Taiwan Regulator Plans Tokenized Gold Trial by Year-End

Soochow University and SinoPac Holdings jointly hosted a digital finance forum focused on how real-world asset tokenization, or RWA, can map ownership rights in assets such as gold onto blockchains to improve the efficiency of trading, settlement and asset management. The issue has implications for traditional banks' transition toward Bank 5.0 and also encompasses stablecoins, virtual-asset custody and regulatory governance.

The forum's latest discussions covered Bank of Taiwan's plans to issue gold tokens and NFT certificates, as well as the role of blockchain ledgers in establishing asset ownership and facilitating transfers. The organizers brought together academic and industry experts to exchange practical insights. Available information did not disclose the forum date, expected issuance timeline, token volume or investment amount, and Bank of Taiwan has yet to announce a schedule.

Real-world asset tokenization records ownership claims to physical assets such as gold on a blockchain, making them programmable, enabling real-time settlement and reducing reconciliation and transaction costs across institutions. Bank of Taiwan has a long-established precious metals business. Any shift from a traditional intermediary to a provider of onchain infrastructure and trust would have implications for asset custody, compliance and financial regulation.

Marking its 127th anniversary, Bank of Taiwan held its Precious Metals RWA Tokenization Forum at the Guiyang Building on May 15, 2026. Chairperson Ling Chung-yuan delivered remarks at the event, which brought together nearly 100 representatives from financial institutions, corporate clients and industry professionals. Discussions focused on onchain pricing, atomic delivery, real-time settlement, and token freezing and tracking. No investment amount or token issuance volume has been announced, with regulatory, custody and technology-governance frameworks still requiring integration.

Gold tokens represent physical bullion as transferable digital units, but issuers have long handled custody, compliance and redemption separately. Fragmented standards have constrained interoperability and liquidity. The World Gold Council and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) are therefore targeting the roughly $4.9 billion tokenized gold market with underlying specifications that institutions could adopt collectively.

On March 19, 2026, the World Gold Council and BCG released a white paper titled “Digital Gold: The Case for a Shared Infrastructure,” proposing an open “Gold-as-a-Service” platform. It would connect physical gold custody with digital issuance systems while standardizing inventory reconciliation, compliance, token issuance and redemption. The platform remains an industry proposal, with no construction cost or launch date announced.