Topics Stablecoin

Tether Gold (XAUt): Secure Digital Gold Ownership

Intermediate
Stablecoin
Explainers
Altcoins
Aug 20, 2024

As one of the leading stablecoin companies in the world, Tether has a longstanding reputation for producing reliable cryptocurrencies. In addition to the popular USDT coin, Tether also offers Tether Gold. This intriguing form of stablecoin relies on gold to maintain its price. Why is this important, and what does it mean for investors? Explore this Tether Gold guide to find out more about cryptocurrency tokens. 

Key Takeaways:

  • Tether Gold is a stablecoin backed by gold. One XAUt Tether Gold token is equal to one fine troy ounce of gold. 

  • The primary goal of Tether Gold is to digitize the value of gold. By backing its currency with gold, Tether Gold hopes to create a reliable, stable currency that has a value based on one of the most in-demand substances on earth. 

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What Is Tether Gold?

Tether Gold is a stablecoin backed by gold. One XAUt Tether Gold token is equal to one fine troy ounce of gold. The gold backing for this crypto helps to create a more stable price that's not driven as much by market demand, and it also provides a convenient way to speculate in gold.

What Does Tether Gold Aim to Achieve?

The primary goal of Tether Gold is to digitize the value of gold. During the company's research for the initial Tether stablecoin, it noticed that gold has long been one of the most trusted forms of currency. However, in the modern world, more and more fiat currencies are becoming unstable because they’re no longer backed by gold. 

Tether Gold aims to go back to the gold standard and create a neutral monetary asset. By backing its currency with gold, Tether Gold hopes to create a reliable, stable currency that has a value based on one of the most in-demand substances on earth. The company believes that a gold-backed stablecoin can combine the advantages of gold and crypto to create a product that’s trusted, stable and useful.

How Does Tether Gold Work?

Tether Gold's structure is straightforward and easy to understand. On the technological side, Tether Gold is an ERC-20 token. As an Ethereum token, it uses one of the most secure and flexible blockchains in modern web3 spaces. Users can buy, trade and more with these tokens in a variety of DeFi scenarios.

Each XAUt token represents ownership of a piece of actual gold. Tether stores physical London Good Delivery physical gold bars in a vault in Switzerland. Every token stands for one single fine troy ounce worth of this gold, and the Ethereum address for each XAUt token is linked to a specific gold bar. 

Tether Gold uses algorithms to automatically adjust addresses and gold allocation in a way that minimizes data storage. For example, if a user buys 400 ounces of gold from 50 different sellers, the system will recognize that multiple tokens are being linked to a single wallet. It will then automatically reallocate the tokens' Ethereum addresses to connect to a single, complete bar of gold. 

Features of Tether Gold

Tether Gold's simple design results in a lot of perks for buyers. People who hold this coin can access all sorts of helpful features.

Easy to Transport

If you want to buy or sell something, you can send Tether Gold tokens back and forth between wallets with ease. Unlike physical gold bars, you don't need to transport them to and from locations in order to use them. The crypto is entirely free of gas fees and takes advantage of Ethereum's rigorous security, so you don't need to pay extra to securely transfer gold bars.

Easy Divisibility

Unlike fiat paper currency, it's easy to fractionalize Tether Gold. If an XAUt token is too valuable for your purchase, you can instantly divide it into smaller parts. This makes it a flexible choice, whether you're making big purchases or just need to transfer a small sum of money. 

24/7 Trading With Ease

A big problem for modern gold investors is that they don't always have access to 24/7 markets. Investors often lose out on major chances for profit because the only places to buy and sell gold in their regions are open solely during daytime hours. Tether Gold solves this issue because it’s instantly tradable at any time of day or night. 

Easily Redeemable

Tether Gold is also a fully redeemable cryptocurrency. To further emphasize that owning Tether is just like owning gold, XAUt holders can choose to redeem their crypto. They can turn it in and withdraw the same amount of gold if they decide they're no longer interested in holding onto their crypto tokens. 

Easy Storage

One of the major downsides of owning gold is that usually you have to store it. It's heavy and bulky enough that it won't always fit in standard storage areas, and it's valuable enough that rigorous security is necessary. Tether Gold simplifies the process by managing gold storage for its users. Owning the crypto token is no more difficult than with any other basic cryptocurrency, so storage is quick and easy.

Easy Verifiable

Unlike some other gold-backed stablecoins, Tether Gold makes it easy to see how real physical gold is connected to their crypto. All assets are held in a fully compliant bank and ensured with regular audits. On the Tether Gold website, users can enter the Ethereum address of their token and see which specific gold bar it's associated with. 

Tether Gold Road Map

After launching its full token and collateral system in 2020, Tether is mostly satisfied with the current position of the XAUt token. There aren’t any publicly announced plans to change how the token currently operates. However, Tether Gold still has some exciting plans for the future, and aims to incorporate Tether Gold into many of its other projects. The company is currently in the process of designing a token mining system, whereby synthetic tokens will be collateralized by XAUt tokens. This will allow people to hold onto their Tether Gold while still using it as collateral for transactions. 

XAUt Tokenomics

XAUt has a straightforward token design, with a total of 246,500 tokens, all of which have been distributed to the public and are in circulation. Though this is a scarce amount of tokens, its design does allow tokens to be divided into smaller fractions. XAUt can be fractionalized up to six decimal places, allowing users to purchase as little as 0.000001 (one millionth) XAUt on other trading platforms.

Where to Buy XAUt

If you wish to buy XAUt directly through Tether Gold, it's necessary to go through a full identity verification process. Keep in mind that Tether Gold also has a minimum purchase amount of at least 50 XAUt at a time. However, XAUt's position as a digital token means that owners can then sell it on secondary markets, or use it as currency. For example, if you want a more convenient way to buy XAUt, you can purchase it as a token swap on Bybit. This lets users purchase digital assets simply by signing up, connecting their wallet and following a few simple prompts online. 

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How to Redeem XAUt for Gold

The redemption process for XAUt must be conducted through the official Tether website. Once users create and verify an account with TG Commodities Limited, they can exchange their crypto for its current value in gold. In order to redeem your gold, you must have enough XAUt tokens to stand for a full bar of gold (varying in size up to 430 fine troy ounces). After depositing your XAUt tokens with Tether Gold, they then liquidate your gold reserves on the Swiss gold market and send you the proceeds in U.S. dollars.

Is XAUt a Good Investment?

XAUt is a promising investment for any investor interested in diversifying their portfolio with investment in gold. It allows you to speculate on the price of gold without having to bother with storing and securing physical gold yourself. As with any other stablecoin, crypto market demand won’t affect the price of your XAUt. However, there’s still potential for profit as gold prices rise and fall. With industry experts predicting gold prices will reach an all-time high in 2025, gold-backed stablecoins like XAUt are worth exploring. 

However, even if gold has a reputation for reliability, don't forget that some volatility is normal. To make the most of your investment, it's essential to research market conditions carefully before buying gold. It's also necessary to consider that Tether has a poor reputation for handling collateral. Its stablecoin business has been fined before for failing to keep the full amount of collateral that it told its investors it held, so some are wary of investing further with the company. 

Closing Thoughts

Tether Gold is an exciting way for everyday investors to experiment with gold ownership. Its gold-backed digital asset makes it easy to speculate on the price of gold without needing to hold physical gold yourself. Furthermore, it can be a highly useful way of making online digital payments. Ultimately, gold-backed crypto assets such as Tether Gold play an intriguing and useful role in the modern DeFi space.

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