In the Dutch political landscape of the time, a buyout was not a possibility, so a trade of forts was negotiated.

In 1867, the "Convention between Great Britain and the Netherlands for an Interchange of Territory on the Gold Coast of Africa" was signed, in which all Dutch forts to the east of Elmina were handed over to Britain, while the British forts west of Elmina were handed over to the Netherlands.

[1] The trade proved a disaster for the Dutch, as their long-standing alliance with the Ashanti was not well received by the population around the new forts assigned to them.

With the Gold Coast Treaty of 1871, the whole colony was ceded to the United Kingdom for 46,939.62 Dutch guilders.

[4] One of the principal reasons for the trade of forts was that a coherent area of influence would allow the collection of customs duties on the Gold Coast.