Texas has just passed a law recognizing gold and silver as legal tender within its borders. This decision marks a symbolic break with the current centralized monetary system and raises the question: can a return to the standards of the past provide an answer to the economic challenges of the present?
Texas puts gold and silver on the same level as the dollar
Over the past century, humanity has experienced several monetary revolutions: from the gold standard to the advent of fiat currencies and the end of the Bretton Woods agreements. Currency has become increasingly centralized in the hands of a handful of institutions and is now poised to evolve into a new form: central bank digital currencies (CBDCs).
In response to this growing centralization, alternatives have emerged. Since 2009, Bitcoin has gradually established itself as a resilient currency, offering its users protection against the censorship and control that authorities can exercise via the euro or the dollar.
This week, Texas passed a measure allowing its citizens to use gold and silver as legal tender, thus returning to monetary instruments that have been tried and tested over thousands of years.
I signed a law authorizing Texans to use gold & silver as legal tender in day-to-day financial transactions.
It fulfills the promise of Article 1, Section 10 of the U.S. Constitution.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) June 29, 2025
I have signed a law allowing Texans to use gold and silver as legal tender in their day-to-day financial transactions.
This fulfills the promise of Article 1, Section 10 of the U.S. Constitution.
By signing HB1056, Texas Governor Greg Abbott is strengthening the resilience of the state’s residents. This law officially recognizes gold and silver as legal tender in Texas, within the limits set by the US Constitution.
More specifically, it authorizes the use of gold and silver coins as a means of payment, provided they are marked with their weight and purity, without necessarily bearing the mark of a state issuer.
The law also allows for the creation of electronic payment systems backed by gold and silver reserves held in secure vaults. This is not an obligation: no one is required to accept these metals as payment.
This framework offers Texans an alternative to traditional fiat currencies at a time when inflation, mistrust of financial institutions, and debates about the stability of the dollar are fueling a desire for monetary diversification.
Is returning to the gold standard really a good idea in 2025?
The idea of reintroducing gold as legal tender may seem appealing, but it raises several practical limitations. First, owning gold means either entrusting it to a trusted third party, such as a bank or depository, or taking responsibility for its safekeeping oneself, with all the risks and constraints that this entails.
Second, during a transaction, authenticating the metal is complex and often requires specialized tools. Added to this is the difficulty of making exact payments: gold is not easily divisible for everyday purchases.
In comparison, Bitcoin allows for autonomous and secure ownership, instant authentication via its blockchain, and divisibility to more than 9 decimal places.
If Texas truly wants to strengthen the economic sovereignty of its citizens while offering them agility and full integration in the digital age, it would be consistent to recognize Bitcoin on the same footing as gold and silver.
