Gold-backed cryptocurrencies have surged to record levels as investors seek safe-haven assets following US President Trump’s April 2 tariff announcements. According to CoinMarketCap data, Tether Gold (XAUT) reached $3,529 while Paxos Gold (PAXG) peaked at $3,520 on April 22, marking unprecedented highs for both tokens amid growing global trade tensions.

Other gold-backed tokens have also performed strongly, with Quorium (QGOLD) and Kinesis Gold (KAU) posting gains of 8.5% and 7.6% respectively over the past month. CoinGecko data indicates all four tokens have appreciated by more than 40% over the last 12 months, reflecting heightened investor interest in digital gold alternatives.

Tether has attributed the increased demand for XAUT to macroeconomic factors, including global economic uncertainty, ongoing geopolitical conflicts, and growing interest in inflation-resistant assets. Since Trump’s "Liberation Day" tariff announcement on April 2, physical gold has jumped from $3,115 to $3,335 per ounce as of April 28, representing a 7% increase in less than a month.

Gold typically attracts investors during economic uncertainty, functioning as an inflation hedge. Similarly, Bitcoin (BTC), often called "digital gold," has outperformed physical gold with a 14% price increase during the same period, reinforcing its status as a digital store of value during market instability.

The surge in gold-backed cryptocurrencies comes as part of a broader expansion in the tokenization of real-world assets (RWAs). According to RWA.xyz, the market capitalization for tokenized real-world assets excluding stablecoins has reached $21.6 billion, growing 8.6% in the past 30 days.

Tether Gold and Paxos Gold represent the leading edge of gold tokenization, with each token reportedly backed by one troy ounce of physical gold. While Tether stores its gold reserves in Switzerland, Paxos maintains its holdings in London. The tokenized gold market reached a two-year high in trading volume on April 10.

These digital gold tokens offer several advantages over traditional gold investment vehicles. Settlements are instantaneous, allowing for quicker trading, and some tokens can be used directly for purchasing goods and services, unlike conventional gold instruments that typically can only be redeemed for fiat currency.

With their combination of blockchain technology benefits and gold’s traditional stability, these tokens represent an evolving investment option as global economic uncertainties persist and real-world asset tokenization continues to gain mainstream acceptance.

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