Bhutan is accelerating its national blockchain strategy with the launch of TER, a sovereign gold-backed digital token built on the Solana blockchain. The new asset is issued by the Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) Special Administrative Region and represents a major step in merging traditional store-of-value assets with modern blockchain finance.

According to the announcement, TER is designed to serve as a bridge between physical gold reserves and programmable digital assets, reinforcing Bhutan’s long-term goals around transparency, sustainability, and responsible innovation.

A Gold-Backed Token Issued Through Bhutan’s First Regulated Digital Bank

The TER token will be issued and custodied by DK Bank, Bhutan’s first regulated digital bank under the Royal Monetary Authority. In the first rollout phase, users will be able to purchase TER directly through DK Bank, giving the project a secure, government-aligned launchpad.

GMC board director Jigdrel Singay emphasized that Bhutan’s approach is to welcome crypto innovation without abandoning the nation’s cultural values. By issuing a sovereign token backed by gold, GMC aims to demonstrate how blockchain can coexist with long-term stewardship and ethical governance.

The technology behind TER comes from Matrixdock, the digital asset financial services platform providing tokenization infrastructure for the initiative under a license granted by the GMC Authority.

A Niche Use Case — But a Significant Signal

While early demand for TER may be limited because it is intended for specific use within the GMC region, industry experts view the launch as a meaningful signal. Musheer Ahmed of Finstep Asia noted that the initiative reflects Bhutan’s broader vision to align with modern stablecoin ecosystems and tokenized financial products.

Bhutan’s Expanding Blockchain Ecosystem

The introduction of TER builds on Bhutan’s multi-year national blockchain strategy. The country’s efforts began in 2019 with the establishment of Bitcoin mining operations powered by abundant hydroelectric energy. Today, Bhutan holds 5,984 BTC, valued at over $541 million in current market prices.

In 2025, progress accelerated significantly:

• May: Launch of a national crypto payments system enabling tourists to pay for visas, travel services, and local purchases using digital assets. More than 1,000 vendors now accept crypto.
• October: Migration of Bhutan’s national digital identity system to the Ethereum blockchain — the world’s first sovereign digital ID built on a major public chain.
• Additional initiatives included an Ethereum staking program to deepen institutional-level integration.

Global Momentum Toward Tokenized Stores of Value

Bhutan’s launch of a gold-backed token comes at a time when demand for stable-value digital assets is surging internationally. Although TER is backed by gold rather than fiat currency, it fits neatly into the broader global trend of tokenized commodities and stable-value assets.

The sector saw major tailwinds in 2025 after U.S. President Donald Trump signed the GENIUS Act, which established clear rules for stablecoins and opened the door for major financial institutions to participate.

The stablecoin market has since surpassed $300 billion, driven primarily by Tether’s USDT and Circle’s USDC.

Gold-backed digital assets have also gained momentum. With commodity prices rising, tokenized gold markets now exceed $4.1 billion in value, with Tether Gold currently leading the category.

A Strategic Move for Bhutan’s Digital Future

With TER, Bhutan is laying the foundation for a digitally enhanced economic ecosystem that can support tokenized assets, sovereign digital finance, and cross-border value flows — all while preserving the nation’s focus on sustainability and ethical stewardship.

This initiative signals that Bhutan intends not only to adopt blockchain technology, but to lead by example in integrating traditional wealth with emerging decentralized infrastructure.

Aster Exchange has officially confirmed its partnership with World Liberty Financial (WLFI), the cryptocurrency platform associated with former U.S. President Donald Trump. At the center of the collaboration is USD1 — WLFI’s stablecoin — which will be integrated across Aster’s trading ecosystem to expand its utility and adoption.

The announcement was made through Aster’s X account, outlining plans to introduce USD1-denominated trading pairs on the platform. The first listing, RAVE/USD1, launches under Aster’s “Rocket Launch Round 4” and includes a 1.5x symbol boost in Stage 4 Harvest.

Aster CEO Leonard had already hinted at the deal earlier this month, noting that he met with WLFI executives in Dubai to discuss ways to accelerate USD1’s presence in global digital asset markets.

USD1 Set for Wider Integration Across Aster’s Trading Pairs

Aster revealed that more USD1-denominated pairs are on the way. While no specific additions have been confirmed yet, many analysts expect significant pairings such as BTC/USD1, ETH/USD1, and SOL/USD1 to follow, given their liquidity and dominant market activity.

As part of the expansion, USD1 will act as a base currency across Aster’s ecosystem, offering traders a stable and familiar anchor in volatile market conditions. The platform also highlights its MEV-free execution and leverage options up to 100x in simple mode — features that appeal to both professional and retail traders looking for low-friction trading environments.

Industry commentators note that WLFI’s political visibility, when combined with Aster’s infrastructure, could spark strong user growth. The promotional campaign around RAVE/USD1 is already expected to boost short-term liquidity and volume.

Aster’s governance token, ASTER, supports the platform through built-in buyback mechanisms. As trading volume increases, demand for ASTER typically strengthens due to expanded ecosystem activity.

Mixed Market Reaction Across Tokens

The market’s initial response to the announcement has been mixed. RAVE has surged 20% in recent days, helped by the added visibility from the partnership and its boosted trading incentives.

ASTER also gained 15% immediately after the news but has since cooled, falling 2.7% in the past 24 hours. At the time of writing, ASTER trades near $0.9387, and the platform maintains more than $1 billion in total value locked.

WLFI’s stablecoin ecosystem token has declined 4.79% during the same period, currently trading around $0.147. Analysts interpret the pullback as investor caution over USD1’s competitive outlook within an increasingly crowded stablecoin market.

The partnership between Aster and WLFI marks a notable intersection of politics, crypto strategy, and trading infrastructure — one that could shape both user acquisition and stablecoin utility over the coming months.

In a landmark move connecting the physical world with digital innovation, minerals tokenization project SAGINT has chosen the Sui blockchain as its Layer 1 partner. This alliance stands to redefine how valuable minerals are tracked from extraction all the way to manufacturing — a breakthrough in transparency for an industry long challenged by opaque practices. For crypto followers and industry analysts, this marks one of blockchain’s most meaningful real-world applications yet.

Why SAGINT Chose the Sui Blockchain

SAGINT’s choice wasn’t made lightly. The team evaluated several blockchain networks before selecting Sui, ultimately deciding that mineral supply chains require far more than just fast transactions — they demand scalability, security, and the capacity to handle complex data structures. Sui’s architecture, designed by former Meta engineers, uses parallel execution to eliminate congestion issues found in many Layer 1s.

This is essential for tracking minerals such as cobalt from their origin. Today, tracing cobalt from a mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo involves mountains of paperwork, third-party verification, and limited transparency. With Sui, each mineral batch receives a token carrying immutable data about its source, handling conditions, movement history, and processing records — a “digital twin” that travels with the asset. Such technology could be a powerful tool for eliminating conflict minerals and unethical sourcing.

How Mineral Tokenization Actually Works

The tokenization journey begins at the extraction site. Through SAGINT’s mobile tools — designed to operate even in remote locations — miners can instantly register newly extracted minerals on-chain. From there, each batch accumulates a permanent record through every stage of its lifecycle:

Mining Phase: Extraction method, coordinates, quality reports
Transportation: GPS logs, storage conditions, custody transfers
Refining: Purity tests, refining methods, transformation updates
Manufacturing: Integration into batteries, electronics, or industrial components

This end-to-end tracking provides companies with a tamper-proof chain of custody. Manufacturers can verify sourcing, regulators gain visibility, and consumers benefit from knowing the products they buy are ethically produced.

The Benefits of SAGINT’s Integration With Sui

The partnership unlocks several powerful advantages:

• Fractional mineral ownership: Tokenized assets allow smaller investors to participate in markets historically dominated by major institutions.
• Regulatory transparency: Immutable records streamline compliance and international audits.
• Incentives for ethical mining: Verified clean practices could command premium prices, rewarding responsible miners.

By aligning economic incentives with good environmental and ethical standards, the system could reshape the global mineral industry.

Challenges to Widespread Adoption

Despite its promise, the rollout comes with obstacles. Remote mining regions may lack stable connectivity, and some industry players may resist change. Integrating old supply chain software with blockchain tools also demands careful planning.

SAGINT appears ready for these challenges. Its phased rollout includes pilot programs with cooperative mining groups, offline-capable tools that sync to Sui when connectivity returns, and training initiatives designed to increase trust and adoption.

A Glimpse Into the Future of Tokenized Resources

This partnership is more than a technological upgrade — it represents a potential turning point in global resource management. If successful, the model could expand beyond minerals to agriculture, timber, metals, or carbon credits. Blockchain would shift from powering speculation to powering global supply chains.

For the crypto community, this is a compelling demonstration of blockchain’s real-world utility. It shows how distributed ledgers can solve problems involving trust, traceability, and ethical sourcing — areas where legacy systems fall short.

The SAGINT–Sui collaboration showcases blockchain’s potential to rebuild trust in industries where transparency has been scarce. By bringing mineral data onto a transparent, immutable ledger, the partnership could set the standard for how physical resources are tracked, valued, and verified in the digital age.