The video describes overall counterparty risk quite clearly. If one is to dabble in gold paper at all, it seems there is no 100% defence, but rather one should have sufficient physical PMs to cover their particular anticipated needs.

However, the specific counterparty risk of a brokerage, through financial failure or otherwise, making hay with stocks belonging to customers but held in brokerage accounts in "street" name. Whether it is worthwhile having shares registered in your own name, albeit with some cost and inconvenience, is, of course, an individual decision.

I don't think it is entirely far fetched for one or more of the large Canadian Banks to fail or appropriate customer holdings in a pinch, but for now I choose to think it unlikely and will accept that risk.

Thanks for your thoughts, Kerry.

O.F.