CMC News

Crypto Market Maker DWF Labs Settles First Gold Trade

DWF Labs has settled its first physical #gold transaction, marking the crypto-native company's entry into legacy commodities as precious metal prices break record highs. Managing partner Andrei Grachev announced the trade on Monday, describing it as a test tranche involving a single 25-kilogram gold bar.

The #crypto market maker plans to scale the operation and expand into physical silver, platinum, and cotton trading. The transaction used conventional bullion custody and settlement infrastructure rather than blockchain-based systems.

Gold futures recently reached new all-time highs above $4,500 per troy ounce. The year-long rally has been driven by central bank buying, geopolitical risk, and expectations of eventual interest-rate cuts.

Gold and silver prices have outperformed much of the crypto sector this year as investors seek hedges against macroeconomic uncertainty. $BTC and broader crypto markets have seen more muted price action over the same period.

The move stands out as many crypto-native companies focus on tokenizing real-world assets. DWF Labs engaged directly in the legacy commodities market for its gold transaction instead of pursuing tokenization.

#DWFLabs has launched multiple investment vehicles aimed at supporting crypto adoption. The company operates a $250 million Liquid Fund focused on helping mid-cap blockchain projects scale, alongside a $75 million institutional #DeFi fund.

Other #cryptocurrency companies are pursuing distinct strategies to expand beyond digital assets. Coinbase has outlined ambitions to become an everything exchange, with plans to let companies tokenize their shares for round-the-clock trading.

Deutsche Bank Research analysts stated the move could substantially widen Coinbase's addressable market across both retail and institutional clients, according to Bloomberg.