of the gold held in the Trust, the market price of the shares is subject to fluctuations similar to those affecting gold prices. Additionally, shares of the Trust are bought and sold at market price, not at net asset value (“NAV”). Brokerage commissions will reduce returns.

 

The request for redemption of shares for gold is subject to a number of risks including but not limited to the potential for the price of gold to decline during the time between the submission of the request and delivery. Delivery may take a considerable amount of time depending on your location.

 

Commodities and commodity-index linked securities may be affected by changes in overall market movements and other factors such as weather, disease, embargoes, or political and regulatory developments, as well as trading activity of speculators and arbitrageurs in the underlying commodities.

 

Trust shares trade like stocks, are subject to investment risk and will fluctuate in market value. The value of Trust shares relates directly to the value of the gold held by the Trust (less its expenses), and fluctuations in the price of gold could materially and adversely affect an investment in the shares. The price received upon the sale of the shares, which trade at market price, may be more or less than the value of the gold represented by them. The Trust does not generate any income, and as the Trust regularly issues shares to pay for the Sponsor’s ongoing expenses, the amount of gold represented by each Share will decline over time. Investing involves risk, and you could lose money on an investment in the Trust. For a more complete discussion of the risk factors relative to the Trust, carefully read the prospectus.

 

The sponsor of the Trust is Merk Investments LLC (the “Sponsor”).  VanEck provides marketing services to the Trust.

 

Index Disclosure:

 

Solactive AG (“Solactive”) is the licensor of the Solactive Gold Spot Index (the “Index”). The financial instruments that are based on the Index are not sponsored, endorsed, promoted or sold by Solactive in any way and Solactive makes no express or implied representation, guarantee or assurance with regard to: (a) the advisability in investing in the financial instruments; (b) the quality, accuracy and/or completeness of the Index; and/or (c) the results obtained or to be obtained by any person or entity from the use of the Index. Solactive reserves the right to change the methods of calculation or publication with respect to the Index. Solactive shall not be liable for any damages suffered or incurred as a result of the use (or inability to use) of the Index.

 

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v3.23.2

Cover	Aug. 02, 2023
Cover [Abstract]
Document Type	8-K
Amendment Flag	false
Document Period End Date	Aug. 02, 2023
Entity File Number	001-36459
Entity Registrant Name	VANECK MERK GOLD TRUST
Entity Central Index Key	0001546652
Entity Tax Identification Number	46-6582016
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	NY
Entity Address, Address Line One	c/o Merk Investments LLC
Entity Address, Address Line Two	1150 Chestnut St
Entity Address, City or Town	Menlo Park
Entity Address, State or Province	CA
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	94025
City Area Code	650
Local Phone Number	323-4341
Written Communications	false
Soliciting Material	false
Pre-commencement Tender Offer	false
Pre-commencement Issuer Tender Offer	false
Title of 12(b) Security	VanEck Merk Gold Shares
Trading Symbol	OUNZ
Security Exchange Name	NYSE
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false

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