New Digital Solution Redefines Refining at the Mint
- Sep 18, 2026
- loveGOLD
- 4 minute read
The information contained in this article is current as of the date published.
From London and New York to Tokyo, Shanghai and Dubai, gold is continuously trading on precious metals exchanges worldwide–24/7. According to the World Gold Council, over US$361 billion dollars of gold was traded daily across the global markets in 2025.1 Compared to other major asset classes (e.g. bonds, currencies and stocks) in 2025, gold was the top traded asset.2
Of the total volume of gold traded in 2025, more than half of it (over US$179 billion dollars) was traded in the Over-The-Counter (OTC) market, which represents the primary venue for physical gold trading. That’s a lot of gold bullion!
As interest in precious metals grows, so do best practices within the industry. Today, numerous industries are seeing growing demand among consumers and investors for evidence of good sustainable practices. In this blog, we highlight how the precious metals industry, including the Royal Canadian Mint (Mint), is adopting a distributed ledger technology (DLT) solution to respond to this modern demand.
The information contained in this article is current as of the date published.
From London and New York to Tokyo, Shanghai and Dubai, gold is continuously trading on precious metals exchanges worldwide–24/7. According to the World Gold Council, over US$361 billion dollars of gold was traded daily across the global markets in 2025.1 Compared to other major asset classes (e.g. bonds, currencies and stocks) in 2025, gold was the top traded asset.2
Of the total volume of gold traded in 2025, more than half of it (over US$179 billion dollars) was traded in the Over-The-Counter (OTC) market, which represents the primary venue for physical gold trading. That’s a lot of gold bullion!
As interest in precious metals grows, so do best practices within the industry. Today, numerous industries are seeing growing demand among consumers and investors for evidence of good sustainable practices. In this blog, we highlight how the precious metals industry, including the Royal Canadian Mint (Mint), is adopting a distributed ledger technology (DLT) solution to respond to this modern demand.
How the Mint is leveraging DLT and the benefits for customers
Distributed ledger technology (DLT) is key to unlocking new levels of transparency while maintaining the confidentiality and privacy of precious metals business transactions. The Mint is at the forefront of adopting this technology for the industry through Bullion GENESISTM, a DLT-based platform powered in part by aXedras, that offers the possibility to digitize business-to-business practices to enable seamless, immutable recording of precious metals provenance and product integrity.
By integrating DLT into our operations, we are starting to offer our participating refinery customers a more transparent and immutable record of every step in the lifecycle of their bullion products. This means that, from the moment raw metal is mined to the final product in a customer’s hand, every transaction and transformation can be securely logged and easily auditable.
Overall, the use of DLT through our Bullion GENESISTM platform helps to build confidence in the precious metals market. Customers can buy and trade with greater peace of mind, knowing their assets are backed by a transparent and trustworthy system. This modern approach not only safeguards investments but also supports the Mint’s commitment to innovation, sustainability, and customer service excellence.
UPSTREAM CUSTOMERS
Mine, recyclers, other suppliers
Participating upstream customers who entrust us with refining their materials stand to gain from numerous business‑to-business process enhancements. These include seamless, immutable data transfers and effortless access to detailed information in real time for reports and audits. Accounts can be set up to oversee delivery, assay and material allocation processes.
DOWNSTREAM CUSTOMERS
Jewellers, dealers, institutional investors
For participating downstream customers, the benefits come from a greater level of transparency and an unprecedented level of assurance. Information about the origins, transformation, chains of custody of refinery products, as well as other details related to security features and responsible sourcing is securely stored and accessible through the platform.
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The information provided herein is intended for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute investment, financial, legal, tax or accounting advice, and you should not rely on the information herein for such advice. You should directly consult your financial professional or other advisors before acting on any information herein. The information and materials herein are provided with the understanding that the Mint is not acting in a fiduciary capacity. Nothing contained herein constitutes a solicitation, recommendation or offer for the purchase or sale of products or services of any kind whatsoever. Diversification does not guarantee any investment returns and does not eliminate the risk of loss.
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[1] World Gold Council, Trading Volumes
[2] World Gold Council, Trading Volumes
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