Gold Hits Record High as Tether Reports Gold-Backed Token Is Growing Faster Than USDT

Core Insights - Tether is experiencing a significant shift towards gold, as evidenced by a recent attestation report and the surge in gold prices, which recently surpassed $5,100 [1][2] - The supply of Tether Gold (XAUT) tokens has increased by 38% in the last three months, indicating a growing investor interest in gold as a hedge against economic uncertainty [1][2] - Tether's XAUT is now valued at $2.64 billion, a substantial increase from $677 million a year ago, making it the 50th largest cryptocurrency by market cap [3] Supply and Demand Dynamics - The supply of XAUT grew at five times the rate of Tether's primary product, USDT, in the fourth quarter, reflecting a strong demand for exposure to gold [2] - Tether sold approximately 173,400 XAUT in the fourth quarter, which is more than three times the amount sold in the previous six months, equating to $882 million in gold exposure [5] Competitive Landscape - Tether's XAUT faces competition from PAX Gold, which has a market cap of $2 billion, but Tether has established a leadership position in the tokenized gold market [4] - Tether is promoting XAUT as a means of payment, coining the term "Scudo" to represent a fraction of a troy ounce of gold [4] Regulatory Developments - Tether plans to launch USAT, a U.S.-regulated stablecoin designed to comply with the GENIUS Act, which mandates that stablecoins be backed by cash and U.S. Treasuries [6]