BOK’s Shin Says Tokenization Era Is Coming for Bank Deposits, Government Bonds
RWA Signal Insight
U.S. TreasuriesThe Bank of Korea (BOK) is advancing plans to tokenize government bonds and commercial bank deposits on a unified ledger system to modernize financial infrastructure. Governor Hyun Song Shin presented findings from Project Hangang, which successfully demonstrated the stable operation of a unified ledger for central bank money and asset trading. By embedding transaction conditions directly into tokenized assets, the BOK aims to automate bond settlement and collateral management, moving away from current T+1 settlement cycles. This initiative represents a significant shift toward programmable "smart money" that executes transactions only when specific criteria are met. Furthermore, the BOK intends to integrate this system with Project Agora to streamline cross-border securities trading and foreign exchange. By enabling simultaneous ownership transfer and payment, the bank seeks to reduce settlement times and costs for international investors. This development underscores a global trend among central banks to leverage blockchain technology for enhanced monetary policy execution and financial stability.
Key points
- Project Hangang successfully tested a unified ledger for central bank money and asset trading.
- BOK plans to issue government bonds as tokens to enable instantaneous settlement and automation.
- Integration with Project Agora aims to reduce cross-border settlement times for foreign investors.
- Tokenized assets use embedded rules to improve stability over conventional financial transaction systems.
Background
The Bank of Korea is the central bank of South Korea, responsible for maintaining price stability and managing the nation's monetary policy. Project Hangang is a research initiative focused on creating a unified ledger that integrates central bank digital currencies, commercial bank deposits, and tokenized assets into a single, programmable infrastructure.