In a move that reinforces the growing integration between traditional markets and digital assets, theBinance, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in the world, has established itself as one of the main platforms for trading24 hours a day, seven days a weekof gold and silver. The revelation comes from a recent study byDL Research, which analyzed how precious metals and crypto markets are increasingly intertwined.
Binance as a metals market 'clock'
According to the DL Research report, Binance not only offers liquidity for assets such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, but has also become aglobal hub for gold and silver pricing, operating uninterruptedly. While traditional metals markets like the New York Stock Exchange (COMEX) or the London Metal Exchange (LME) have restricted trading hours, Binance fills a gap by allowing investors around the world to buy and sell gold and silverat any time.
Experts highlight that this dynamic is especially relevant for emerging markets, such as Brazil, where investors are looking for alternatives to protect their capital against inflation and the devaluation of the local currency. The possibility of trading gold and silverwithout interruptions— even during holidays or traditional exchange closures — can attract more participants to the precious metals market, traditionally dominated by large financial institutions.
Study data indicatethat Binance already accounts for a significant portion of the daily trading volume of precious metals in crypto assets, with an average ofUS$1.2 billion in gold and silver traded per dayon the platform. For comparison purposes, the daily volume of the New York Stock Exchange (COMEX) is aroundUS$30 billion, but with limited opening hours. The difference lies precisely in accessibility and uninterrupted operation, which can democratize access to these assets.
The risk of centralization in DeFi and the lesson from metals
As Binance expands its influence on traditional markets, another debate is gaining momentum in the crypto universe:centralization in decentralized finance (DeFi). Recently, theEuropean Central Bank (ECB)published a study criticizing DeFi for, in practice, hiding an excessive concentration of power in a few hands, despite the decentralization discourse.
The BCE analysis points out that, in many DeFi protocols, a small number of addresses control the majority of operations, which goes against the principle ofequal distributionwhich inspired the emergence of cryptocurrencies. This criticism is not new, but it gains relevance as large platforms, like Binance, begin to influence entire sectors of the traditional market.
For the Brazilian investor, the lesson is clear:decentralization is not always what it seems. While Binance offers liquidity and accessibility, it also centralizes pricing power for assets like gold and silver. This can be positive for those looking for practicality, but it raises questions about transparency and systemic risk. After all, if a single platform dominates a market, a possible crash or crisis could have global impacts.
What does this change for Brazil?
Brazil has a history ofhigh demand for gold and silveras forms of asset protection, especially in periods of economic uncertainty. With inflation measured by the IPCA exceeding4.5% in 2024and distrust in relation to the real, many Brazilian investors are looking for alternatives to diversify their portfolios. Binance's entry into this market could be awater divider.
Until then, access to gold and silver in Brazil was mainly throughETFs, funds or physical bars, but with high costs and bureaucracy. Binance allows Brazilian investors to buy and sell precious metalsdirectly into crypto assets, such as gold-backed stablecoins (e.g. PAX Gold or Tether Gold), with competitive fees and without the need for traditional intermediaries.
However, there are challenges.Brazilian regulation still does not clearly define how cryptoassets backed by precious metals should be treated. Furthermore, operating with stablecoins and cryptoassets involves exchange rate and volatility risks, which may deter conservative investors. Still, the trend is for growth: according toFederal Revenue, the number of CPFs with investments in physical gold grew15% in 2023, and the expectation is that this movement will accelerate with the arrival of platforms like Binance.
The future: integration or competition?
The current scenario suggests that the integration between traditional markets and cryptoactives will become increasingly stronger. Binance is not the only one to offer precious metals on its platform: other exchanges, such as Kraken and Bitfinex, also allow similar trading. However, Binance’s scale — with more than180 million users worldwide— puts the platform in a privileged position to dictate trends.
For Brazil, this could meanmore options for the investor, but also more risks. The lack of specific regulation for cryptoassets backed by real assets leaves a legal void, which could be filled by stricter regulations in the future. Meanwhile, Binance moves forward, offering a new way to access gold and silver, but also reinforcing the centralization that both DeFi and critics of the traditional financial system try to combat.
One thing is certain:the precious metals market will no longer be the same. And Brazil, which has always had one foot in gold and the other in cryptocurrencies, now has the opportunity to lead this transformation — as long as it manages to balance innovation and security.