Long-time proponent of physical gold investing Peter Schiff is preparing to debut a tokenized gold offering, marking a notable shift for a market commentator known for critiquing cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin. His initiative seeks to pair the perceived safety of bullion with the transactional convenience associated with blockchain rails. The concept is designed to allow retail users to buy, hold, and transfer vaulted gold through a dedicated mobile interface, positioning a centuries-old asset in a digital transport layer commonly used for everyday transfers.
Schiff has outlined that users onboarding to the app would be able to acquire gold using their phone, with the underlying metal stored in custodial vaults. Once purchased, users would reportedly be able to digitally transmit ownership or request redemption into physical bullion. His move is seen as an attempt to capture demand from individuals who trust gold as a store of value but desire the ease of internet-native settlement.
Tokenized Gold Market Gains a High-Profile Convert
The tokenization of bullion is not a new construct. It has emerged over recent years as one of the more accepted bridges between real-world assets and blockchain tracking systems. Each token in such frameworks typically denotes a fixed quantity of gold held by a licensed custodian, with transfers recorded on a distributed ledger. One advantage of this architecture has been the democratization of fractional ownership, enabling retail participation in an asset class that historically required larger capital lots.
Market data published by aggregators such as CoinGecko suggest that tokenized gold has already matured into a segment valued above one billion dollars in total capitalization. Offerings including Tether Gold and Pax Gold currently lead in adoption, drawing interest from investors who want the perceived stability of bullion without giving up instant settlement and portability. Products like Pax Gold, for instance, operate with tokens that map one-to-one to London-vaulted ounces and allow both instant transfers and physical redemption. Industry observers view Schiff’s entry as reinforcing legitimacy for this asset class due to his reputation as a gold absolutist.
Risk Commentary Highlights Custodial Reliance
Industry voices, however, have stressed nuances in how tokenized bullion functions. Binance founder Changpeng Zhao has articulated the view that such instruments do not inscribe metal onto a blockchain but instead digitize claims to assets located in third-party facilities. He has argued that this model ultimately hinges on institutional solvency, integrity and redemption continuity over long time spans, especially across regime changes, management turnover or systemic events.
Peter Schiff reveals he will be launching a tokenized gold product
"You'll be able to buy gold on an app through your phone, the gold will be stored in a vault and then you will be able to effortlessly transfer ownership of gold to people you know or redeem it for physical gold" pic.twitter.com/mWCXVKj9v8
— Tengen (@Crypto_Tengen) October 23, 2025
Zhao has framed the structural weakness as a matter of counterparty dependence: users must assume that custodians will uphold redemption promises possibly years after purchase. He pointed out that this reliance on intermediated trust has historically limited the enduring traction of gold-backed digital tokens in a market segment that was ideologically shaped around eliminating trusted middlemen.
Saying the obvious. Most people “in crypto” know this, most people “not in crypto” may not understand yet.
Tokenizing gold is NOT “on chain” gold.
It’s tokenizing that you trust some third party will give you gold at some later date, even after their management changes, maybe… https://t.co/KMYfz2dG04
— CZ 🔶 BNB (@cz_binance) October 23, 2025
A Convergence of Legacy Preference and Digital Rails
Schiff’s initiative arrives at an inflection point where tokenized real-world assets are gaining institutional and regulatory awareness. His decision to embrace a blockchain-delivered wrapper for physical gold aligns with a broader thesis that legacy stores of value can coexist with, rather than compete against, digital instruments. At the same time, the commentary from Zhao underscores that tokenization does not dissolve the foundational custodial risks that on-chain purists often seek to avoid.
The forthcoming launch is therefore viewed as a test case for whether established trust brands in conventional assets can persuade gold-first investors to adopt a digital ownership interface without eroding the confidence that underpins physical bullion allocation. The outcome may influence how quickly tokenized commodities move from niche financial tooling toward mainstream portfolio inclusion.