This article compares XAUT, PAXG, and Mobee Digital Gold: what you actually hold, where the gold is stored, whether it can be redeemed, and which risks you need to understand. For broader context, read what is RWA and asset tokenization.

Key Points

• A gold token represents physical gold held by a custodian. You hold a token, not a gold bar in your hands.
• XAUT and PAXG each represent 1 troy ounce (about 31.1 grams) per token, but the issuer, storage location, and redemption mechanism differ.
• Digital Gold on Mobee uses XAUT, so XAUT's rules apply there.
• Token prices follow the global gold price, which rises and falls. No return is guaranteed.
• Extra risks compared with physical gold: the issuer, the custodian, and the technology.

What Is Gold-Backed Crypto

An issuer buys physical gold, stores it with a custodian, and then mints tokens that represent it on a blockchain. The tokens can be bought and sold 24 hours a day, in small fractions. The unit used is usually the troy ounce, which is 31.1035 grams, not the gram or the suku (the traditional Indonesian gold unit of 3.75 grams). One token equals about 8.29 suku.

Do not equate one token with one gram. The price of one token looks far higher than the per-gram gold price at a shop because the unit is about 31 times larger.

XAUT vs PAXG: What Is the Difference

One point that is often missed: both tokens rely on trust in the issuer and its reserve reports. An attestation report from an independent accountant is not the same as a full financial audit, so check the date and who issued the report.

A deeper look at each token is in XAUT from scratch and PAX Gold.

Gold Tokens, Physical Gold, and Mobee Digital Gold

Digital Gold on Mobee differs from holding XAUT yourself in a wallet: you transact in the app with rupiah. Check the terms, fees, and availability on the Mobee Digital Gold page and the Digital Gold explainer. A more detailed comparison of gold tokens and digital gold is in the article tokenized gold vs digital gold.

How Gold-Backed Crypto Works

1. The issuer buys and stores physical gold with a custodian.
2. Tokens are minted through a smart contract, one token per unit of gold.
3. Tokens are traded on exchanges and in crypto wallets.
4. The price follows the global gold price, plus a market spread.
5. Redemption is available per the issuer's terms, and is often limited by a minimum amount or to certain parties.

Advantages

• Small fractions. You do not need to buy a whole bar.
• 24-hour access. Useful if you want to trade outside gold shop hours.
• No physical storage to handle. The custodian takes care of it.
• Transparent records. Transactions are recorded on the blockchain, and many issuers publish reserve reports.

Risks You Need to Understand

• The gold price can fall. Gold tokens are not immune to swings in the global gold price.
• Issuer risk. The token's value depends on the issuer's ability to meet its obligations.
• Custodian risk. Check who holds the gold and how often reports are published.
• Redemption risk. Exchanging a token for physical gold often comes with minimums and fees.
• Smart contract and technical risk. Security flaws can happen.
• Currency and price-gap risk. Tokens are denominated in US dollars, and their price can differ from the spot gold price.
• Regulation. OJK is still drafting a specific rule on asset tokenization, and gold tokenization is among the business models tested in the OJK sandbox. Read RWA regulation, tax, and risks.

How to Choose: Questions You Need to Answer

Instead of looking for "the best one", answer these questions:

1. What do you need? Exposure to the gold price, or physical gold in hand?
2. How important is redemption? If it matters, read the terms and fees.
3. Where will you buy? Prefer a platform that is licensed and supervised by OJK.
4. What is the total cost? Count the spread, transaction fees, tax, and exchange rate.
5. How comfortable are you with issuer risk? No gold token is free of issuer risk.

Tax and Fees

Sales of crypto assets through a domestic operator with PAKD status are subject to a final income tax (PPh Article 22) of 0.21% of the transaction value under PMK 50/2025, while platform services are subject to VAT. Details and limits are in RWA regulation, tax, and risks. Check the latest fees on Mobee's fee page and consult a tax advisor.

Gold-Backed Crypto at Mobee

Mobee is operated by PT CTXG Indonesia Berkarya, which is licensed and supervised by OJK. XAUT and PAXG are listed in the Mobee asset list, and you can check availability in the app. For practical steps, see how to buy and sell XAUT. Download the Mobee app, complete verification, and start with a small amount.

Conclusion

Gold-backed crypto combines exposure to the gold price with digital access: small fractions, 24 hours, no bars to store. The trade-off is extra risk in the issuer, the custodian, and the technology. XAUT and PAXG each represent 1 troy ounce, but their issuers, storage, and redemption differ.

Understand what you hold, check the redemption terms and fees, and start with a small amount.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is gold-backed crypto?

Gold-backed crypto is a token on a blockchain that represents physical gold held by a custodian, for example one token equal to one troy ounce. Examples are XAUT and PAXG.

What is the difference between XAUT and PAXG?

Both represent 1 troy ounce of gold per token. The differences are the issuer (Tether for XAUT, Paxos for PAXG), the storage location (Switzerland for XAUT, London for PAXG), and the redemption mechanism.

How many grams is 1 XAUT token?

One XAUT token represents one troy ounce of gold, which is about 31.1035 grams or about 8.29 suku. That is why the price of one token looks far higher than the gold price per gram.

Is a gold token the same as digital gold?

Not always. Gold tokens such as XAUT and PAXG are tokens on a blockchain that represent gold held by a custodian. Digital gold is a general name for non-physical gold products whose terms differ between providers. Digital Gold on Mobee uses XAUT.

Can a gold token be redeemed for physical gold?

It depends on the issuer. Paxos states that PAXG can be redeemed for LBMA Good Delivery gold bars, often with minimum requirements. Check the issuer's official terms before buying.

Is gold crypto safe?

There is no guarantee. The gold price can fall, and there are issuer, custodian, redemption, and smart contract risks. Start with a small amount and use an OJK-licensed platform.

What is gold tokenization?

Gold tokenization is the process of turning rights over physical gold into a digital token on a blockchain, so it can be bought in fractions and traded 24 hours a day. OJK is testing gold tokenization models in its regulatory sandbox.

Disclaimer

This article is for information and education only and is not investment, legal, or tax advice. Crypto assets and real-world asset tokens are high-risk instruments with large volatility. Do your own research and use only funds whose risk you can afford. Mobee is operated by PT CTXG Indonesia Berkarya, which is licensed and supervised by the Financial Services Authority (OJK).