On Friday 24 July, millions of Chinese retail investors lose access to leveraged gold and silver trading through their banks. The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, the largest bank on earth by assets, gave notice on 24 June that it would terminate margin and deferred-settlement precious metals contracts linked to the Shanghai Gold Exchange, and Postal Savings Bank of China, Ping An Bank and China Guangfa Bank followed within days. Anyone still holding a position has until Friday to close it, sell it, or take physical delivery.