As geopolitical tensions and economic upheavals shape a chaotic financial landscape, tokenized gold emerges like a beacon in the storm.
As geopolitical tensions and economic upheavals shape a chaotic financial landscape, tokenized gold emerges like a beacon in the storm. For the first time since the banking crisis of 2023, its trading volume surpasses the symbolic threshold of one billion dollars. A performance that combines technological audacity with an ancestral reflex of value preservation. But behind this figure lie complex dynamics, where political decisions, market fears, and blockchain innovation intertwine.
Donald Trump’s announcement of tariffs acted like an electric shock on the markets. Investors, anticipating a tsunami of uncertainties, massively pivoted towards safe assets. The result? Gold-backed tokens recorded skyrock팅rising increases: +900% for PAXG, +300% for XAUT, and an explosion of 83,000% for KAU. Percentages that resemble alarm bells in the face of systemic risks.
This frenzy is not limited to cryptocurrencies. It occurs in a context where physical gold itself is reaching historic highs, nearing $3,118 an ounce. Yet, tokenized gold does not settle for following the trend: it reinvents it. By offering instant liquidity and 24/7 accessibility, it attracts a generation of hybrid investors, straddling tradition and innovation.
The Real World Assets (RWA) sector is benefiting from this dynamic. Funds like BlackRock’s BUIDL are tripling in a matter of weeks, proving that tokenization is no longer a niche but an emerging pillar. “Digital gold is becoming an essential diversification tool,” emphasizes Illia Otychenko from CEX.io. An observation that reveals a deeper truth: in an unpredictable world, blockchain offers a new form of security.
If tokenized gold shines, it does not supplant its metallic ancestor. The two assets coexist, responding to complementary logics. Physical gold remains the ultimate safe haven, tangible and timeless. The tokenized version embodies modernity: divisible, transferable in one click, and integrated into crypto wallets. A duality that reflects the evolution of investment strategies.
This complementarity is reflected in the numbers. While physical gold has risen by 18% since January 2025, bitcoin has fallen by 12%. Evidence that current crises reactivate archaic reflexes, but that digital tools are capturing an increasing share of distrust towards traditional markets. Tokenization acts as a bridge between two eras, merging distrust of institutions and technological adoption.
However, digital gold is not without risks. Its value depends on guarantee mechanisms and centralized issuers, reminding us that blockchain does not eliminate all intermediaries. “We are in the early stages of RWAs,” tempers Otychenko. A discreet warning: the maturity of the sector will require transparency and regulation. But for now, investors seem ready to bet on this digital alchemy.
Surpassing one billion in trades is just the beginning for tokenized gold. With trade wars and banking crises shaping current events, it embodies an innovative response to a millennia-old demand. Between the immutable luster of precious metal and the cold efficiency of blockchain, a new era for safe-haven assets is taking shape. It remains to be seen whether this alliance will survive the upcoming economic storms… or anticipate them.
