- Libeara developed the fund with FundBridge Capital for the Singapore market.
- Standard Chartered is expanding its digital-asset activity through SC Ventures.
- A separate physically backed gold fund was recently launched in Singapore.
Institutional investors in Singapore now have a new digital route to gold exposure as Standard Chartered broadens its presence in tokenized assets through the MG 999 Libeara fund.
The product arrives amid rising demand for safe-haven assets, driven by geopolitical tensions, shifting currency expectations and tariff moves under President Donald Trump.
The fund combines a synthetic link to the price of gold with lending features tailored for jewellery retailers in the city-state.
As interest grows globally in tokenizing real-world assets, MG 999 shows how traditional financial groups are testing new digital structures while keeping core investment themes intact.
This approach widens investor access and encourages further experimentation across an expanding global market for digital assets.
Token access
Libeara developed the MG 999 fund with FundBridge Capital to offer professional investors exposure to gold via blockchain-based tokens.
Each token is designed to track the spot price of gold on Libeara’s ledger.
The fund removes the need for physical vaulting or transport while aiming to mirror market performance, creating a synthetic alternative to physical bullion.
FundBridge described the structure as a way to link regulated fund design with digital systems while maintaining governance at a level expected for institutional products.
Institutional shift
The fund is open only to institutional and accredited investors. MG 999 differs from physical gold funds because it does not hold metal.
Instead, it uses a token mechanism engineered to reflect market movements.
Standard Chartered’s involvement aligns with a broader expansion in Asia through SC Ventures, which also holds majority interests in Zodia Custody and Zodia Markets.
Those platforms focus on institutional access to digital assets, reinforcing the bank’s position in tokenizing real-world assets as the sector gains traction across treasuries, bonds, funds and commodities.
Global demand backdrop
The launch comes as central banks have been increasing gold reserves. Market observers link that trend to concerns about the US dollar’s long-term role and broader geopolitical uncertainty.
Analysts have also cited tariff policies under Trump as a driver of interest in safe-haven assets.
Last month, Standard Chartered joined other firms in rolling out a physically backed gold product in Singapore.
In that fund, the bank acted as custodian for bars stored at the Le Freeport facility near Changi Airport. The offering targets investors who want allocated metal rather than token exposure.
Jewellery-market lending
MG 999 also incorporates a lending element tied to Singapore’s jewellery sector.
Mustafa Gold has been named the first borrower. The structure allows retailers to use their jewellery inventory as collateral while keeping pieces available for customers.
Libeara and FundBridge say the design demonstrates how tokenization can link investment products with working-capital needs in traditional retail markets, extending digital use cases beyond simple asset tracking.