Ubuntu Tribe: How Mamadou Toure is tokenizing gold to build financial freedom in the Web3 era

The Hack Seasons conference held in Singapore in early October brought together leading innovators in cryptocurrency, blockchain, Web3, AI, and DePIN to discuss emerging global trends. Among them was Mamadou Toure, founder and CEO of Ubuntu Tribe, a fintech venture redefining access to real-world assets through blockchain.

Impact finance pioneer Mamadou Toure spoke about tokenizing gold to democratize wealth, lessons learned from traditional finance, and his mission to create a more equitable and sustainable global economy.

Democratizing wealth through gold-backed tokens

Ubuntu Tribe’s mission is simple yet profound. Our goal is to help people achieve financial freedom by enabling everyone, regardless of location or status, to create wealth.

“The way wealth is accumulated should not disadvantage you where you are born,” Mamadou Toure explained. “To escape poverty or debt traps, people need real assets they can borrow from, grow and pass on to future generations. Gold has always served that purpose, but it is physical, heavy and complex to move. That’s why we tokenized and segmented gold.”

Ubuntu Tribe allows users to own gold-backed tokens starting from just $0.10 (equivalent to one milligram of gold). “Now anyone on the planet can participate,” Mamadou Toure added. “Because it’s on-chain, it’s safe, fast and easy to transfer without having to move the gold.”

The company envisions a near future where users can seamlessly exchange BTC, ETH or USDT for gold-backed tokens, connecting their existing assets to the Web3 economy.

Rethinking Gold in the Digital Age

Before founding Ubuntu Tribe, Toure spent more than 20 years in traditional finance, giving him a unique perspective on how gold is valued differently in Web3 and traditional systems.

“Web3 is often misunderstood because the gold comes from a purely digital environment,” he said. “Bitcoin has been referred to as ‘digital gold’ and has grown significantly, but gold remains a foundation of stable, tangible and enduring value.”

Mamadou Toure pointed out that gold’s market capitalization will surpass Bitcoin in 2024, maintaining a 10:1 ratio over the past five years. “There is a lack of education on this issue, but by calling Bitcoin ‘digital gold,’ even cryptocurrency maximalists are acknowledging gold’s enduring power.”

He also criticized the lack of transparency in traditional finance: “Central banks and large institutions quietly buy gold while the public is not informed. Even when gold hits record highs, you rarely see it in the news, because some players want to keep buying at low prices.”

Tokenized Gold: True Innovation, Not Repackaging

As for skeptics who say tokenized gold simply “repackages” traditional assets, Mamadou Toure disagrees.

“Repackaging is innovation,” he argued. “Bringing physical assets on-chain democratizes access. Fractional ownership of gold and other commodities transforms lives.”

Mamadou Toure emphasized that Ubuntu Tribe’s gold-based tokenization requires years of engineering, compliance, and auditing. “Each token is linked to a specific gold serial number that is verified by auditors prior to issuance. We cannot issue more tokens than our verified supply. With this traceability, logic and logistics, very few tokens get it right.”

Real Assets: The Next Chapter of Web3

Mamadou Toure believes that RWA is the inevitable future of Web3. “Being able to tokenize not only precious metals but also commodities can unlock tremendous value. As the dollar weakens, global central banks are turning to gold as the backbone of their timeless financial system.”

Ubuntu Tribe sees tokenized gold as a gateway to bringing billions of dollars into Web3. “Gold is a universal asset. Everyone knows it and trusts it. Tokenizing gold allows us to connect Web3 with what people already trust and what they will trust in the future.”

Build trust, compliance and sustainability

Since its founding five years ago, Ubuntu Tribe has built not just tokens but an entire ecosystem, from wallets to tracking systems and responsible sourcing.

“We have built a quantum-secure wallet with integrated payments and a dApp browser,” said Mamadou Toure. “It also took us two years to secure MiCA compliance in the EU, ensuring full consumer protection. We have entities in the US and Singapore, and regional headquarters in Dubai.”

The company operates gold vaults in Zurich, Stuttgart, Copenhagen and soon in Dubai and Singapore. But Toure’s vision goes beyond storage.

“We cannot take pride in selling gold-backed tokens without ensuring that our gold is ethically sourced,” he emphasized. “We have established a traceability system from mine to vault to verify every step of the way. We also use zero-mercury extraction technology to ensure environmentally and socially responsible operations.”

He added that Ubuntu Tribe is a “conscious company” that aims to not only transform lives through its investments, but also uplift the miners and communities behind every gram of gold.

Circular economy and next steps

Ubuntu Tribe is built on a circular economy model, proving that finance can deliver financial, social and environmental returns simultaneously.

Over the next 12 to 18 months, the company plans to expand its offerings beyond gold. “We plan to launch silver in the next quarter, followed by platinum and lithium,” Mamadou Toure said. “We want to provide the public with a hidden gem: a real, trusted, fraud-proof asset. Soon, people will even be able to buy coffee using gold tokens.”

Ubuntu Tribe is also developing AI-based financial tools. “Finance operates on two axes: information symmetry and collateral,” Toure explained. “We’re tokenizing metals to provide people with on-chain collateral that doesn’t rely on credit history, and we’re building AI financial knowledge assistants in their wallets to help users learn, invest, and grow smarter.”

As Ubuntu Tribe enters its next phase, Toure remains true to its purpose. “We are not just tokenizing gold. We are building a bridge between the old and new worlds of finance. Real assets, real value, real impact. This is what will drive the next generation of wealth creation.”