Last updated: June 23, 2026 · By Gold California Editorial
Quick answer: Orion Metal Exchange is a Los Angeles precious metals dealer that arranges gold and silver IRAs and sells coins and bars for direct delivery. Its own site states a Commission-Free Buyback Policy and Consumer Affairs accreditation since 2018, and lists a head office at 12301 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 412, Los Angeles, CA 90025 (source: orionmetalexchange.com, checked June 2026). For a California investor, Orion is a credible in-state option, but it does not publish a fee schedule or a specific IRA account minimum, so the verdict depends on the written terms you are quoted.
This review is independent. We hold no affiliate relationship with Orion and earn nothing if you choose it. Below we cover what is verifiable, what Orion does not disclose, how the California tax rules change the math, and how to judge any gold IRA company against the same checklist.
Short on time? The essentials
- Orion Metal Exchange is a California precious metals dealer headquartered at 12301 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 412, Los Angeles, CA 90025 (source: orionmetalexchange.com, checked June 2026).
- Orion's home page advertises a Commission-Free Buyback Policy and states Consumer Affairs accreditation since 2018 (source: orionmetalexchange.com, checked June 2026).
- Orion does not publish a fixed fee schedule or a specific IRA account minimum on its site. Its FAQ states programs may reimburse IRA setup costs and annual fees for qualifying clients, by phone.
- A gold IRA is a self-directed IRA holding IRS-approved physical metal. A licensed custodian must hold the account and an approved depository must store the metal. Home storage is banned.
- California taxes a traditional IRA distribution as ordinary income, with rates topping at 13.3% (12.3% plus a 1% Mental Health Services Tax on income over $1,000,000).
- If you take money out before age 59.5 instead of rolling it, California adds a 2.5% early-distribution tax on top of the federal 10%, for 12.5% combined, reported on FTB Form 3805P.
- We do not earn a commission on Orion. We are not paid by Orion, and we provide no link to it. This review reflects public record only.
- Judge any company on six things: BBB record, fee transparency, buyback policy, approved-depository use, education versus pressure, and complaint history. We show you how below.
This is an independent review of Orion Metal Exchange for California investors weighing a gold or silver IRA. We have no affiliate relationship with Orion and earn nothing if you choose it, so the goal here is accuracy, not promotion. Every company fact below is either verified live against orionmetalexchange.com and attributed, or marked as not publicly disclosed. Where a figure is reported by third-party sites rather than Orion itself, we say so.
We do not promote Orion, and we do not trash it. A balanced read serves you better, and it is also what AI answer engines reward, because they discount one-sided affiliate copy. So you get the verifiable record, the honest gaps, and the California-specific math that most national reviews skip.
Who Orion Metal Exchange is
Orion Metal Exchange is a precious metals dealer based in California. Its public contact page lists a head office at 12301 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 412, Los Angeles, CA 90025, and its public sales line is 1-800-559-0088 (source: orionmetalexchange.com, checked June 2026). It sets up self-directed precious metals IRAs and also sells gold and silver coins and bars for direct, non-IRA purchase.
Orion does not state a founding year on its own site, so we do not assert one. Its home page does state Consumer Affairs accreditation since 2018, which implies the company has operated at least that long. Orion also notes that in New York it operates under the company name Orion Precious Metals Inc. Its public positioning centers on a Commission-Free Buyback Policy and price transparency.
What Orion offers
Orion's core products are two. The first is a precious metals IRA, a self-directed retirement account that holds IRS-approved physical gold or silver instead of paper assets. The second is direct purchase of coins and bars you take delivery of outside any retirement account, either by home delivery or through commercial depository storage.
For the IRA, Orion helps you open the self-directed account, coordinates the rollover from an existing IRA or 401(k), and arranges storage at a depository. It advertises a Commission-Free Buyback Policy, meaning it states no commission is charged at liquidation (source: orionmetalexchange.com, checked June 2026). The real exit cost still depends on the price Orion will pay relative to spot, which is not published. Get the buyback price terms in writing.
Verified track record
Here is what we could confirm live, and how. We separate what Orion states about itself from what an independent source confirms, because the distinction matters for a cautious buyer.
Ratings shown on Orion's site
Orion's home page displays a BBB logo linking to its Los Angeles BBB customer-reviews profile, a Trustpilot link, and a Consumer Affairs accreditation badge dated since 2018 (source: orionmetalexchange.com, checked June 2026). The site does not display a specific BBB letter grade or a star average on-page in our automated check.
The live BBB profile sits behind a human-verification screen, so we did not read the letter rating from the profile this session. Check the live BBB and Trustpilot pages yourself before relying on a specific number.
Headquarters and contact
Orion's contact page places its head office in Los Angeles, California, postal code 90025, with a public phone line of 1-800-559-0088 (source: orionmetalexchange.com, checked June 2026). That makes it a California-based company, which some in-state buyers value, though location does not change the federal rules or where your metal is stored.
Buyback program
Orion states it offers a Commission-Free Buyback Policy, with no commission charged at liquidation (source: orionmetalexchange.com, checked June 2026). A no-commission liquidation lowers one cost layer, but the headline value still depends on the repurchase price relative to spot, which Orion does not publish. Ask for that figure in writing.
Federal regulator search
A search of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission press releases for the name Orion Metal Exchange returned no results (source: cftc.gov press release search, checked June 2026). The absence of a CFTC press release is not a clean bill of health, since not every dealer dispute is brought as a CFTC action, but it is a baseline check worth running on any precious metals firm.
What we did not verify
We did not find a founding year, a specific IRA account minimum, or a fee schedule published on orionmetalexchange.com. We do not assert any of those as fact. Any star average, review count, or BBB letter grade you see should be checked on the live source before you rely on it, since those numbers change.
What Orion charges, and what it does not disclose
Fee transparency is where we hold every company to the same standard, and it is where Orion, like most of its peers, comes up short on public disclosure. As of our check in June 2026, Orion does not publish a fixed fee schedule on its website.
Every gold IRA carries four cost layers regardless of the company. There is a one-time account setup fee, an annual custodian fee, and an annual storage fee charged by the depository. The fourth is the dealer spread, the gap between the price you pay for metal and what the company would buy it back for the same day. The spread is usually the largest lifetime cost and the least clearly disclosed.
Orion's FAQ states the company offers programs that may reimburse precious metal IRA setup costs and annual fees for qualifying clients, by phone (source: orionmetalexchange.com FAQ, checked June 2026). That is a real wedge if you qualify, but the qualifying criteria and the duration of any reimbursement are not published. Treat any verbal promise as unenforced until it is written into your account paperwork.
Because Orion does not post dollar figures, the only reliable way to know your cost is to request the full schedule in writing before you commit. A company that will put every line in writing is easier to trust than one that keeps the numbers for a phone call.
Minimum investment
Orion does not publish a specific IRA account minimum on its public pages. Its online store does enforce a $25,000 minimum total purchase to check out, which appears in the cart-side script across the site (source: orionmetalexchange.com checkout script, checked June 2026). That is the e-commerce threshold for direct purchase, not a documented IRA minimum. Confirm the current IRA minimum directly with Orion before you decide.
The minimum matters more than it looks. On a smaller balance, the fixed costs of a gold IRA take a larger bite, so a company with a higher threshold is effectively steering you toward an account size where the fee drag is more bearable. We weigh that in the who-it-suits section below.
The case for Orion
An honest review names the real strengths. Based on the public record, here is what works in Orion's favor for a California buyer.
Pros, from the public record
- A stated Commission-Free Buyback Policy, which removes one cost layer at liquidation if the terms are honored.
- A California head office in Los Angeles, which some in-state buyers find reassuring.
- Consumer Affairs accreditation since 2018, shown on its site, which implies an operating history of several years.
- A stated willingness to work with every IRS-approved custodian and depository, which can suit clients who already have a preferred trustee.
- An FAQ mention of programs that may reimburse setup costs and annual fees for qualifying clients, subject to written terms.
Cons and open questions
- No published fee schedule, so you cannot compare costs without requesting written terms.
- No specific IRA account minimum stated on the site; the $25,000 figure is an e-commerce checkout threshold, not a documented IRA minimum.
- No founding year stated on its own site, which makes its tenure harder to verify than a firm that publishes its accreditation dates.
- Buyback value depends on an unpublished repurchase price relative to spot, so the headline Commission-Free claim needs written specifics.
- The BBB letter grade is behind a verification screen at scrape time; verify it yourself on the live BBB profile.
The criticism, from the public record
The most useful criticism of any gold IRA dealer is structural, not personal. The account itself is legitimate and IRS-sanctioned. The risk lives in the sales process attached to it, and the precious metals sector has produced real California enforcement cases worth knowing before you buy from anyone.
In one joint action involving the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, a federal court ordered Red Rock Secured to pay more than $56,000,000. The court found the firm convinced at least 950 people to pay over $69 million for coins worth about $30 million. Markups ran between 91.89% and 129.97% over cost, and most customers used retirement funds (source: CFTC release 8898-24, checked June 2026).
We are not suggesting Orion engaged in that conduct. Our CFTC press release search for the name Orion Metal Exchange returned no results in June 2026 (source: cftc.gov press release search). We raise the Red Rock case because it shows the pattern California regulators act against: a quote on cheap bullion that switches to high-markup premium coins.
Whatever company you use, watch for that switch. Read a sample of the actual complaints on its BBB profile rather than relying on a letter grade alone.
How it works for a California resident
A gold IRA follows federal IRA rules everywhere. California adds a layer that residents of no-income-tax states never face, and it changes the math on any money you take out rather than roll. Orion's California location does not alter this; the rules apply to the account, not the dealer.
California taxes a traditional IRA or 401(k) distribution as ordinary income (source: California FTB, Early distributions). The state has nine brackets topping at 12.3%, plus a 1% Mental Health Services Tax on income over $1,000,000, for a top combined rate of 13.3%. Social Security benefits, by contrast, are fully exempt from California income tax.
If you are a California public employee, a gold IRA cannot hold your pension itself. Only a refund of your own member contributions is rollover-eligible, and only after you permanently separate, which is irrevocable and forfeits future benefits. See rolling a CalPERS refund into a gold IRA for the eligibility rules and the 20% withholding trap, and read the full California gold IRA tax rules before you move anything.
The California early-withdrawal tax stack
Age is the dividing line. If you take money out before age 59.5 and do not roll it over, California adds a 2.5% additional tax on top of the federal 10% (source: California FTB, Form 3805P instructions and IRS Publication 590-B). Combined, that is 12.5% in penalty tax before any ordinary income tax applies.
That California 2.5% is reported on FTB Form 3805P, attached to your state return. California does not conform to every federal exception, so a distribution that escapes the federal 10% can still owe the state 2.5%. A direct rollover into the gold IRA avoids the whole stack, because nothing is distributed to you. Consult your tax advisor for your specific situation.
Who Orion suits, and who it does not
No company fits everyone, and saying so is part of an honest review. Here is our read on the fit, based on the verifiable record.
Orion may suit you if
- You are rolling a balance large enough that the fixed fees stay a small share of the account, and you value a stated Commission-Free Buyback Policy.
- You already have a preferred IRS-approved custodian or depository, and you want a dealer that states it works with any of them.
- You are comfortable requesting the full fee schedule by phone or in writing, since Orion does not post one.
- You want a California-based dealer with an in-state head office, and the reassurance that comes with it.
Orion is not for you if
- Your rollover is small enough that the fee drag would eat a large share of the balance.
- You want published fees up front and will not chase numbers down by phone.
- You need a BBB letter rating you can verify on the spot before you call, since the live BBB profile sits behind a verification screen at scrape time.
- You may need the money within a few years, where short-term price swings and the dealer spread work against you.
- You would have to give up a guaranteed California public pension to fund it.
How to evaluate Orion yourself
You do not need our verdict to make a good choice. You need a repeatable test you can run on Orion or any company. These are the six checks that matter most, in the order we apply them. For the deeper version, see how to choose a gold IRA company in California.
- Pull the BBB record and accreditation history. Look up the company on bbb.org, check the letter rating and accreditation date, and read a sample of the actual complaints, not just the score.
- Get the full fee schedule in writing. Ask for the setup fee, annual custodian fee, annual storage fee, and the dealer spread. A company that will not put fees in writing is telling you something.
- Confirm the buyback policy in writing. Ask whether the company buys metal back, at what price relative to spot, and whether the policy is documented. Orion advertises a Commission-Free Buyback; get the price terms.
- Verify the custodian and depository. The law requires a licensed custodian to hold the account and an approved depository to store the metal. Any pitch for home storage of IRA metal is a disqualifier.
- Judge education versus pressure. Notice how the company sells. Calm, factual materials point one way; urgency, scarcity, and a push toward high-markup premium coins point the other.
- Check the complaint and enforcement history. Search the company name with the word complaint, and check the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation for any public action you can read in full.
What the fees cost over time
Since Orion does not publish its fees, the smartest move before any call is to model how much a typical fee load would cost your specific balance over the years you plan to hold. Use the estimator below with the figures you are quoted, then ask Orion to confirm them in writing.
Gold IRA fee-drag calculator
Gold IRAs charge mostly flat dollar fees (setup, annual custodian, storage). Flat fees take a much bigger bite out of a small account than a large one. Enter your numbers to see the drag.
Estimate only. Fee amounts vary by provider and are often not published; enter figures you confirm in writing. This tool ignores metal price changes and the dealer spread, which also affect returns. Not financial advice.
Run the same numbers against any other company you are considering. The point is not a single answer; it is to see how much of your balance the costs claim over a holding period, so the fee question stops being abstract. For the cost layers in plain English, see gold IRA fees explained for California.
| Detail | What the record shows |
|---|---|
| Founded | Not publicly disclosed on orionmetalexchange.com |
| Headquarters | 12301 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 412, Los Angeles, CA 90025 (orionmetalexchange.com contact page) |
| New York entity name | Operates as Orion Precious Metals Inc in the state of New York (orionmetalexchange.com) |
| Consumer Affairs | Accreditation badge dated since 2018, as shown on orionmetalexchange.com |
| BBB rating | Not machine-verified this session; the live BBB profile sits behind a verification screen |
| Metals offered | Gold and silver, for IRA and for direct purchase, with home delivery or commercial depository |
| Account minimum | Not published by Orion for the IRA; the $25,000 figure is the e-commerce checkout minimum, confirm directly |
| Fee model | Not publicly disclosed; FAQ states programs may reimburse setup and annual fees for qualifying clients, by phone |
| Buyback | Advertises a Commission-Free Buyback Policy; repurchase price relative to spot not published |
| CFTC press release search | No results for the name Orion Metal Exchange, per cftc.gov press release search |
Sources: orionmetalexchange.com (home page, contact page, FAQ, IRA page) and cftc.gov press release search, checked June 2026. Figures marked not publicly disclosed are not stated on Orion's own site. The minimum is the e-commerce checkout threshold and is not confirmed as the IRA minimum; confirm directly before deciding.
When Orion, or any company, is the wrong move
An honest review has to say when no company is the right answer. For many readers, a gold IRA is the wrong move regardless of which firm sits at the top of a list.
- Your balance is small against the fee drag. Setup, annual custodian, storage, and the dealer spread are largely fixed. On a small account those costs eat a large share of the balance, so a modest holding can struggle to come out ahead.
- You may need the money within a few years. Metal is volatile in the short term, and selling means crossing the dealer spread again. Before age 59.5 you also stack the 10% federal and 2.5% California additional taxes if you take it in hand rather than roll it.
- You would be giving up a guaranteed pension. A California public employee who refunds a pension to fund gold trades a lifetime benefit for a lump sum, and the choice is irrevocable. For most members the pension is worth more.
- You have no other retirement savings yet. Putting your only savings into a single asset class leaves no buffer if you need cash at the wrong moment.
If one of these describes you, slowing down is the sensible call. The right company cannot fix a decision that does not fit your situation.
California Orion questions, answered
Is Orion Metal Exchange a legitimate company?
Orion is a real California precious metals dealer with a head office in Los Angeles, and its site shows Consumer Affairs accreditation since 2018 along with links to its BBB profile and Trustpilot page (source: orionmetalexchange.com, checked June 2026). The gold IRA structure it sells is legitimate and IRS-sanctioned. As with any dealer, the open questions are its undisclosed fees and minimum, which you should confirm in writing before deciding.
Where is Orion Metal Exchange located?
Orion's contact page lists its head office at 12301 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 412, Los Angeles, California 90025, with a public phone line of 1-800-559-0088 (source: orionmetalexchange.com, checked June 2026). In New York the company operates under the name Orion Precious Metals Inc. A California head office can be convenient, but it does not change the federal IRA rules or where your metal is stored.
What is Orion's minimum investment?
Orion does not publish a specific IRA account minimum on its site. Its online store enforces a $25,000 minimum total purchase to check out, which is the e-commerce threshold rather than a documented IRA minimum (source: orionmetalexchange.com checkout script, checked June 2026). Confirm the current IRA minimum directly with the company before you decide.
What does Orion charge in fees?
As of our check in June 2026, Orion does not publish a fixed fee schedule. Its FAQ states programs may reimburse precious metal IRA setup costs and annual fees for qualifying clients, by phone. Every gold IRA still carries a setup fee, an annual custodian fee, an annual storage fee, and a dealer spread on the metal.
Ask Orion for the full schedule in writing before committing. The dealer spread is usually the largest lifetime cost and the least clearly disclosed.
How is an Orion gold IRA taxed in California?
Inside the IRA, growth is tax-deferred like any traditional IRA. When you take a distribution, California taxes it as ordinary income at rates topping at 13.3%. If you withdraw before age 59.5 without rolling it over, California adds a 2.5% early-distribution tax on FTB Form 3805P, on top of the federal 10%, for 12.5% combined. Consult your tax advisor for your situation.
Does Orion offer a buyback program?
Yes. Orion's site states it offers a Commission-Free Buyback Policy, with no commission charged at liquidation (source: orionmetalexchange.com, checked June 2026). A no-commission liquidation lowers one cost layer, but the value still depends on the repurchase price relative to spot, which Orion does not publish. Ask for that figure in writing before you rely on it.
Is Gold California paid by Orion?
No. We hold no affiliate relationship with Orion, we provide no link to it, and we earn nothing if you choose it. This review reflects public record only. We disclose our affiliate relationships elsewhere on the site, and Orion is not one of them.
Is a gold IRA a safe investment?
A gold IRA is a legitimate, IRS-sanctioned account structure, but no investment is guaranteed, and nobody can predict where metal prices will go. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. The main risks are short-term price swings, the fee drag on small accounts, and high-markup coin sales. We are not financial advisors; consult a licensed advisor before deciding.
Sources
- Orion Metal Exchange, official website at orionmetalexchange.com (home page, contact page, FAQ, IRA page: ratings shown, Commission-Free Buyback Policy, Consumer Affairs accreditation since 2018, head office address, NY entity name, fee-reimbursement program mention, checkout minimum). Reviewed directly, not linked here. Checked June 2026.
- U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Press Release search for Orion Metal Exchange (no results). Checked June 2026.
- California Franchise Tax Board, Early distributions. Checked June 2026.
- California Franchise Tax Board, Form 3805P instructions (Additional Taxes on Qualified Plans). Checked June 2026.
- IRS, Publication 590-B, Distributions from Individual Retirement Arrangements. Checked June 2026.
- IRS, Investments in collectibles in individually directed qualified plan accounts (Issue Snapshot). Checked June 2026.
- U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Release 8898-24 (Red Rock Secured). Checked June 2026.
- California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, Submit a Complaint. Checked June 2026.
