Tokenized Gold Trading Volume Surges to $19B, Challenging Traditional Gold ETFs

Tokenized Gold has emerged as a formidable competitor to traditional gold investment vehicles, with trading volume eclipsing $19 billion year-to-date. This milestone positions the digital asset class ahead of several established gold ETFs, signaling a shift in investor preference toward blockchain-based alternatives.

The second quarter of 2025 saw an explosive eightfold increase in tokenized gold activity, climbing from $2.4 billion to $19.2 billion in trading volume. While still trailing behemoths like SPDR Gold Shares (GLD), the asset class has decisively outpaced smaller ETFs including SGOL and IAUM. This marks the fourth consecutive quarter where tokenized gold has demonstrated superior growth dynamics compared to its traditional counterparts.

Retail investors and crypto-native traders are driving this paradigm shift, flocking to digital gold products for their accessibility and programmability. The trend underscores a broader movement of capital from conventional financial instruments to blockchain-based alternatives, with tokenized assets increasingly viewed as credible stores of value.