- Libeara developed a fund with FundBridge Capital for the Singapore market.
- Standard Chartered is expanding its digital asset activities through SC Ventures.
- A newly launched physically backed gold fund recently debuted in Singapore.
Institutional investors in Singapore now have a new digital route to gold exposure as Standard Chartered deepens its involvement in tokenized assets through the MG 999 fund managed by Libeara.
The product arrives amid rising demand for safe-haven assets driven by geopolitical tensions, shifting currency expectations, and interest-rate moves under President Donald Trump.
The fund combines synthetic linkages to the gold price with a lending feature aimed at jewelry retailers in the city-state.
As interest in tokenizing real-world assets grows across global markets, MG 999 demonstrates how traditional financial groups are trialing digital structures while keeping their core investment themes intact.
This approach broadens investor access and encourages further experimentation across the expanding global digital-asset market.
Token access
Libeara developed the MG 999 fund with FundBridge Capital to offer professional investors exposure to gold through blockchain-based tokens.
Each token is designed to track the spot price of gold as recorded on Libeara’s ledger.
The fund removes the need for vaulting or physical transportation while aiming to mirror market performance, creating a synthetic alternative to holding physical bullion.
FundBridge has described the structure as a way to bridge regulated fund design with digital systems while maintaining the governance standards expected for institutional products.
Institutional shift
The fund is available only to institutional and accredited investors. MG 999 differs from physically backed gold funds in that it does not hold metal custody.
Instead, it employs token mechanics engineered to reflect market movements.
Standard Chartered’s involvement aligns with a broader expansion across Asia via SC Ventures, which also holds majority stakes in Zodia Custody and Zodia Markets.
Those platforms focus on institutional access to digital assets, reinforcing the bank’s position in real-world asset tokenization as the sector gains traction across treasuries, bonds, funds, and commodities.
Demand drivers
The launch comes as central banks have been increasing their gold reserves. Market observers link this trend to concerns over the dollar’s long-term role and to heightened geopolitical uncertainty.
Analysts also point to tariff policies under Trump as a driver of interest in safe-haven assets.
Last month, Standard Chartered joined others in launching a physically backed gold product in Singapore.
For that fund, the bank serves as custodian for bullion stored at the Le Freeport facility near Changi Airport. That offering targets investors who prefer allocated physical metal rather than tokenized exposure.
Jewelry-market lending
MG 999 also includes a lending element tied to Singapore’s jewelry sector.
Mustafa Gold has been named the first borrower. The structure allows retailers to use their jewelry inventory as collateral while keeping items available for customers.
Libeara and FundBridge say the design illustrates how tokenization can connect investment products with working-capital needs in traditional retail markets, extending digital use cases beyond simple asset tracking.