Tether Invests $150 Million for 12% Stake in Gold.com to Bring Tokenised Gold to Retail and Digital Markets

Tether Secures 12% Stake In Gold.com To Bridge Digital And Physical Bullion

Tether is moving beyond the realm of fiat-pegged tokens by planting a firm stake in the global precious metals market.

The stablecoin giant announced on 5 February 2026 that its investment arm has acquired an approximately 12% minority share in Gold.com, a prominent online marketplace for physical gold, silver, and platinum.

Valued at $150 million, the transaction involves Tether purchasing 3.371 million common shares at an issue price of $44.50, an 11.9% discount compared to the stock's recent volume-weighted average.

This partnership essentially turns the world’s largest stablecoin issuer into a major player in the gold retail space.

As part of the agreement, Tether will integrate its gold-backed cryptocurrency, Tether Gold (XAUt), directly into the Gold.com infrastructure.

This allows the platform's existing user base to move between physical bars and digital tokens that represent direct ownership of gold held in Swiss vaults.

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The collaboration aims to transform how people buy and hold "hard money."

Beyond simple equity ownership, the two companies are testing systems that would allow customers to buy physical bullion using Tether’s flagship USDt and its newest offering, USAt.

Launched on 27 January 2026 in partnership with Anchorage Digital, USAt is a federally regulated stablecoin designed specifically for the US market.

If these payment options go live, they could significantly reduce the friction and settlement times typically associated with international wire transfers for precious metals.

Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino stated,

"Gold has played a central role in preserving value for centuries, particularly during periods of monetary stress and geopolitical uncertainty.”

He emphasized a vision where gold is as "accessible, transferable, and usable as modern digital money, without compromising on physical backing or ownership."

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Tether’s aggressive move comes during a historic period for the metal.

Gold prices reached a high of $5,600 per ounce on 29 January 2026.

They are currently trading just above $4,800.

This price action has fueled a massive expansion in the blockchain-based gold sector, which grew from $1.3 billion to over $5.5 billion in just twelve months.

Currently, XAUt dominates this niche, commanding more than 60% of the tokenised gold market.

Unlike paper-based gold ETFs, each XAUt token is backed 1:1 by physical bars.

Tether currently manages approximately 140 tonnes of gold to support its various products.

This physical stockpile is managed separately from the $185.6 billion in reserves, mostly US Treasuries, that back the standard USDt stablecoin.

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The $150 million injection into Gold.com is just one piece of a broader expansion strategy.

Earlier on the same Thursday, Tether revealed a $100 million equity investment in Anchorage Digital to bolster the adoption of the USAt stablecoin as the bank prepares for a potential public listing next year.

These moves are funded by a massive cash engine.

Tether reported a net profit of $10 billion for 2025, driven largely by high interest rates on its massive holdings of US government debt.

By embedding its technology into a publicly listed marketplace, Tether is attempting to professionalise the "on-chain" gold market.

For Gold.com, the deal provides a $100 million gold leasing facility and a commitment to invest $20 million of the deal proceeds back into the XAUt ecosystem, further tightening the link between traditional commodity trading and digital finance.