Metals.io Issues Copper-Backed Tokens
The xCu token launch ties blockchain ownership to 25 tonnes of physical copper stored in Germany.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Data Centers
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Metals.io has issued 25,000 xCu tokens, each representing one kilogram of refined copper held in a Hamburg, Germany warehouse. The platform, which runs on Etherlink and is backed by custody partner Archax, lists no minimum purchase and charges no asset management fees.
Why it matters
Tokenizing physical commodities offers investors a way to hold metal exposure on a blockchain, and the copper market is drawing attention as data-center demand grows. The platform's expansion plans would extend this model further into industrial metals.
Each xCu token is a one-kilogram claim on refined copper, with ownership recorded on the Etherlink application built on the Tezos blockchain. The initial 25-tonne batch sits in bonded warehouses in the Netherlands and Germany, while the source does not detail how redemptions will be processed.
The players
Metals.io
A platform that tokenizes physical commodities, having previously offered uranium, gold, cobalt and nickel alongside its new copper product.
Archax
A regulated digital asset custody and compliance firm serving as the custody and compliance partner for the xCu token.
The details
Token holders hold the economic claim while a custodian keeps the physical metal, and holders may redeem tokens for copper if certain requirements are met. Metals.io previously tokenized uranium, gold, cobalt and nickel before launching the copper offering.
Timeline
Metals.io xCu copper token launch was reported on November 2, 2026.
Data-center copper demand is projected to reach 1.1 million tonnes annually by 2030.
Copper demand is forecast to rise 50% by 2040.
Metals.io hopes to grow its copper offering to millions of dollars over the next year.
The Tech Race
The copper launch extends Metals.io's earlier commodity tokens, including uranium, gold, cobalt and nickel, into a metal whose demand is tied to AI infrastructure. The move positions tokenized physical assets as a growing corner of blockchain finance built on platforms like Etherlink.
Investors can buy xCu tokens with no minimum purchase and no asset management fees, gaining exposure to copper without holding metal directly. Token holders can redeem for physical copper only if certain requirements are met, so buyers should review those conditions before purchasing.
The takeaway
Tokenized commodities are lowering the barrier to metal ownership, but redemption terms determine whether a token truly represents physical copper. Readers considering such products should check custody arrangements and redemption rules first.
Further reading
Explore more on Data Centers to see how AI infrastructure is driving copper demand.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Crypto Briefing.
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