I’ve also heard that it’s not anonymous and that they’ve created their own tech to ID the users.

What’s the alternative I wonder?

Gold has to be stored with you else it’s the “not your keys not your crypto story”. In my country property can be taken from you whenever the state wants to, so that’s no longer an option, and one cannot run across borders with too many gold or silver coins without having those stolen by the state you’re exiting or the gangs along the way.