Signals for the Tokenized Economy

Tokenized Renewable Energy Projects: Building the Infrastructure for On

Finextra — Crypto·Sep 24, 20267.5

Solana Foundation hires Binance, Polygon veterans as it ramps up tokenized finance push

The Solana Foundation has appointed former Binance executive Rachel Conlan as Chief Strategy Officer and former Polygon Labs veteran Jamal Raees as General Manager for Payments to accelerate its institutional finance and RWA strategy. These strategic hires signal Solana's intent to transition from a retail-focused network to a robust infrastructure layer for tokenized assets and global payments. The foundation is actively courting traditional financial institutions to migrate securities, equities, and stablecoin settlement onto its public blockchain. This push aligns with the "Token Supercycle" vision articulated by President Lily Liu, which anticipates a long-term migration of financial ownership to always-on blockchain rails. Currently, the Solana network has processed over $5 trillion in stablecoin volume year-to-date, demonstrating significant throughput for financial activity. Furthermore, the ecosystem now hosts $4.5 billion in tokenized assets, including over $600 million in tokenized stocks. By leveraging the expertise of Conlan and Raees, the foundation aims to convert institutional interest into tangible implementation for real-world asset use cases. This development underscores the intensifying competition among Layer 1 blockchains to capture the growing market for institutional-grade tokenized finance.

CoinDesk·Sep 24, 20267.5

EU banking watchdog calls for crypto lending rules under MiCA

The European Banking Authority (EBA) has formally recommended that the European Commission integrate crypto borrowing and lending services into the existing Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulatory framework. This proposal aims to address the growing prevalence of lending activities across at least 16 EU member states, which the EBA notes are increasingly facilitated by centralized crypto-asset service providers and AI-driven tools. The regulator suggests implementing strict oversight, including mandatory suitability tests for users, leverage limits, and enhanced disclosure requirements for firms. Furthermore, the EBA is exploring potential restrictions on lending involving MiCA-authorized asset-referenced or e-money tokens, alongside a possible certification regime for decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols. By blurring the lines between centralized and decentralized finance, these activities have prompted regulators to seek a more robust legislative approach to consumer protection and market stability. This move signals a significant shift toward formalizing the regulatory perimeter for DeFi-adjacent services within the European Union. If adopted, these changes would impose substantial compliance burdens on any entity providing access to crypto lending, fundamentally altering the operational landscape for RWA-backed lending platforms and DeFi protocols in the region.

lcx.com·Sep 24, 20267.5

Cathie Wood's ARK teams with Securitize to tokenize venture fund with OpenAI, Anthropic stakes

ARK Invest, led by Cathie Wood, is tokenizing its ARK Venture Fund (ARKVX) to provide blockchain-based access to a portfolio of high-profile private technology companies including OpenAI, Anthropic, Stripe, and Databricks. The initiative utilizes Securitize’s infrastructure to issue tokenized interests on the Ethereum blockchain, marking a shift from traditional money-market tokenization toward private equity and venture capital. While the underlying assets remain private, the tokenization process aims to enhance liquidity and provide a daily net asset value for investors. This move represents a significant expansion of institutional interest in onchain financial products, following earlier industry trends focused primarily on U.S. Treasuries. The partnership builds upon a prior strategic investment by ARK in Securitize, signaling a long-term commitment to integrating regulated investment products with blockchain technology. By leveraging onchain rails, ARK seeks to democratize access to disruptive innovation while navigating the evolving regulatory landscape for tokenized securities. This development aligns with broader market projections, such as Citi’s forecast that tokenized securities could reach $5.5 trillion by 2030.

CoinDesk·Sep 24, 20268.0

Ondo partners with BlackRock to develop tokenized Intelligent Portfolios

Ondo Finance and BlackRock are collaborating to launch seven tokenized model portfolios on September 24, 2026, specifically for non-US investors. These portfolios, categorized into high-income, diversified growth, and high-growth themes, represent baskets of traditional assets including stocks, bonds, and Bitcoin ETFs. By tokenizing these baskets, the initiative allows investors to hold positions on-chain, enabling 24/7 trading, instant settlement, and the ability to use tokens as collateral for borrowing. This development marks a significant evolution from single-security tokenization, such as the previous efforts involving BlackRock’s IVV ETF and Micron Technology shares. The system automates the purchase of underlying ETF shares while providing investors with a productive digital token. With BlackRock’s model portfolio business managing $9.8 trillion in assets as of June 2026, this partnership signals a major shift toward integrating mainstream asset management with blockchain infrastructure. The project highlights the technical complexity of managing on-chain rebalancing and multi-asset tracking, while also navigating the current regulatory landscape that restricts these offerings to non-US participants.

cryptobriefing.com·Sep 24, 20269.0

Tokenized RWA surge to $4T may push LINK to $200 by end

Standard Chartered projects that the tokenized real-world asset (RWA) market will reach $4 trillion by 2028, driving significant demand for decentralized oracle services. According to a report by Geoff Kendrick, the bank's global head of digital asset research, this expansion will necessitate secure external data feeds and cross-chain interoperability. Consequently, Chainlink (LINK) is positioned to capture this growth, with the bank forecasting a potential 25-fold price increase to $200 by 2030. The report highlights that Chainlink is uniquely equipped to handle the privacy-preserving compliance and financial system integrations required for large-scale tokenization. Furthermore, the bank anticipates a 37-fold rise in crypto-native and tokenized assets within decentralized finance, reaching $2.7 trillion by 2030. While Chainlink currently secures $34.4 billion in value, the forecast acknowledges risks such as institutional adoption delays and emerging competition. This analysis underscores the critical role of oracle infrastructure in bridging traditional finance with blockchain-based asset management.

Cointelegraph — DeFi·Sep 24, 20267.5

Nasdaq Eyes Always-On Markets With Tokenized Equities and 23/5 Trading

Nasdaq is advancing its 'always-on' market strategy by integrating tokenized equities and extended trading hours to enhance investor access and market efficiency. President Tal Cohen confirmed that the upcoming Nasdaq Equity Token will be issuer-sponsored, ensuring that economic and governance rights, such as proxy voting and dividends, remain intact for investors. The company has partnered with Kraken to distribute these tokens and utilize Nasdaq’s surveillance technology, aiming to bridge permissioned and permissionless blockchain environments. Nasdaq projects a $3 billion to $6 billion serviceable market for these always-on initiatives by 2030, encompassing trading, asset servicing, and collateral management. Furthermore, the firm is connecting its Calypso collateral-management platform to digital rails like the Canton Network to facilitate real-time margin views and 24/7 collateral mobility. By acquiring the alternative trading system LeveL, Nasdaq intends to expand its execution protocols and international reach while maintaining a strictly regulated framework. This shift represents a significant institutional effort to standardize interoperability between traditional financial markets and blockchain infrastructure.

marketbeat.com·Sep 24, 20269.0

BlackRock to tokenize investment strategies with ONDO Finance for non-US investors

BlackRock has initiated a strategic move to tokenize three of its investment strategies in collaboration with Ondo Finance, specifically targeting non-U.S. investors. This development enables international participants to access traditional financial instruments onchain and utilize their tokenized holdings as collateral for borrowing. By leveraging Ondo Finance’s existing infrastructure, BlackRock is expanding the reach of regulated financial products into the digital asset ecosystem. This integration marks a significant milestone in the convergence of institutional finance and blockchain technology, potentially increasing liquidity and utility for global investors. The initiative highlights a growing trend of major asset managers seeking to bridge the gap between legacy markets and decentralized finance. As these strategies move onchain, they provide a blueprint for how traditional investment vehicles can be modernized for a global digital audience. The move underscores the increasing institutional appetite for blockchain-based financial solutions that offer both regulatory compliance and enhanced accessibility.

cryptobriefing.com·Sep 24, 20268.5

Ondo, Securitize and BlackRock pitch OUSG for Sky’s $1 billion tokenization initiative

Ondo Finance has partnered with BlackRock and Securitize to submit its OUSG tokenized Treasury fund to the Sky Ecosystem’s Spark Tokenization Grand Prix. This initiative aims to onboard $1 billion in tokenized financial assets into the Sky (formerly MakerDAO) ecosystem to diversify its real-world asset holdings. OUSG currently holds over $600 million in total value locked and offers features such as instant redemptions of up to $25 million daily, with plans to double this capacity by year-end. The proposal highlights potential interoperability between OUSG and BlackRock’s BUIDL fund, allowing Sky to rebalance its portfolio between the two assets. By integrating OUSG, Sky gains access to onchain liquidity and exposure to U.S. Treasury yields across both Ethereum and Solana networks. This collaboration underscores a growing trend of institutional-grade RWA products competing for integration into major decentralized finance protocols. The inclusion of a liquidity facility supported by Circle and other partners further strengthens the proposal's appeal for large-scale capital deployment.

cryptobriefing.com·Sep 24, 20268.0

HIFI raises $37 million Series A to expand tokenized capital markets infrastructure

HIFI, a New York-based firm specializing in stablecoin payments and tokenized capital-markets infrastructure, has successfully raised $37 million in a Series A funding round led by Left Lane Capital. The company provides API-driven infrastructure that integrates money movement, regulatory compliance, and settlement across both traditional bank rails and digital asset networks. Currently processing over $7 billion in annualized volume across 87 countries, HIFI intends to use the new capital to expand its product suite and further develop its tokenized market solutions. This funding follows HIFI's strategic participation in the DTCC’s July production trades, which involved tokenized securities alongside major financial institutions like BlackRock, Goldman Sachs, and Nasdaq. Additionally, the company recently partnered with Visa to facilitate stablecoin-funded payouts to over 4 billion cards globally. These developments underscore the growing institutional focus on bridging legacy financial systems with blockchain-based settlement layers. As stablecoin supply exceeds $295 billion, HIFI’s infrastructure plays a critical role in enabling the mainstream adoption of tokenized assets and programmable money.

The Block·Sep 24, 20268.0

UK tokenized deposit platform GBTD conducts first live transactions

The Great British Tokenised Deposit (GBTD) initiative has successfully executed its first live customer transactions, marking a significant milestone for the UK's digital asset infrastructure. Coordinated by UK Finance and built on technology developed by Quant, the platform facilitates interoperability between the distinct tokenized deposit solutions of seven major banks: Barclays, HSBC UK, Lloyds Banking Group, Monzo, Nationwide, NatWest, and Santander. Unlike many global initiatives focused exclusively on wholesale markets, GBTD is uniquely designed to support retail applications alongside institutional use cases. The pilot program demonstrated the platform's utility in the mortgage sector, specifically utilizing a fund-locking mechanism to secure capital during remortgage completions. This feature allows funds to remain productive and earn interest until the moment of settlement, streamlining the transaction process. By providing a unified messaging and clearing layer, GBTD addresses the fragmentation inherent in multi-bank digital asset ecosystems. This development represents a critical step toward integrating programmable money into the UK's retail banking landscape, potentially setting a standard for future interoperable deposit tokens.

ledgerinsights.com·Sep 24, 20268.0

Hong Kong to Pilot Tokenized Exchange Fund Bills and Regulated Stablecoin Trading

Hong Kong plans to pilot the tokenization of Exchange Fund Bills by the end of 2026, marking a significant expansion of the city's digital asset infrastructure. Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui announced that the government will also permit regulated stablecoins to trade on licensed platforms. These initiatives are designed to maintain Hong Kong's competitive edge as a global financial hub, building upon its status as a leader in digital bond issuance. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority will utilize the CMU Omniclear platform to provide comprehensive services for digital bond issuance and settlement. By integrating its own debt instruments on-chain, the government aims to bridge traditional finance with modern digital asset frameworks. This policy shift extends the city's existing regulatory regime from simple spot trading and custody into the broader capital markets. These developments represent a strategic effort to solidify Hong Kong's position as a premier digital asset hub in Asia through institutional-grade adoption.

cryptorank.io·Sep 24, 20269.0