TLDR

  • Tether has launched a new unit of account named Scudo for its gold-backed token XAUT.
  • Scudo stands for one-thousandth of a troy ounce of gold, equivalent to one-thousandth of an XAUT.
  • The Scudo unit enables users to conduct transactions with smaller, more readable gold amounts on the blockchain.
  • Tether stated the new unit is intended to boost usability as gold prices keep rising.
  • The company likened Scudo to Bitcoin’s satoshis, which streamline micro-transactions.

Tether has introduced a new accounting unit called Scudo for its gold-backed token, created to enhance transaction usability. Each Scudo equals one-thousandth of a troy ounce of gold, facilitating easier pricing and transfer of gold in smaller quantities. The company notes this step simplifies how users handle fractional gold units on the blockchain.

Scudo Introduced to Simplify XAUT Transfers

Tether established it as one-thousandth of a troy ounce—equivalent to one-thousandth of an XAUT—for simpler denomination. This adjustment lets users send and receive gold in whole or fractional Scudo units, eliminating long decimals. The company confirmed that introducing Scudo is meant to make transactions more efficient and practical.

Tether compared the new unit to satoshis—the smallest division of Bitcoin, frequently used for micro-transactions. This structure provides clarity when dealing with smaller values, particularly as gold prices go up. Tether stated, “Scudo brings gold transactions closer to everyday usability.”

The firm also mentioned that users gain from more understandable figures when transacting, especially in smaller or retail-focused operations. This change tackles how gold-backed tokens are priced, stored, and transferred on the blockchain. It removes the complexity of long decimal-based calculations in current transfers.

Tether Gold XAUT Adds Scudo Unit

Tether Gold (XAUT) continues to be the most widely used gold-backed token by market size and liquidity. Per the company, XAUT makes up roughly half of the total market capitalization for tokenized gold. The category currently has a combined value of approximately $4.3 billion.

Tether is continuing to expand its offerings as demand for tokenized gold grows alongside physical gold’s performance. The launch of Scudo comes as gold’s appeal as a digital asset is increasing. This change is meant to provide XAUT users with practical tools for handling smaller transactions.

With Scudo, users can now execute streamlined transfers that mirror real-world pricing without large decimal numbers. Tether believes this aligns with its wider goal of improving stablecoin and commodity token functionality. It noted that the update will be rolled out to all supported platforms and wallets in phases.

Gold Outperforms as Crypto and Equities Trail

Gold surged throughout 2025, hitting new highs by December, while other major assets delivered weaker results. Spot gold rose above $4,550 before stabilizing around $4,485 in early January 2026. This put gold ahead of equities and cryptocurrencies in annual returns.

Bitcoin finished 2025 down approximately 6%, while the S&P 500 had modest growth of just over 16%. Tether pointed out that this environment spurred greater adoption of tokenized gold solutions. The firm said interest in gold-backed tokens increased steadily throughout the year.

Tether Gold profited from this trend, retaining its leadership in the space while adding new features like Scudo to boost utility. Due to gold’s recent price changes, representing fractional gold ownership with long decimal values became more difficult. Scudo now offers a cleaner way to digitally reflect these values.

The company confirmed that the update is already live on its backend and will expand to more integrations in the coming weeks. It stressed that the new system won’t impact existing token balances or XAUT’s underlying structure. All Scudo-based transactions will be automatically converted to gold weight equivalents.