Binance, a leading global cryptocurrency exchange, has formally announced the launch of new perpetual futur…

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Binance, a leading global cryptocurrency exchange, has formally announced the launch of new perpetual futures contracts tied to the market prices of gold and silver. These investment products represent a strategic expansion of the exchange’s existing derivatives suite, moving beyond purely digital assets to incorporate traditional commodities. The new contracts are listed under the tickers XAUUSDT and XAGUSDT, offering traders a way to speculate on the price movements of gold and silver respectively. A defining characteristic of these products is that they are perpetual, meaning they allow investors to maintain their positions around the clock without the constraints of an expiration date. This structure is specifically designed to bridge the gap between traditional financial markets and the established infrastructure of the crypto trading world.

The settlement for these new perpetual contracts is conducted in Tether’s USDt (USDT) stablecoin. By using a stablecoin for settlement, the exchange provides its users with onchain access to the price volatility of precious metals without requiring the direct ownership or physical delivery of the underlying gold or silver assets. According to Jeff Li, who serves as the vice president of product at Binance, the introduction of these contracts is considered a key step in merging traditional finance with crypto innovation. The move is backed by a focus on regulatory compliance and trust, aimed at providing a secure environment for participants to engage with commodities that have historically served as safe-haven assets. This launch is aimed at providing a comprehensive suite of tools for traders who want to diversify their portfolios by including assets that have traditionally maintained value during periods of market uncertainty.

Context

The regulatory environment for these new perpetual contracts is anchored in the Middle East. Binance’s gold and silver futures are regulated by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA), with the necessary licenses obtained under the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) framework. These operations are managed through Next Exchange Limited, which is a recognized Binance entity. This regulatory positioning is intended to offer a high degree of transparency and oversight for the new financial instruments. The decision to settle these contracts in USDT also highlights the growing regulatory recognition of the stablecoin in certain jurisdictions like Abu Dhabi, where it has been approved for use by regulated firms, even as its issuer navigates different regulatory landscapes globally.

Binance enters a competitive market for precious metals-linked derivatives in the crypto space. Several other prominent exchanges currently offer perpetual contracts tied to precious metals, including Coinbase, MEXC, BTCC, BingX, and Bybit. While the availability of these products varies by platform—for example, Bybit currently only offers perpetual gold contracts—Binance’s simultaneous launch of both gold and silver pairs broadens the options available to its global user base. This trend of integrating traditional market assets into crypto-native platforms reflects a broader industry movement toward providing comprehensive financial services that cater to the evolving needs of investors who seek exposure to both digital and traditional asset classes within a single ecosystem.

Impact

The launch of these gold and silver perpetual contracts follows a period of exceptional performance for precious metals, which recently reached new all-time highs. This surge in value was largely attributed to growing safe-haven demand among investors. During the year 2025, gold prices saw an increase of 67%, while silver experienced an even more dramatic rally of 152%. These gains stood in stark contrast to the performance of Bitcoin, which declined by approximately 5% over the past year. In late December, both metals hit significant price milestones, with gold peaking above $4,549 per ounce on December 26 and silver reaching $83 per ounce on December 28. These price levels underscore the volatility and growth that these contracts are designed to track.

At the time of writing, gold was trading at approximately $4,424 per ounce, and silver was changing hands above $75.60. The enthusiasm for these assets extended into the digital realm as well, as tokenized commodities also surged to new all-time highs in December, following the wider rally in the physical and futures markets. The introduction of XAUUSDT and XAGUSDT allows Binance users to tap into this momentum using the familiar USDT settlement mechanism. Furthermore, the broader financial health of the sector remains noteworthy; for example, BitMine continues to hold a significant cash position of $915 million, indicating that substantial liquidity remains present in the ecosystem to support new product launches and investment activities.

Outlook

Looking ahead, Binance has indicated that the launch of these gold and silver perpetual futures is part of a broader strategy to introduce more traditional asset-linked contracts. The exchange’s roadmap suggests a continued effort to integrate various financial instruments into its trading platform, further blurring the lines between crypto-native trading and traditional finance. As geopolitical factors and economic shifts continue to drive demand for safe-haven assets, the role of these hybrid products is expected to become more prominent. The use of stablecoins for settlement remains a cornerstone of this strategy, providing the necessary liquidity and ease of transaction required for a global, 24/7 trading environment.

The success of this expansion will likely be influenced by the ongoing evolution of regulatory frameworks in key financial hubs. The reliance on the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) framework and the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) provides a blueprint for how other exchanges might approach the launch of similar traditional-asset-linked derivatives. While the availability of these specific gold and silver contracts in certain jurisdictions like the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom remains a subject of inquiry, the initial rollout highlights a clear path toward the tokenization and derivative trading of established commodities. As the market for tokenized commodities continues to hit new highs, the integration of these assets into the product offerings of major exchanges like Binance represents a significant development in the maturation of the global digital asset market.