Helium Market on the Verge of Change as Demand Grows

Overview

Metals.io is a unified real-world asset platform built on Tezos infrastructure, designed to simplify access to physically backed commodities through blockchain tokenization. It enables investors to gain exposure to uranium, gold, and strategic metals through a single digital interface, reducing fragmentation, limited accessibility, and opacity traditionally associated with commodity markets.

The platform builds on the foundation of tokenized uranium and expands into a broader multi-asset framework aligned with growing global demand for critical resources. Uranium remains central due to its role in nuclear energy and long-term decarbonization efforts, while gold continues to function as a global store of value in periods of macroeconomic uncertainty.

Alongside these core assets, Metals.io incorporates exposure to strategic and rare earth metals that are increasingly vital to modern industrial systems. These materials underpin semiconductors, electrification, defense technologies, and AI-driven infrastructure, reflecting their growing importance in global supply chains.

By integrating blockchain infrastructure with real-world commodity markets, Metals.io enables fractional ownership, real-time settlement, 24/7 global trading access, and programmable financial utility. The platform represents a streamlined gateway to tokenized commodities that are central to both energy transition and technological advancement.

As of October 2026, the company allows access, ownership and trading of six metals: uranium (xU3O8), gold (VNXAU), a diversified strategic metals basket (RARE), cobalt (xCo), nickel (xNi) and copper (xCu). Cobalt and nickel were added in June 2026, followed by copper in October 2026. The company said it continues to strengthen its position as the “go-to destination for the buying and selling of critical infrastructure metals driving the low-carbon revolution to AI technologies.”

Company Highlights

• Multi-Asset Commodity Platform: Provides access to tokenized uranium (xU3O8), gold (VNXAU), a diversified strategic metals basket (RARE), cobalt (xCo), nickel (xNi) and copper (xCu) through a single interface
• Built on Tezos: Utilizes Tezos smart-rollup technology to enable scalable, low-latency and energy-efficient real-world asset tokenization.
• Physically Backed Assets: Tokens represent ownership of underlying physical commodities or allocated reserves, ensuring a direct link between digital assets and real-world supply.
• Institutional-Grade Custody: Archax, an FCA-regulated digital asset custodian, provides secure and compliant custody, with uranium stored in regulated facilities operated by Cameco and physical nickel, cobalt, and copper stored at industry-certified bonded warehouses in the Netherlands.
• Established Supply Chain: Curzon Uranium supports sourcing and logistics for uranium; Steinweg / C. Steinweg are physical custodians of the underlying cobalt, nickel and copper;while VNX and Noemon Tech contribute gold and strategic metals exposure.
• Global Market Access: Enables 24/7 access to tokenized commodities through digital asset infrastructure, supporting broader investor participation.
• Enhanced Market Transparency: Integrates pricing and data systems aimed at improving visibility in traditionally opaque commodity markets.
• On-Chain Financial Utility: Tokenized commodities can be used within decentralized finance applications, enabling liquidity access without selling underlying assets.
• Aligned with Global Demand Trends: Provides exposure to commodities central to nuclear energy, monetary hedging, industrial production, and advanced technologies, including AI and electrification.

Latest Press Releases

October 29, 2026
Metals.io Launches Copper, Unlocking Access to the Critical Metal at the Heart of Electrification

Key Assets

xU3O8 – Tokenized Uranium

xU3O8 provides direct exposure to physically backed uranium ore concentrate, a core input in nuclear energy generation. Each token represents ownership of uranium stored in regulated facilities, enabling fractional access to a historically institutional market.

Uranium plays a critical role in the global energy transition as nuclear power expands to meet rising electricity demand and decarbonization targets. xU3O8 enables investors to participate in this sector through a transparent, digitally accessible structure linked to physical supply.

On July 2026, Metals.io announced that xU3O8 is now available for trading on global crypto platforms Kraken and Kraken Pro. Aside from the Metals.io website, xU3O8 is also accessible via Gate, KuCoin, MEXC, Bitrue, LBank, BingX, the decentralized exchange Hanji and uranium.io.

The company highlighted the value of access to uranium with fractional ownership, no minimums, 24/7 global availability and near-instant settlement, providing individual investors with ownership options amidst the growing global electricity demand.

xCo - Tokenized Cobalt

xCo enables investors to own and trade physical cobalt in an investment-friendly and transparent manner by administering fractional ownership of physical cobalt in the form of a smart contract ledger. Each xCo represents a right of ownership of cobalt held by Archax as a trustee for investors.

Over 70% of cobalt comes from one country. Supply is tightening as the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo) caps exports at 96,600 metric tons per year. Global EV (Electric Vehicle) battery demand is projected to increase cobalt consumption.

xNi - Tokenized Nickel

xNi enables investors to own and trade physical nickel in an investment-friendly and transparent manner by administering fractional ownership of physical nickel in the form of a smart contract ledger. Each xNi represents a right of ownership of nickel held by Archax as a custodian for investors.

Nickel powers the modern industry, essential for stainless steel and increasingly critical for EV (Electric Vehicle) batteries. Indonesia controls over 60% of supply and is tightening quotas. Trade restrictions, export bans, and policy shifts influence price movements, making real-time investment access vital.

xCu - Tokenized Copper

xCu enables investors to own and trade physical copper in an investment-friendly and transparent manner by administering fractional ownership of physical copper in the form of a smart contract ledger. Each xCu represents a right of ownership of copper held by Archax as a trustee for token holders.

Copper is the metal at the heart of electrification, essential for EVs, AI data centers, power grids, and renewable energy. Demand is forecast to grow 50% by 2040, while new mine supply takes 17+ years to come online. Unlike some metals, where substitution offers a safety valve, copper's conductivity properties make it difficult to replace in most applications.

VNXAU – Tokenized Gold

VNXAU represents allocated physical gold stored in secure, regulated vaults. Each token reflects direct ownership of gold reserves, combining the stability of gold as a traditional store of value with the efficiency and divisibility of blockchain infrastructure.

Gold continues to serve as a hedge against inflation, currency volatility, and macroeconomic uncertainty. Tokenization enhances accessibility and transferability while preserving full physical backing.

RARE – Strategic Metals Basket

RARE provides diversified exposure to strategic and rare earth metals essential to modern industrial and technological systems. The basket includes metals used in semiconductors, renewable energy infrastructure, defense technologies, and advanced manufacturing.

As global supply chains tighten and demand accelerates for critical inputs, strategic metals have become increasingly important to economic and technological resilience. RARE enables diversified exposure through a single tokenized instrument.

Key Technology Platform

Tezos / Etherlink Infrastructure

Metals.io is built on Tezos smart-rollup architecture via Etherlink, enabling high-speed execution, low latency, and scalable tokenization of real-world assets.

Physically Backed Asset Framework

Each token is backed by physical commodities or allocated reserves, ensuring verifiable linkage between digital assets and underlying real-world holdings across uranium, gold, and strategic metals.

Institutional Custody & Supply Chain

• Archax provides FCA-regulated custody
• Cameco-operated facilities store uranium reserves
• Curzon Uranium manages sourcing and logistics
• VNX supports allocated gold issuance structures

Market Infrastructure

Metals.io incorporates pricing and transparency systems designed to improve visibility in historically opaque commodity markets, particularly uranium and strategic metals.

On-Chain Utility

Tokenized commodities can be used as collateral in decentralized finance applications, enabling access to liquidity without requiring asset liquidation; currently available for Uranium and being expanded to other metals.