Deep Dive
1. RWA Sector Expansion (Bullish Impact)
Overview: Tokenized gold demand rose alongside the broader real-world asset (RWA) market, which reached $26B by mid-2025. PAXG is a top-5 RWA protocol by market cap, per CertiK’s 2025 report.
What this means:
- Institutional adoption of RWAs (e.g., BlackRock’s BUIDL fund) has validated tokenized assets like PAXG.
- PAXG’s regulated structure (NYDFS-approved) positions it as a trusted gold proxy in DeFi.
What to watch: Growth of PAXG’s on-chain liquidity, particularly in Aave and Curve pools.
2. Macroeconomic Uncertainty (Mixed Impact)
Overview: Gold futures hit a record $3,534/oz on August 8 after U.S. tariffs on imported gold bars, though prices later retreated on White House clarification.
What this means:
- Tariff speculation initially drove gold’s safe-haven appeal, lifting PAXG.
- PAXG’s 24h trading volume ($132M) remains 24% below its 30-day average, suggesting cautious follow-through.
Key metric: Physical gold’s spot vs futures spread – widening premiums signal supply concerns.
3. Technical Breakout (Bullish Impact)
Overview: PAXG reclaimed its 7-day SMA ($3,592) and Fibonacci 23.6% level ($3,567), with RSI14 at 78.23 indicating strong momentum.
What this means:
- Sustained trading above $3,567 could target the 38.2% Fib level at $3,516.
- High RSI suggests short-term overbought risk, but gold-backed assets often tolerate extended bullish runs.
Threshold to watch: A close below $3,500 could trigger profit-taking.
Conclusion
PAXG’s rise reflects a trifecta of sector tailwinds, macro hedging, and technical strength. While Tether’s XAUT now leads in tokenized gold market cap, PAXG’s established liquidity and compliance edge keep it relevant. Key watch: U.S. CPI data on September 12 – hotter inflation could reignite gold’s rally.