Tokenized Gold-Backed Security Now on $20B Brokerage — No Wallet Needed

For years, the idea of buying a tokenized gold-backed security through a standard brokerage account existed mostly as a conference talking point. Streamex Corp. just made it real. The company’s GLDY token — a gold-backed, yield-bearing tokenized security — is now available to purchase through Siebert Financial Corp., a FINRA-registered broker-dealer managing approximately $20 billion in assets. No crypto wallet required. No blockchain onboarding. Just a conversation with a broker.

Key takeaways

• GLDY, a gold-backed tokenized security by Streamex Corp., can now be purchased through Siebert Financial brokerage accounts exactly like stocks or bonds.
• Siebert Financial Corp. oversees approximately $20 billion in assets under management and is a FINRA-registered broker-dealer.
• GLDY offers up to a 3.5% annualized yield paid in additional gold through a gold leasing mechanism.
• tZERO Group, Inc., a FINRA-registered broker-dealer, serves as the regulated custodian for GLDY on its digital securities platform.
• Investors do not need any blockchain knowledge to buy or hold GLDY through Siebert’s distribution channels.

Streamex Brings GLDY Into Mainstream Brokerage Distribution

The GLDY token is Streamex Corp.’s answer to a question traditional investors have long asked about gold: can it generate income while you hold it? Each GLDY token is backed by physical gold and earns up to 3.5% annualized yield in additional gold through gold leasing — a mechanism where gold is lent to institutional market participants in exchange for a return paid back in the same metal.

What changes now is distribution. Through the collaboration with Siebert Financial, GLDY enters one of the most familiar environments in American retail investing: a licensed brokerage account. Siebert’s brokers can offer GLDY to existing wealth management and institutional clients as part of a standard investment review — the same conversation in which they might discuss equities, fixed income, or alternative assets.

There is no separate crypto account to open, no private key to manage. Investors simply work with their Siebert broker, evaluate GLDY against their goals and risk profile, and purchase through their existing brokerage relationship. Custody then sits with tZERO on its regulated digital securities platform.

What GLDY Actually Offers Investors

GLDY is not a passive gold tracker. The yield component is the differentiator. While most gold exposure — whether through ETFs, futures, or physical bullion — produces no income, GLDY’s gold leasing structure attempts to make the metal work harder. The up-to-3.5% annualized yield is paid in additional gold, compounding the holder’s position in the underlying asset rather than in cash.

That structure places GLDY in a growing category of yield-bearing real-world asset tokens that aim to combine the store-of-value logic of commodities with the income profile traditionally associated with fixed income or staking.

The Three-Party Architecture Behind the Deal

The collaboration involves three distinct institutions, each filling a specific regulated role that collectively makes the offering viable for mainstream investors.

Siebert Financial: $20 Billion AUM and a FINRA License

Siebert Financial Corp., through its broker-dealer subsidiary Muriel Siebert & Co., LLC, brings the regulatory credibility and client base. With roughly $20 billion under management and a broad base of retail, wealth management, and institutional clients across the United States, Siebert’s distribution network gives GLDY immediate access to a significantly wider investor audience than any crypto-native platform could reach today.

Being a FINRA-registered broker-dealer means Siebert operates under the same regulatory framework that governs the sale of stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. That status matters enormously for investor trust — and for the compliance teams at institutional clients who would otherwise struggle to approve a blockchain-native asset.

tZERO’s Custody on a Regulated Digital Securities Platform

tZERO Group, Inc. handles the custody layer. Registered with the SEC and a member of both FINRA and SIPC, tZERO is the broker-dealer custodian for all digital asset securities offered on its platform. For GLDY, that means investors who purchase through Siebert hold their tokens in tZERO’s regulated infrastructure — an institutional-grade arrangement that replaces the self-custody model typical of crypto markets.

The significance here is structural. By separating the distribution function (Siebert) from the custody function (tZERO), the collaboration replicates the architecture of traditional securities markets, where brokers sell and custodians hold. That familiar separation of responsibilities is exactly what institutional investors and compliance teams expect before allocating capital.

Bridging Traditional Finance and Blockchain Without the Complexity

The deeper implication of this deal is what it says about the path to mainstream tokenization adoption. The industry has debated for years how blockchain-native assets would reach ordinary investors. The answer emerging here is not through consumer crypto apps or decentralized protocols — it is through the existing infrastructure of licensed brokers and regulated custodians.

Henry McPhie, Co-Founder and CEO of Streamex, framed it directly: “GLDY can now reach investors through channels they already know and trust. A Siebert broker can offer GLDY to an existing client the same way they would offer any other investment. That kind of access is what drives adoption and grows AUM at scale.”

John J Gebbia, CEO of Siebert Financial, pointed to what makes the investor experience meaningful: “GLDY is an example of how traditional finance and blockchain-enabled infrastructure can work together without adding complexity for the investor. Clients can speak with their Siebert broker, evaluate whether GLDY fits their goals and risk profile, and, where appropriate, purchase it through a brokerage account.”

Alan Konevsky, Chairman and CEO of tZERO, placed the collaboration in the broader arc of asset tokenization: “By combining Siebert’s trusted brokerage relationships, Streamex’s innovative gold-backed security, and tZERO’s regulated digital securities infrastructure, we’re making tokenized investing available through familiar channels while preserving the benefits of blockchain-based capital markets.”

Why the Execution Model Matters More Than the Concept

What distinguishes this arrangement from many tokenization announcements is that it does not require the investor to change behavior. The blockchain infrastructure operates behind the scenes — relevant for settlement, custody, and yield mechanics, but invisible to the person buying GLDY through their Siebert account. That frictionless onboarding is arguably the most consequential design choice in the entire structure.

The tokenized gold market is growing rapidly, with competitors like Tether’s XAUT pursuing parallel strategies — Tether recently moved to allow XAUT holders to borrow against their bullion through crypto lender Ledn. But that model still requires participants to operate within crypto-native infrastructure. The Streamex-Siebert-tZERO arrangement targets a different audience entirely: the wealth management client who wants gold exposure with a yield component and zero tolerance for technical complexity.

Whether that audience converts at scale will determine whether this collaboration becomes a template for how tokenized real-world assets reach mainstream capital markets — or remains a well-structured proof of concept waiting for broader advisor adoption.

FAQ

How can investors buy the GLDY gold-backed token?

Investors can buy GLDY through Siebert Financial brokerage accounts in the same way they would purchase stocks or bonds, without needing any blockchain knowledge or a separate crypto account.

What yield does GLDY offer to investors?

GLDY offers up to a 3.5% annualized yield paid in additional gold through a gold leasing mechanism, compounding the holder’s position in the underlying metal.

What role does tZERO play in the GLDY offering?

tZERO Group, Inc. serves as the custodian for GLDY tokens on its regulated digital securities platform, providing institutional-grade custody under its SEC registration and FINRA membership.

Is the purchase of GLDY through Siebert Financial regulated?

Yes. Siebert Financial Corp. is a FINRA-registered broker-dealer, ensuring that GLDY purchases through its platform occur within the same regulatory framework that governs the sale of traditional financial instruments.

Article produced with the assistance of artificial intelligence and reviewed by the editorial team.