Gilded Revolutionizes Gold Ownership with Blockchain-Powered Fractional Assets

For 3,500 years, gold has stood as the ultimate store of value, surviving empires, revolutions, and economic collapses. Yet, in the 21st century, physical gold has remained stubbornly analog—hard to transport, expensive to store, and difficult to use in daily transactions. Ashraf Rizvi, a veteran of global financial markets, is changing that with Gilded. By combining the timeless security of Swiss gold with the immutable power of blockchain, Rizvi is making gold digital, mobile, and functional for a new generation of investors.

Ashraf Rizvi’s journey is one of high-stakes finance and deep cultural roots. An alumnus of The Wharton School, Rizvi spent 30 years at some of the world's most prestigious institutions, including UBS, Credit Suisse, and Swiss Bank Corporation. Now, he’s leveraging that expertise to solve a fundamental problem: how to maintain purchasing power in an era of rapid currency devaluation.

Physical Ownership vs. Fractional Reserve Banking

To understand the value of Gilded, one must first understand the difference between owning an asset and owning a "promise." Most people believe the money they put in a bank is theirs. In reality, it becomes the property of the bank, and you become a creditor with an IOU.

"We provide physical ownership," Rizvi explains. "You become the physical owner of the property, which in this case is either the entire bar or a fractional bar of the gold."

The Tech: Blockchain Meets the Vault

Gilded doesn't just sell "digital gold"—it sells physical gold that is tracked digitally. Every gram of gold sourced by Gilded comes directly from Swiss refineries, is held in a Brinks vault in Zurich, and is fully insured and audited.

What makes this functional is blockchain. Gilded uses a private, permissioned blockchain (Hyperledger Fabric) to record every transaction immutably. This isn't about cryptocurrency volatility; it's about providing an unchangeable audit trail of who owns which specific bar.

Gold vs. Cryptocurrency: The 3,500-Year Moat

In a world captivated by Bitcoin and Ethereum, Rizvi offers a sobering perspective on the "digital gold" debate. While crypto is a $3 trillion market driven by financial speculation, the gold market is over $12 trillion and is built on thousands of years of trust.

"Trust is something that's built over a very long period of time," Rizvi notes. "Gold pre-dates almost all currencies in the world." He further points out that crypto is highly concentrated, with 2% of owners holding 90% of the supply. Gold, by contrast, is the most widely held financial asset globally, owned by billions of people across India, China, and the Middle East.

Why Gold Persists:

• Limited Supply: You can only take so much out of the ground; it cannot be printed at will.
• Nobody's Liability: Unlike currency or bonds, gold doesn't require a government or bank to fulfill a promise.
• Cultural Fabric: In countries like India, gold is economically and culturally fundamental.

The Pivot: From B2C to Institutional Powerhouse

Gilded initially soft-launched in India as a B2C (Business-to-Consumer) app. The response was massive, with hundreds of thousands of downloads validating that even the most traditional gold buyers were ready for a digital shift. However, Rizvi quickly realized the challenge of high Customer Acquisition Costs (CAC).

"We pivoted as an organization," Rizvi reveals. "We are much more focused on the B2B and the B2B2C model, where we can reach the end consumer through financial institutions."

Today, Gilded partners with banks and wealth management firms in the US and the Middle East. By powering the "gold" feature within a bank’s own app, Gilded can reach millions of customers without the massive marketing spend of a pure consumer play.

Lessons in Entrepreneurship: Dreams and Discipline

This is Ashraf Rizvi's third startup. His first was right out of Wharton; his second was an asset management firm started in the 2009 financial crisis that grew to manage billions. His advice to founders is rooted in this seasoned experience.

1. Culture is the North Star

"You have to be really clear about why you're doing what you're doing," Rizvi says. "Personal financial gain or exit strategies are not North Stars. Solving a problem for the client and making the world a better place—that is the mission."

2. Mistakes are Mandatory

Rizvi believes that if you aren't making mistakes, you aren't taking enough risk. The key is to make small mistakes and learn quickly, avoiding the "catastrophic" errors that can end a business.

3. Focus on the Client's Problem

An entrepreneur must constantly ask: "Am I solving a problem that I think exists, or one that actually exists?" Continuous feedback from users is the only way to ensure product-market fit.

4. Find Your Personal Balance

To stay energetic and consistent, Rizvi relies on a combination of family time, regular workouts, and even walking his puppy. "You have to find the right balance for you to remove yourself from the day-to-day throes of your business."

As Gilded continues to expand, Rizvi remains focused on the core mission: protecting the purchasing power of families around the world. By turning a 3,500-year-old asset into a 21st-century tool, he is ensuring that gold remains not just a relic of the past, but a functional pillar of the future financial system.

About the Guest

Ashraf Rizvi is the Founder and CEO of Gilded. With over 30 years of experience in global financial markets, he has held leadership positions at major institutions including UBS Investment Bank and Credit Suisse. A graduate of The Wharton School, Rizvi is a serial entrepreneur who previously founded a multi-billion dollar asset management firm. His work at Gilded combines his deep understanding of metals, commodities, and emerging markets with a passion for using technology to promote financial inclusion and wealth preservation.

Gilded is a leading gold-tech company that provides a secure, digital platform for physical gold ownership. By leveraging blockchain technology and partnering with top-tier Swiss refineries and Brinks vaults, Gilded offers institutional-grade security and 24/7 liquidity to investors worldwide. The company is headquartered in the US and operates a remote-first global team.