Uranium.io, a new decentralized marketplace for uranium trading, is now live, marking a significant shift in how this critical resource is accessed. 

Built on the Tezos (XTZ) blockchain, the platform enables retail investors to trade physical uranium, a market previously reserved for institutional investors due to high entry barriers, according to a press release seen by Coin Insider Daily.

The platform responds to growing global demand for uranium, driven by increased adoption of nuclear energy to meet net-zero carbon goals. This demand has surged further, with tech giants like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon investing in nuclear power to sustain the energy needs of artificial intelligence infrastructure. 

However, until now, trading uranium required institutional-level transactions with minimum lot sizes and significant capital, making it inaccessible for retail participants.

Tokenizing Uranium 

Uranium.io changes this dynamic through blockchain technology. The platform eliminates traditional over-the-counter processes and high minimum purchase thresholds by tokenizing physical uranium and using smart contracts. This opens the uranium market to smaller investors, allowing them to trade fractional amounts rather than committing millions to a single transaction.

Physical uranium purchased via Uranium.io is procured by Curzon Uranium, a major uranium trading company, and securely stored by Cameco, a leading uranium depository provider, according to the press release. 

Transactions and custody transfers are automated through smart contracts, reducing the need for intermediaries and enhancing transparency and security.

The platform operates as a decentralized application on Etherlink, a Tezos-powered Layer 2 blockchain. Users can connect their digital wallets, complete Know Your Customer verification, and trade U3O8, “yellowcake,” a critical material for nuclear fuel production. The dApp’s decentralized nature also minimizes counterparty risks often associated with traditional uranium trading.

This development aligns with the broader trend of real-world asset tokenization. Analysts have tracked the institutional tokenized asset market growing to over $300 million in 2023, with firms like BlackRock also exploring blockchain for asset management.