SmartGold, Chintai tokenize $1.6b in IRA gold for DeFi collateral

SmartGold and Chintai have teamed up in a landmark initiative to tokenize billions in vaulted retirement gold, allowing the ultimate safe-haven asset to finally serve as productive collateral in the decentralized finance landscape.

On September 2, tokenization platform Chintai Nexus announced its partnership with U.S. gold IRA provider SmartGold, successfully bringing $1.6 billion of vaulted physical gold on-chain.

The initiative marks the first compliant tokenization solution specifically designed for self-directed IRAs, creating a 1:1 digital representation of the held bullion. Notably, it bridges a traditionally stagnant, physical asset into the dynamic realm of decentralized finance.

How tokenized IRA gold works in practice

The mechanics of the offering are designed to navigate a complex regulatory environment. Investors first purchase and store physical gold bullion through a SmartGold self-directed IRA.

Chintai Nexus then tokenizes these specific holdings on its regulated platform, minting a digital representation that is pegged 1:1 to the vaulted metal. This token acts as a certified claim on the physical asset, which remains fully insured and audited in secure custody.

Tokenized IRA assets can be deployed as collateral on decentralized finance lending protocols such as Morpho and Kamino, opening up access to dollar liquidity while the underlying bullion remains vaulted and insured. For retirement savers accustomed to the passivity of gold holdings, the ability to unlock liquidity without jeopardizing the account’s tax-deferred status represents a perceived upside.

SmartGold Managing Director Aaron Haley framed this development as a fundamental shift for the asset class. He stated that for decades, gold investors were forced to make a difficult choice between security and yield, noting that the partnership is transforming the ultimate safe-haven asset into a powerful, productive tool for building wealth.

The move was preceded by a critical infrastructure upgrade from Chintai. In mid-August, the platform adopted the Chainlink Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol and integrated Chainlink’s oracle infrastructure.

This provided the necessary institutional-grade framework for secure cross-chain transfers and reliable data feeds, which are essential for ensuring regulatory compliance, automating audits, and maintaining verifiable proof-of-reserves for tokenized assets of this scale and nature.