Why Pax Gold Deserves Consideration Among the Best Coins to Invest in Right Now

The Rising Star of Crypto: Gold-Backed Assets

When scanning the cryptocurrency landscape for best coins to invest in right now, most eyes immediately turn to Bitcoin and Ethereum. Yet data tells a different story. As of early 2026, Bitcoin has declined 3.40% over the past year, while Ethereum has fallen 4.87%. Meanwhile, Pax Gold (PAXG) has surged 71.27%, currently trading at $4,630 with a market cap of $1.77 billion.

This divergence raises an important question: What if the real opportunity lies outside traditional cryptocurrency heavyweights?

Understanding Gold-Backed Stablecoins

Pax Gold represents a distinct category within the stablecoin ecosystem. While most stablecoins maintain a 1-to-1 peg to the U.S. dollar, gold-backed tokens operate differently—they’re pegged directly to physical gold prices.

Each PAXG token represents exactly one fine troy ounce of gold, stored securely in London vaults and held in custody by Paxos Trust Company, a New York-regulated financial institution. This structure means PAXG holders possess direct ownership claims on actual physical gold, all accessible through blockchain technology on the Ethereum network.

Alongside Tether Gold, Pax Gold ranks among the world’s top 50 cryptocurrencies by market cap, both exceeding $1.6 billion in valuation. The key distinction: these tokens trade at the current spot price of gold—not a fixed dollar amount—creating a direct correlation with precious metal markets.

Comparing Investment Approaches

Traditional routes to gold exposure have long involved purchasing shares in gold ETFs like iShares Gold Trust or SPDR Gold Shares. However, blockchain-based alternatives present compelling advantages.

With a gold ETF, investors bear annual management fees that compound over time, reducing long-term returns. Pax Gold eliminates this drag. Additionally, PAXG offers fractional ownership capabilities, 24/7 trading accessibility, and the ability to redeem actual physical gold if desired—options rarely available through traditional financial vehicles.

The opportunity cost of managing physical bullion—storage concerns, insurance expenses, security risks—disappears entirely with tokenized gold. For those seeking best coins to invest in right now, this efficiency matters.

The Tailwind Effect: Why Gold Is Performing

Gold’s exceptional 2025 performance directly elevates PAXG. As precious metals reach new all-time highs amid macroeconomic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions, and currency pressures, the “digital gold” alternative moves in lockstep. Unlike volatile cryptocurrencies dependent on sentiment and adoption curves, gold-backed tokens benefit from fundamental tailwinds driving physical metal prices upward.

Critical Considerations Before Investing

However, potential investors should note the fundamental dependency: as gold performs, so does Pax Gold—no better, no worse. While 2025 delivered exceptional returns for precious metals, future performance carries no guarantees. Gold markets cycle through periods of underperformance, and those cycles will directly impact PAXG valuations.

The dramatic price appreciation since 2024 represents a recovery and new peak formation, not a permanent departure from historical trends. Market participants should approach with appropriate time horizons and risk management.

The Broader Investment Context

In a year where major cryptocurrencies declined significantly, PAXG’s resilience stands out. For investors constructing diversified crypto portfolios in 2026, considering best coins to invest in right now means acknowledging that not all opportunities lie in traditional asset categories. Sometimes the most compelling risk-reward trade involves assets that behave differently from the broader market.

Whether PAXG proves superior to alternative investments depends on individual circumstances, investment duration, and precious metals outlook. But the data clearly shows that for those seeking exposure to cryptocurrency with a tangible underlying asset and consistent upside momentum, Pax Gold warrants serious consideration in the current market environment.