Key Takeaways
- • OCBC, Lion Global Investors, and DigiFT launched GOLDX, Southeast Asia's first tokenized physical gold fund on public blockchains (Ethereum and Solana), enabling institutional and corporate accredited investors to gain on-chain exposure to the LionGlobal Singapore Physical Gold Fund.
- • The underlying fund has accumulated S$669.4 million (US$525.9 million) in assets under management within four months of launch, demonstrating rapid institutional adoption amid persistent geopolitical and economic uncertainties.
- • The product operates within a fully regulated framework anchored by three Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS)-regulated entities, providing institutional-grade governance, risk management controls, and transparent asset backing while leveraging public blockchain infrastructure.
- • Investors can subscribe using stablecoins or fiat currencies through the DigiFT platform, receive tokens directly in blockchain wallets, and subsequently redeem for stablecoins or fiat—creating a seamless bridge between traditional finance and decentralized finance infrastructure.
- • The tokenized real-world asset market has grown to over US$18.23 billion by January 2026, up from US$1.89 billion in January 2024, with the tokenized gold market exceeding US$6 billion in market capitalization and adding nearly US$2 billion year-to-date.
Summary
OCBC and its asset management subsidiary Lion Global Investors, in partnership with digital asset exchange DigiFT, launched GOLDX on 20 April 2026—Southeast Asia's first tokenized physical gold fund deployed on public blockchains. The token is issued on both Ethereum and Solana, targeting institutional investors including banks, hedge funds, and asset managers, as well as corporate accredited investors seeking on-chain exposure to physical gold with institutional-grade safeguards.
The GOLDX token provides regulated exposure to the LionGlobal Singapore Physical Gold Fund, managed by Lion Global Investors, and tracks the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) gold benchmark. The product was structured by OCBC, which originated and led the issuance architecture design; Lion Global Investors provided the investment framework and governance; and DigiFT managed tokenization and digital distribution. All three entities are MAS-regulated, creating a fully compliant ecosystem that combines traditional finance governance with blockchain efficiency and interoperability benefits characteristic of public blockchain-based real-world assets.
The underlying fund has demonstrated robust institutional uptake, accumulating S$669.4 million (US$525.9 million) in assets under management as of 16 April 2026—just four months after its launch. This rapid growth reflects investor demand for physical gold exposure amid persistent geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainties. Kenneth Lai, Head of Global Markets at OCBC, characterized the launch as "a milestone in strengthening our group-wide digital asset proposition," emphasizing the bank's commitment to bridging traditional finance with decentralized finance while maintaining investor safeguards and standards.
The subscription and redemption mechanics prioritize blockchain-native workflows: institutional investors can subscribe using stablecoins or fiat currencies, receive GOLDX tokens directly in their blockchain wallets, and redeem them for stablecoins or fiat on demand. This design targets Web3-denominated capital, creating efficiency gains for digital asset investors without requiring new physical gold procurement. The tokenized real-world asset market context is significant—the sector reached US$18.23 billion by January 2026, up sharply from US$1.89 billion in January 2024—while the broader tokenized gold market has surpassed US$6 billion in capitalization with nearly US$2 billion in year-to-date gains, positioning GOLDX as a meaningful new distribution channel in an accelerating market segment.
The GOLDX token provides regulated exposure to the LionGlobal Singapore Physical Gold Fund, managed by Lion Global Investors, and tracks the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) gold benchmark. The product was structured by OCBC, which originated and led the issuance architecture design; Lion Global Investors provided the investment framework and governance; and DigiFT managed tokenization and digital distribution. All three entities are MAS-regulated, creating a fully compliant ecosystem that combines traditional finance governance with blockchain efficiency and interoperability benefits characteristic of public blockchain-based real-world assets.
The underlying fund has demonstrated robust institutional uptake, accumulating S$669.4 million (US$525.9 million) in assets under management as of 16 April 2026—just four months after its launch. This rapid growth reflects investor demand for physical gold exposure amid persistent geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainties. Kenneth Lai, Head of Global Markets at OCBC, characterized the launch as "a milestone in strengthening our group-wide digital asset proposition," emphasizing the bank's commitment to bridging traditional finance with decentralized finance while maintaining investor safeguards and standards.
The subscription and redemption mechanics prioritize blockchain-native workflows: institutional investors can subscribe using stablecoins or fiat currencies, receive GOLDX tokens directly in their blockchain wallets, and redeem them for stablecoins or fiat on demand. This design targets Web3-denominated capital, creating efficiency gains for digital asset investors without requiring new physical gold procurement. The tokenized real-world asset market context is significant—the sector reached US$18.23 billion by January 2026, up sharply from US$1.89 billion in January 2024—while the broader tokenized gold market has surpassed US$6 billion in capitalization with nearly US$2 billion in year-to-date gains, positioning GOLDX as a meaningful new distribution channel in an accelerating market segment.
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