The value of the digital gold market has surged to as much as $55 billion in early 2026, tripling since the start of 2025 as the industry seeks to attract younger investors with more accessible forms of bullion ownership. This growth reflects a broader trend toward tokenised investment products, which allow individuals to purchase units of gold digitally, backed by physical metal held by third-party custodians.
According to the World Gold Council (WGC), digital gold is expected to expand at an average annual rate of about 27 percent, potentially reaching $170 billion by 2031 under its base-case projection. Unlike traditional gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs), where investors buy shares representing pooled holdings, digital gold allows investors to own fractions of physical gold stored securely on their behalf.
The current market value, estimated by the WGC through investor surveys, ranges between $45 billion and $55 billion—equivalent to roughly 370 tonnes of gold. This represents approximately 8 percent of the global holdings in gold ETFs, a market that is more established but has grown at a slower pace. The digital gold market’s size has increased between 2.5 and 3 times since early 2025 as more than 70 digital gold products have been introduced worldwide.
Interest in digital gold has been driven in part by a surge in trading volumes. The Boston Consulting Group reported that tokenised gold’s cumulative spot trading volume exceeded $90 billion in the first quarter of 2026 alone, surpassing total volumes from the entire previous year. This rise coincides with gold’s record highs in 2025, although prices have declined by about 20 percent from their peak.
The WGC points to strong awareness of digital gold among younger investors, particularly in markets such as China, India, and Indonesia, where digital gold is often marketed through social media, payment applications, and banking platforms. The council views this as a strategic effort to compete with digital-native assets like cryptocurrencies and stablecoins, which have been drawing younger demographics away from traditional bullion investments.
At the same time, the global market for physically backed gold ETFs experienced a rebound in the third quarter of 2026 after two consecutive quarters of declining demand. This resurgence highlights renewed investor interest amid ongoing economic uncertainties and inflation concerns, with some investors capitalizing on gold’s recent price correction.
David Tait, chief executive of the World Gold Council, noted that although there is clear and growing investor interest in digital gold, further development of infrastructure is essential to support scaling the market. He emphasized that building the necessary systems will be key to facilitating greater adoption and confidence in digital gold as an investment vehicle.