GoldOpen

goldOpen is an open standard and ecosystem intended to facilitate the digitization, trading, and settlement of gold across diverse platforms. It provides a common data model, protocol specifications, and reference implementations to enable interoperability between vault operators, exchanges, custodians, and wallet providers. The goal is to create transparent, auditable, and compliant workflows for gold-backed digital assets without prescribing a single technology stack.

Core concepts and architecture

goldOpen defines a layered approach. The reserve layer models physical gold holdings in vaults, including serials, locations, and auditable attestations. The tokenization layer represents gold exposure through standardized digital instruments that are linked to verifiable reserve data. The settlement layer specifies how transfers, settlements, and reconciliations occur across participating systems, with hooks for traditional banking rails and modern digital payment methods. A governance layer governs protocol updates, security requirements, and conformity testing, balancing innovation with interoperability.

Governance and ecosystem

The GoldOpen Consortium (GOC) leads ongoing development and stewardship, comprising vault operators, financial institutions, technology vendors, and industry bodies. Working groups publish specifications, compliance guidelines, and reference implementations. The project emphasizes open-source tooling, privacy-aware data handling, and regulatory alignment, while inviting broad participation to evolve the standard.

Adoption and limitations

goldOpen is designed to support transparent reserves verification, real-time settlement, and cross-platform liquidity. Adoption varies by market and jurisdiction, and challenges include custody risk, regulatory compliance, and ensuring consistent attestations across diverse vaults. As an open standard, its success depends on ongoing collaboration and demonstrated interoperability.