#Demat2.0

20 articles tagged #Demat2.0 — curated RWA tokenization coverage.

From UPI to tokenised assets: Is India building the next generation of financial infrastructure?
Infrastructure

From UPI to tokenised assets: Is India building the next generation of financial infrastructure?

India is evolving its financial infrastructure by transitioning from the high-volume UPI payment system to a programmable, tokenized asset framework. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is actively developing a Unified Markets Interface to facilitate tokenized settlements using wholesale central bank digital currency. Simultaneously, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) launched a 'Demat 2.0' pilot on September 10, 2026, to test tokenized corporate bonds within a regulated environment. This shift aims to enhance market efficiency by automating lifecycle events and enabling fractional ownership for assets like real estate and infrastructure. Success hinges on establishing robust legal frameworks, ensuring global interoperability, and maintaining the security standards of traditional regulated markets. By leveraging existing digital public infrastructure, India seeks to create a scalable ecosystem where financial assets and their underlying rights become digitally native. This transition represents a fundamental move from merely digitizing transactions to digitizing the core processes of asset issuance, ownership, and settlement.

yourstory.comAdded: Oct 7, 20268.0
SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey On India's ₹7 Lk Cr AIF Boom | Tokenised Bonds | CBDC | Demat 2.0
Infrastructure

SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey On India's ₹7 Lk Cr AIF Boom | Tokenised Bonds | CBDC | Demat 2.0

SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey has identified tokenized corporate bonds and CBDC-based settlements as the next frontier for India's financial market infrastructure. This strategic shift follows a period of significant growth in the Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) sector, which has reached a cumulative investment volume of ₹7 lakh crore with a 43% ten-year CAGR. With the Indian market now supporting 23.8 crore demat accounts and 15 crore unique investors, the regulator is prioritizing technology-led reforms to enhance efficiency and transparency. Initiatives like Demat 2.0 are designed to modernize the investment landscape, moving beyond traditional holding structures toward digital-native assets. By integrating tokenization and central bank digital currencies, SEBI aims to streamline settlement processes and reduce friction for a rapidly expanding investor base. This evolution reflects a broader institutional commitment to digitizing capital markets to support the nation's growing startup and innovation ecosystem. The focus on these advanced technologies underscores the regulator's intent to maintain market integrity while scaling access to sophisticated financial instruments.

businesstoday.inAdded: Oct 5, 20267.5
India’s tokenized bond pilot starts with institutions, with retail access planned next
Infrastructure

India’s tokenized bond pilot starts with institutions, with retail access planned next

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has launched a pilot program titled Demat 2.0 to facilitate the issuance and settlement of corporate bonds on a private, permissioned distributed ledger. The initiative successfully processed ₹1,025 crore across three initial issuances from REC Limited, L&T Limited, and IIFL. By utilizing the Reserve Bank of India’s wholesale digital rupee, the system achieves atomic delivery-versus-payment, ensuring that the bond transfer and cash settlement occur simultaneously. This synchronization eliminates settlement risk by removing the time gap between fund transfer and security delivery. While the bonds exist as native digital tokens, they retain their original ISIN identifiers, legal covenants, and regulatory status, ensuring continuity for market participants. The infrastructure is managed by India’s depositories and stock exchanges, which maintain the authoritative records of ownership and handle private key management on behalf of investors. This pilot represents a significant step toward modernizing India's debt markets by integrating central bank digital currency with institutional-grade blockchain rails. Future stages of the project aim to expand the system to include secondary market trading and retail investor participation.

cryptorank.ioAdded: Sep 18, 20268.5
Indian firms issue 10.25 billion rupees of tokenised bonds in regulator’s pilot scheme
Infrastructure

Indian firms issue 10.25 billion rupees of tokenised bonds in regulator’s pilot scheme

Three Indian financial service providers have successfully issued 10.25 billion rupees, equivalent to approximately US$103 million, in tokenised corporate bonds as part of a pilot program overseen by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi). Known as Demat 2.0, this initiative utilizes distributed ledger technology to manage the issuance, holding, and settlement of these digital assets. A critical feature of the program is its integration with the Reserve Bank of India’s wholesale central bank digital currency, which enables simultaneous delivery-versus-payment settlement. By leveraging smart contracts, the system automates interest and redemption payments while significantly reducing transaction times from several days to same-day settlement. This shift is expected to lower administrative costs and reconciliation burdens for market participants while maintaining existing regulatory standards for credit ratings and investor protections. Sebi plans to expand the pilot in future phases to include secondary market trading via request-for-quote platforms and eventually open participation to retail investors. This development marks a significant step in the modernization of India's capital markets through blockchain-based infrastructure.

asiaasset.comAdded: Sep 17, 20268.0
Tokenized bonds pass the launch test. The real challenge starts now
Infrastructure

Tokenized bonds pass the launch test. The real challenge starts now

Indian firms Rural Electrification Corp., Larsen & Toubro, and IIFL Finance have successfully completed tokenized corporate bond issuances, marking a significant technological milestone for the nation's debt market. REC raised Rs.500 crore, L&T raised Rs.500 crore, and IIFL Finance raised Rs.25 crore using distributed ledger technology and the Reserve Bank of India's central bank digital currency (CBDC). While these transactions demonstrate the viability of atomic delivery-versus-payment settlement, market participants characterize them as largely ceremonial due to the lack of a functioning secondary market. The current infrastructure requires investors to manage separate CBDC and electronic securities wallets, creating friction that hinders widespread adoption. Experts emphasize that the next critical phase for 'Demat 2.0' is achieving interoperability between these new digital environments and existing bond-market infrastructure. Without a robust financing ecosystem and secondary market liquidity, the benefits of instant settlement remain limited compared to established T+1 workflows. Ultimately, the success of Indian bond tokenization depends on integrating these digital assets into the broader financial system while simplifying the user experience.

tradingview.comAdded: Sep 16, 20267.5
India Launches $620B Tokenized Bond Experiment Using Digital Rupee
Infrastructure

India Launches $620B Tokenized Bond Experiment Using Digital Rupee

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) have launched 'Demat 2.0,' a pilot program designed to test the issuance and settlement of tokenized corporate bonds on a distributed ledger. This initiative integrates blockchain technology with India's existing statutory depositories and the wholesale digital rupee (CBDC) to facilitate atomic delivery-versus-payment. By enabling simultaneous bond transfer and settlement, the system aims to significantly reduce transaction risks and increase operational efficiency within India's $620 billion corporate bond market. The first phase of the pilot has already successfully facilitated the issuance of ₹1,025 crore ($116 million) in tokenized bonds by REC, Larsen & Toubro, and IIFL Finance. These digital assets maintain standard coupon rates and investor rights while remaining accessible through existing Demat accounts. This development marks a significant milestone as India becomes the first nation to combine natively issued DLT bonds with CBDC settlement within a regulated market framework. The experiment serves as a critical real-world test for scaling blockchain infrastructure in national financial systems, with future plans to include secondary market trading and retail investor access.

coinpedia.orgAdded: Sep 15, 20268.5
SEBI launches Demat 2.0 to bring tokenised corporate bonds to investors | Demat 2.0 phase focuses on bond issuances | Inshorts
Infrastructure

SEBI launches Demat 2.0 to bring tokenised corporate bonds to investors | Demat 2.0 phase focuses on bond issuances | Inshorts

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has officially launched 'Demat 2.0', a strategic initiative designed to modernize the Indian debt market by introducing tokenized corporate bonds. This phase specifically targets the streamlining of bond issuances, aiming to enhance transparency, reduce settlement times, and increase accessibility for retail and institutional investors. By leveraging distributed ledger technology, SEBI intends to eliminate traditional inefficiencies associated with paper-based or legacy electronic bond management systems. This move represents a significant regulatory endorsement of blockchain-based securities in one of the world's largest emerging markets. The integration of tokenization into the national dematerialization framework signals a shift toward programmable finance for corporate debt instruments. As India moves to digitize its capital markets, this framework provides a scalable foundation for future asset classes to be issued on-chain. The initiative is expected to lower entry barriers for investors while providing issuers with a more efficient mechanism for capital raising.

inshorts.comAdded: Sep 14, 20268.0
India launches bond tokenisation pilot
Infrastructure

India launches bond tokenisation pilot

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) have officially launched a bond tokenisation pilot program titled Demat 2.0. This initiative aims to leverage distributed ledger technology to achieve near-instant settlement and mitigate systemic settlement risks within the Indian financial markets. The pilot involves key infrastructure participants including the Central Depository Services, National Securities Depositories, and major financial institutions such as HDFC and ICICI. By integrating security and settlement processes, the project seeks to automate complex asset servicing tasks that currently rely on legacy systems. This move represents a significant evolution from the original Demat 1.0 framework, which digitized paper-based shareholdings starting in 1996. SEBI chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey indicated that the scope of this tokenization effort is intended to expand beyond bonds to include equities, gold, and mutual funds. The successful implementation of this pilot could serve as a blueprint for other emerging markets looking to modernize their national financial infrastructure through blockchain integration.

fundsglobalasia.comAdded: Sep 14, 20268.5
What does SEBI’s tokenised bonds mean for investors
Infrastructure

What does SEBI’s tokenised bonds mean for investors

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has launched a pilot program titled Demat 2.0 to modernize the settlement and ownership recording of corporate bonds. By utilizing a private digital network, the initiative represents bond ownership as digital tokens rather than traditional database entries, aiming to streamline administrative processes. A critical component of this pilot is the integration of the Reserve Bank of India’s digital rupee (e₹) to facilitate atomic settlement, ensuring that bond transfers and payments occur simultaneously. This mechanism significantly reduces counterparty risk by eliminating the gap between delivery and payment. While the underlying investment characteristics such as credit ratings and maturity remain unchanged, the system enables automated corporate actions like coupon payments and redemptions. Currently, the pilot excludes retail investors, focusing instead on institutional testing before expanding to secondary market trading. This development marks a significant shift toward blockchain-based infrastructure in the Indian financial sector, prioritizing operational efficiency and reduced manual intervention.

newindianexpress.comAdded: Sep 14, 20267.5
South Korea Plans Tokenized Securities With XRP Ledger
Infrastructure

South Korea Plans Tokenized Securities With XRP Ledger

India’s National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL) has officially launched Demat 2.0, a blockchain-based infrastructure platform designed to modernize the country's securities market. This initiative aims to streamline the issuance, settlement, and management of tokenized securities by leveraging distributed ledger technology to enhance transparency and operational efficiency. By transitioning to a blockchain-native framework, NSDL seeks to reduce settlement times and lower the administrative overhead associated with traditional dematerialized securities. The platform represents a significant shift in how institutional-grade financial assets are handled within the Indian market, aligning with global trends toward digital asset integration. This development is critical for the RWA sector as it demonstrates a major national depository adopting blockchain to scale tokenized financial products. The move provides a robust regulatory-compliant foundation for future institutional participation in the digital securities ecosystem. Ultimately, Demat 2.0 serves as a blueprint for how national-level infrastructure can bridge the gap between legacy financial systems and decentralized ledger technology.

cointrust.comAdded: Sep 14, 20268.5
MSE, Demat 2.0 & Tokenised Bonds: The Real Story
Infrastructure

MSE, Demat 2.0 & Tokenised Bonds: The Real Story

The Metropolitan Stock Exchange of India (MSE) recently facilitated a tokenized corporate bond issuance for IIFL Finance under SEBI's Demat 2.0 pilot, marking a significant step in the integration of blockchain technology into India's debt markets. Launched by SEBI and the RBI at the Global Fintech Fest, the Demat 2.0 initiative utilizes a private, permissioned ledger for bond issuance and atomic settlement via the RBI's wholesale CBDC. While the technology enables real-time settlement and automated coupon payments, SEBI has clarified that tokenization does not create a new asset class or alter the legal character of the bonds. The pilot has seen three issuances totaling ₹1,025 crore, involving 23 institutional investors. Despite MSE holding an Electronic Bond Platform (EBP) license since 2016, it has historically struggled to compete with the dominant market share of the NSE. The recent infusion of ₹1,000 crore in capital from a consortium of brokers and venture firms aims to revitalize MSE by leveraging their control over order flow. This development highlights that in the RWA market, institutional relationships and distribution networks remain more critical to success than the underlying blockchain infrastructure.

unlistedzone.comAdded: Sep 12, 20267.5
Two more Indian tokenized bonds issued, as central bank eyes gold next
Infrastructure

Two more Indian tokenized bonds issued, as central bank eyes gold next

India's Demat 2.0 tokenized bond pilot has expanded with two new issuances following the initial REC Limited offering. Engineering firm L&T Limited raised ₹5 billion, while brokerage IIFL secured ₹250 million, bringing the total pilot volume to ₹10.25 billion across three issuances. These assets are natively digital tokens issued on a DLT network managed by central securities depositories NSDL and CDSL, rather than mere digital twins. The pilot currently focuses on issuance and smart contract-based asset servicing for institutional participants. SEBI has provided regulatory clarity on the architecture, while the Reserve Bank of India has indicated interest in tokenizing gold as the next asset class. The project is structured in three stages, with future phases planned to introduce secondary market trading and retail access. This initiative represents a significant shift in Indian capital markets by integrating DLT directly into the authoritative record-keeping process of national depositories.

ledgerinsights.comAdded: Sep 11, 20267.5
India Tokenizes Corporate Bonds with Digital Rupee in Demat 2.0
Infrastructure

India Tokenizes Corporate Bonds with Digital Rupee in Demat 2.0

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has launched the Demat 2.0 pilot, a significant initiative to tokenize corporate bonds and settle transactions using the Reserve Bank of India's wholesale digital rupee. This program utilizes a distributed ledger within a regulated framework to enable atomic delivery versus payment, effectively reducing settlement risk and manual reconciliation requirements. Three major issuers—REC, Larsen & Toubro, and IIFL Finance—have collectively issued ₹1,025 crore in tokenized bonds during the initial phase. By integrating smart contracts for automated interest payments and redemptions, the pilot aims to modernize India's financial infrastructure while maintaining strict regulatory oversight. Unlike open-market crypto initiatives, this project keeps assets within a permissioned environment involving key institutions like CDSL, NSDL, and major banks. The success of this pilot could pave the way for tokenizing other asset classes, including equities and mutual funds, within the Indian market. This development highlights a global trend where central banks and regulators explore blockchain-based efficiency without sacrificing control or security.

altcoinbuzz.ioAdded: Sep 11, 20268.5
REC Limited successfully issues India’s first Pilot Issue on Tokenized Corporate Bonds under SEBI regulatory Sandbox Framework
Infrastructure

REC Limited successfully issues India’s first Pilot Issue on Tokenized Corporate Bonds under SEBI regulatory Sandbox Framework

REC Limited has successfully executed India's first pilot issuance of tokenized corporate bonds under the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) regulatory sandbox framework. This initiative, branded as Demat 2.0, utilizes a permissioned distributed ledger to record and track securities ownership, marking a significant shift in the nation's debt market infrastructure. By integrating atomic Delivery-versus-Payment (DvP) settlement and CBDC-enabled transactions, the pilot aims to eliminate traditional settlement risks and operational friction. The project maintains existing investor protections and institutional compliance standards while leveraging digital ledger technology to enhance market efficiency. This milestone represents a strategic move by Indian regulators to modernize capital markets through technology-driven reforms. The successful pilot demonstrates the viability of blockchain-based debt issuance within a controlled regulatory environment. Such advancements are critical for the RWA market as they provide a blueprint for scaling tokenized financial instruments in emerging economies.

aninews.inAdded: Sep 11, 20268.5
SEBI Advances Tokenised Bonds and AI Supervision as Pandey Calls for Stronger Tech Governance
Infrastructure

SEBI Advances Tokenised Bonds and AI Supervision as Pandey Calls for Stronger Tech Governance

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is actively advancing the modernization of capital markets through the integration of AI-driven supervision and the pilot of tokenized corporate bonds. In collaboration with the Reserve Bank of India, SEBI has launched the Demat 2.0 project, which utilizes tokenized securities settled via central bank digital currency (CBDC) and smart contracts. Three issuers have already successfully issued tokenized corporate bonds under this framework, signaling a shift toward faster settlement and automated asset servicing. SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey emphasized that while financial institutions are encouraged to innovate, they retain full regulatory accountability for their technology vendors and AI systems. By adopting the IOSCO AI supervisory toolkit, the regulator aims to enhance predictive market monitoring and identify systemic risks more efficiently. This dual focus on technological adoption and strict governance is intended to bolster market integrity as India’s financial sector scales its digital infrastructure. These developments are critical for the RWA market as they demonstrate a sovereign-level commitment to integrating blockchain-based settlement with traditional corporate debt instruments.

niftytrader.inAdded: Sep 10, 20268.5
SEBI launches tokenised corporate bond pilot under Demat 2.0, three issuers already testing the system
Infrastructure

SEBI launches tokenised corporate bond pilot under Demat 2.0, three issuers already testing the system

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has initiated a pilot program for tokenized corporate bonds under its 'Demat 2.0' framework. This initiative aims to modernize the settlement and issuance process for debt securities by leveraging blockchain-based tokenization to enhance transparency and efficiency. Three issuers are currently participating in the testing phase to evaluate the system's operational viability within the Indian financial market. By moving toward a tokenized infrastructure, SEBI seeks to reduce settlement cycles and minimize the administrative overhead associated with traditional dematerialized securities. This development represents a significant regulatory push toward integrating distributed ledger technology into mainstream capital markets. The pilot serves as a critical step in digitizing the lifecycle of corporate debt, potentially setting a precedent for broader asset tokenization in India. Successful implementation could lead to increased liquidity and broader investor access to corporate bond markets.

moneycontrol.comAdded: Sep 10, 20268.0
RBI’s Vasudevan flags legal, privacy, interoperability risks in tokenization
Infrastructure

RBI’s Vasudevan flags legal, privacy, interoperability risks in tokenization

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Executive Director P. Vasudevan highlighted critical challenges for the nation's tokenization roadmap, including legal uncertainty, data privacy, and the necessity for platform interoperability. Speaking at the Global Fintech Fest 2026, Vasudevan emphasized that while tokenization offers faster transactions and increased leverage, it introduces potential risks to financial stability that require careful regulatory oversight. The RBI has already successfully tested tokenization through its Unified Markets Interface, processing approximately ₹17,000 crore in certificate-of-deposit transactions. Recent milestones include pilot corporate bond issuances by REC and Larsen & Toubro, each raising ₹500 crore using a blockchain-based 'DEMAT 2.0' system. These pilots utilize the RBI’s wholesale central bank digital currency for settlement, aiming to reduce risks and automate the bond lifecycle. Vasudevan noted that existing market intermediaries like depositories and custodians must evolve into token service providers to support this transition. Ultimately, the RBI remains optimistic about expanding tokenization to diverse asset classes while maintaining a cautious approach to systemic stability.

livemint.comAdded: Sep 9, 20268.5
REC Issues ₹500 Cr Through Tokenised Corporate Bonds, 8x Oversubscribed
Infrastructure

REC Issues ₹500 Cr Through Tokenised Corporate Bonds, 8x Oversubscribed

REC Ltd, a Maharatna company under India's Ministry of Power, has successfully executed India's first pilot issuance of tokenized corporate bonds. The ₹500 crore issuance, conducted under the Securities and Exchange Board of India’s (SEBI) regulatory sandbox, achieved an 8x oversubscription with total bids reaching ₹796 crore. By utilizing a permissioned distributed ledger under the Demat 2.0 initiative, the process enabled atomic Delivery-versus-Payment (DvP) settlement. This technological shift allowed for the pay-in, allotment, and listing of the bonds to occur within a single day. The bonds carry a coupon rate of 7.30% per annum with a tenor of one year and nine months and are listed on both the NSE and BSE. This milestone demonstrates the integration of distributed ledger technology with existing regulatory frameworks to reduce settlement risks and operational friction. The success of this pilot signals a significant evolution in Indian debt markets, highlighting the potential for digital infrastructure to enhance market efficiency and transparency.

outlookbusiness.comAdded: Sep 7, 20268.5

Insights directly to your inbox

Get our daily curated analysis on real world asset tokenization.

No spam, unsubscribe anytime.