Tether buys $150M stake in Gold.com to push XAU₮, USDT/USAt payments
Tether’s investment arm acquired a roughly $150 million, ~12% stake in publicly listed Gold.com and won the right to nominate a board member. As part of the deal Gold.com will allocate $20 million into XAU₮ (Tether’s gold-backed stablecoin), and both parties will explore commercial integrations: listing and promoting XAU₮ on Gold.com, enabling purchases of physical gold with Tether stablecoins (USDT and U.S.-focused USAt), and other product and distribution tie-ups. Tether has been steadily accumulating physical bullion—about one tonne weekly—bringing its holdings to around 140 tonnes (reported value ~ $23bn) to back tokenized gold products. Tether said the move is a long-term hedge amid monetary and geopolitical uncertainty; the deal also includes discounted share purchases and a path for further collaboration to expand tokenized and physical-gold access. Separately, related industry news reports Pump.fun acquired on-chain trading terminal Vyper to improve high-speed execution and broaden EVM support. Key data points for traders: $150M investment, ~12% ownership, $20M allocated to XAU₮, planned USDT/USAt payment rails, continued bullion accumulation by Tether, and recent strong gold price gains that may influence demand for tokenized gold.
Bullish
The deal increases the distribution, credibility and liquidity prospects for Tether’s gold token (XAU₮) by tying it to an established bullion marketplace and adding direct commercial channels and payment rails (USDT/USAt). For traders this is likely bullish for XAU₮ specifically because: 1) a $150M strategic stake and a $20M token allocation signal committed capital and alignment of interests; 2) integrations that enable buying physical gold with stablecoins lower on- and off-ramp friction and can increase transaction volume and secondary-market activity for XAU₮; 3) Tether’s ongoing bullion accumulation strengthens the asset backing narrative, which can boost investor confidence in tokenized gold products. Short-term price action may see modest rallies on the news as markets price in greater distribution and utility; there could be volatility as traders take profits or chase momentum. Longer term, successful integrations and increased merchant access could sustainably raise demand and liquidity for XAU₮, supporting higher valuations versus a baseline where tokenized gold remains niche. The broader impact on other crypto assets is likely limited; the primary price effect should concentrate on XAU₮ and related tokenized-gold exposure.