A new debit card allows users to spend their gold like dollars.

U.K. fintech company Glint launched its debit card in the U.S. on Monday. It can be used anywhere a Mastercard is accepted. Glint’s card and app make gold “an alternative global currency,” according to the company.

The company that is acting as the precious metals procurement agent for Arbitrade is set to become a major shareholder of the cryptocurrency exchange and coin company.

Arbitrade said in November that it had “title’”to 395,000 kilograms of gold bullion, which would be worth $16.2 billion at current prices, to back its coins and tokens. One of the tokens is called “dignity” and is in circulation.

One the of the world’s largest gold-producing companies is working with blockchain to stabilize virtual currency trading and, in time, to monetize the value of billions in currently stored gold.

The company, Vancouver’s Goldcorp, will back cryptocurrency transactions with physical gold held in an vault at the Royal Mint in Ottawa.

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The blockchain has discovered gold (or gold has discovered the blockchain). Either way, this means several things. First, the decades-long dream of a gold-backed cybercurrency may finally be realized. Second, gold and probably silver are looking at a big new source of physical demand. Third, the huge number of gold-related initial coin offerings (ICOs) in this largely unregulated pipeline will require buyers to learn how to tell the legitimate offerings from the scams.

Australia's biggest gold refiner, the Perth Mint, is developing its own cryptocurrency backed by physical precious metals.

The ambitious plan, which is subject to a confidentiality agreement, will make it easier for consumers to buy gold.

The mint also plans to make use of blockchain technology, first used as the core component of the digital currency Bitcoin, where it works as a public ledger for transactions.

The World Gold Council has filed for a new physical gold ETF. The Gold Trust will be very similar to the $35 billion SPDR Gold Trust (GLD), the world’s largest gold fund, but with key differences.

There are already several cryptocurrencies, otherwise known as altcoins, backed by gold that have been launched. Several of the leading online bullion exchanges have implemented or are also implementing blockchain to create more efficient mechanisms for managing transactions. Each month it seems like there are more and more players joining the fray.

This analysis provides an objective review of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats as well as a look at 23 gold-backed crypto and digital currencies. A review of some of the exchanges is also thrown in for good measure.

Dovetailing off of its 2016 blockchain-backed project announcement aimed at providing physical gold that's cost-effective, convenient and assured, the UK's Royal Mint and the Chicago-based CME Group has now begun live testing Royal Mint Gold (RMG).

The CME system for RMG, powered by AlphaPoint, is currently undergoing rigorous testing with institutional traders. Its goal is to create a trading platform that satisfies customer demands for a more rapid, cost-effective and secure means of purchasing, storing and selling gold.

In addition, Blockchain security company BitGo has been collaborating with CME Group in developing the architecture, rules and parameters of the blockchain. The multi-signature wallet technology BitGo currently uses for its current client base will be the foundational security protocol for RMG. This is generally regarded as the safest way to deal with digital assets like gold. Developers, business and research are able to now access the code for evaluation and testing purposes.

The Royal Canadian Mint has joined a blockchain platform run by Goldmoney Inc, the first time in the world that mint-vaulted bullion has been traded on such a private digital ledger, the Canadian fintech company said on Wednesday.

The deal "lays the groundwork for further integrations by other countries and other mints," Roy Sebag, Goldmoney's chief executive officer, said in a phone interview.

Blockchain first emerged as the system underpinning digital currency bitcoin. The technology creates a shared electronic ledger that allows all parties to track information through a secure network, with no need for third-party verification.