Blockchain In Finance

This is big news. Tokenization is fast becoming the next battleground for financial infrastructure. Goldman Sachs and BNY Mellon just made one of the boldest moves yet. Tokenization transforms real-world assets into digital tokens - unique, programmable representations of value that can be transferred, tracked, and embedded into automated financial workflows. Goldman Sachs and BNY Mellon are turning traditional money-market funds (MMF) into digital tokens. These funds - a $7.1 trillion global market managed by firms like BlackRock, Fidelity, and Federated Hermes - are commonly used by companies and asset managers to hold short-term cash in safe, interest-earning instruments like Treasury bills and commercial paper. But behind the scenes, they still run on decades-old infrastructure, full of manual steps, cut-off times, and delayed settlements. Tokenization changes that. 𝗛𝗼𝘄? By bringing the same speed, transparency, and automation we expect from modern payments and applying it to financial instruments that haven’t evolved in decades. ·      Instant settlement: Instead of waiting hours (or days) for trades to clear, tokenized assets can settle almost instantly - 24/7, without cut-off times. ·      Programmability: Rules and logic (e.g., eligibility checks, compliance constraints) can be embedded directly into the token - reducing manual oversight. ·      Fractional ownership: Investors can hold smaller, more flexible portions of a fund, which is hard to do in traditional structures. ·      Real-time tracking: Every transfer or ownership change is recorded transparently on a blockchain, improving auditability and risk management. ·      Easier collateralization: Tokenized fund shares can be pledged as collateral or moved between counterparties far more efficiently - a big advantage in treasury and liquidity management. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸: ·      BNY Mellon will distribute tokenized money-market funds to institutional clients via LiquidityDirect - its cash management platform that helps treasurers and asset managers invest short-term liquidity. ·      Goldman Sachs will record and track ownership of the fund tokens on its private blockchain, providing speed, traceability, and operational efficiency. ·      The offering will support tokenized versions of funds managed by major players like BlackRock, Fidelity, and Federated Hermes. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝘄? The new U.S. Genius Act gives legal clarity for stablecoins and tokenized assets -removing regulatory uncertainty and unlocking tokenization across mainstream finance. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁? This could reshape expectations around liquidity, treasury operations, and how financial assets are managed and settled. Custodians and asset managers will need to adapt. Tokenized Treasuries, equities, and real estate are already being tested. Opinions: my own, Graphic source: CNBC 𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫: https://lnkd.in/dkqhnxdg

How Banks Are Investing in Blockchain - Ripple, CB Insights, UK Centre for Blockchain Technologies 1️⃣ Capital Is Flowing – Between 2020–2024, banks participated in 345 blockchain investments, including 33 mega-rounds. Global funding into blockchain companies surpassed $100B across 10,000+ deals. 2️⃣ Stablecoins & Tokenisation Lead – Stablecoin transaction volumes reached $650–700B per month in early 2025. Tokenized assets are projected to surpass $18T by 2033 (BCG). 3️⃣ G-SIBs Signal Confidence – Global Systemically Important Banks (Citi, J.P. Morgan, Goldman Sachs, MUFG, etc.) have made over 100 blockchain investments, legitimizing the technology. 4️⃣ Real-World Integration – Banks like HSBC, JP Morgan, and SBI are moving beyond pilots into production with tokenized gold, bond issuance platforms, and cross-border payment rails. 5️⃣ Regulation Enables Growth – Clarity from frameworks like MiCA (EU), VARA (Dubai), and the U.S. GENIUS Act is reducing uncertainty and accelerating institutional adoption. Why It Matters - Blockchain is no longer experimental—it’s becoming a pillar of financial infrastructure. - From faster settlement and programmable payments to broader investor access through tokenisation, banks see blockchain as essential to staying competitive. Real Life Example - In 2024, HSBC launched a retail gold token in Hong Kong, giving customers fractional access to physical gold via digital tokens on their mobile app. This marks a shift from theory to tangible consumer products. What Happens Next Expect more banks to: - Scale tokenised asset offerings (bonds, MMFs, commodities). - Partner with fintechs and blockchain firms rather than build in isolation. - Adopt quantum-secure cryptography to future-proof digital assets. - Push for global interoperability and regulatory harmonization.

Reimagining Compliance, Trust and TPRM: Could Blockchain End Our Reliance on PDFs, Screenshots and Questionnaires? ⛓️ Why not use proof instead of trust. And what if instead of trusting auditors, we also trust math? 🔢 Who trusts Attestations and Certifications? 📋 SOC 2 provides trust. You also require trust. You trust that: - The vendor implemented what they claimed (lol, sure) - The auditor properly validated those claims (with screenshots, of course) - Controls haven't degraded since assessment (infrastructure never changes) - Documentation reflects reality (boilerplate policies FTW) But in security, trust isn't a strategy - verification is. Blockchain Security Validation: Trust the Proof ⛓️ Imagine replacing subjective assessment with cryptographic verification: - Configuration states are validated and cryptographically signed - Results immutably recorded on blockchain, evidence are now tamper-proofed - Smart contracts can validate controls automatically against predefined criteria - You can check historical record showing continuous compliance, - Easy real-time alerting when controls drift from attested state Rather than an auditor telling you that "encryption is used," the system would cryptographically verify that "TLS 1.3 is correctly implemented on all endpoints with no deprecated ciphers." Documentation Theatre to Verifiable Security 🎭 This transforms security attestation from paperwork exercise to mathematical proof: - Customers verify cryptographic evidence instead of reading through lengthy massaged control language - Vendors can prove continuous compliance, not just during audit cycles - Configuration drift triggers immediate alerts, not annual findings - Technical teams focus on implementation, not documentation - Customers can check control effectiveness without seeing sensitive implementation details, preserving vendor confidentiality The blockchain creates a permanent, verifiable history addressing both trust issues and point-in-time limitations of current attestations. Why This Matters 🎯 By bridging the documentation-reality gap with cryptographic proof, we eliminate the need for sample-based shallow testing. Imagine never having to answer "Do you have MFA?" again because customers can verify your MFA implementation themselves. The Path Forward 🚀 This isn't woo-woo - the building blocks exist today. We have: - Secure enclave technologies for sensitive validation - Smart contract platforms for attestation logic - API-driven cloud environments ready for integration - Zero-knowledge proofs for private verification What's missing is standardisation and ecosystem adoption. The first vendor to implement this model won't just streamline compliance/audit - they'll fundamentally change TPRM/customer trust dynamics. PS: This wouldn't work for all controls, lots of legal liability to work through, etc. #GRCEngineering

NYSE just announced a securities tokenization platform. $40+ Trillion in equities are coming onchain. This is not a pilot or a proof of concept. And not a “crypto experiment.” The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is building infrastructure for tokenized securities as a core market primitive. Today’s equity markets still run on legacy rails. • T+2 settlement • Multiple clearing layers • Fragmented global access • Capital locked in intermediaries Tokenization turns things upside down. Under the new regime, onchain securities enable: • 24/7 markets • Near-instant settlement • Atomic delivery vs payment • Global distribution by default But key detail is how NYSE is executing this shift. The existing exchange will keep operating as it does today, while a new tokenized securities platform runs in parallel. Same institution, but two market regimes. This approach allows capital markets to migrate without forcing an abrupt transition or breaking existing workflows. This parallel setup also gives the rest of the industry time to realign: → 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱 is preparing for equities to trade as programmable, onchain assets. → 𝗖𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲 is positioning as the gateway for tokenized equity distribution and custody. → 𝗗𝗧𝗖𝗖 is tokenizing clearing, settlement, and collateral to modernize market plumbing. As these players converge, the shift becomes structural rather than theoretical. Settlement cycles collapse. Capital efficiency improves. Market access becomes global by default. When NYSE commits to running both systems side by side, it’s a clear signal. Capital markets are not experimenting with blockchain. They are adopting it. P.S. If this is not proof that web3 is going mainstream, then what is? ________________________________________________________ 👋 I’m Aram, helping web3 leaders & B2B businesses grow on 𝗖𝗿𝘆𝗽𝘁𝗼 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻. ♻️ Repost this to help others in your network. 📌 Follow Aram Mughalyan for daily crypto insights & LinkedIn growth tactics.

Qatar Central Bank has released a new Regulatory Framework for Digital Banks. This policy sets the stage for a transformative era in the financial sector in #Qatar. For companies in the tech industry, this is a golden opportunity to drive innovation and collaborate with digital-first banks to revolutionise banking experiences in Qatar. Here’s why this matters to you: 💡 #AI Integration: The framework encourages the adoption of AI for personalised banking services, fraud detection, and operational efficiency. Companies specialising in AI have the chance to create impactful solutions tailored for digital banking ecosystems. 🔗 #Blockchain Potential: With a focus on secure and efficient transactions, blockchain technology is poised to play a critical role in digital banking infrastructure. Startups and enterprises in the blockchain space can collaborate to build solutions that redefine trust and transparency. 🎯 Collaborative Opportunities: The framework promotes partnerships between digital banks and fintechs, opening doors for innovators to co-create cutting-edge financial products and services. 🌍 Expanding Financial Inclusion: Digital banks are expected to enhance accessibility and affordability for underserved populations, creating demand for scalable, tech-driven solutions. This regulation is not just a guide for banks; it’s a call to action for the tech ecosystem to innovate, collaborate, and lead the way in shaping the future of finance.

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐀’𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐧. We hear a lot about regulation, hype cycles and price charts. But less about the real infrastructure being built in trade, compliance and financial access across the region. Here are a few examples of how it’s already taking shape: 🔗 𝟏. 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬-𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧-𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐧. The UAE is building blockchain-powered bridges between countries. Landmark Group and HSBC processed a full blockchain transaction between the UAE and Hong Kong, signaling how banks are starting to bypass legacy systems for faster cross-border transactions. 🕌 𝟐. 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫. Blockchain is being tested to power Shariaa-compliant structures. Dubai Islamic Bank signed an MoU with Crypto.com last year to explore introducing tokenized Islamic sukuks and the tokenization of real-world assets. 💱 𝟑. 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬. Across MENA, central banks are exploring central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) to lower cross-border payment costs and boost the traceability and transparency of transactions. The Central Bank of the UAE announced it will launch its Digital Dirham CBDC in the fourth quarter of this year. 📲 𝟒. 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞. Millions across the region are still underserved by the traditional banking system. From stablecoin wallets to blockchain-powered remittances (like Egypt’s National Bank using Ripple for expat remittances), this techology is addressing real socio-economic challenges. 📜 𝟓. 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐝𝐞. The Central Bank of Bahrain developed blockchain-based shared KYC ledgers to streamline compliance and enable secure, consent-driven data sharing among financial institutions. While regulators in the West are still debating frameworks, banks in MENA are piloting and deploying blockchain solutions, from compliance and cross-border trade to CBDCs and financial access. In a region used to leapfrogging legacy systems, could starting later actually mean moving faster?  Curious to know what you think! #Blockchain #Cryptocurrency #UAE #MENA #web3

🔵 The Real World Asset Tokenization Boom: $35.8B and Accelerating 🚀 While Stablecoin surging c. 50% YoY to ~$300B continues to dominate 2025 headlines, Real World Assets (which include tokenized money market funds) more than doubled to $35.8B (↑125% YoY). Together, they represent over $335B in tokenized `assets`—and the how and where reveals the real story about institutional blockchain adoption. 📍𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐓𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲: • Private Credit: +91% to $18.8B (still 52.5% of market)  • US Treasury Debt: +126% to $9.2B (MMFs proving product-market fit)  • Commodities: +194% to $3.1B (tokenization beyond financial instruments)  • Institutional Alternative Funds: +672% to $2.7B (sophisticated capital entering the tokenization space) What's changed in 2025? The top 3 categories dropped from 93.9% to 86.7% of total RWA market share. This is diversification into a maturing asset class infrastructure. 📍 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬: The network data from RWA.xyz reveals a critical distinction in how institutions are approaching tokenization: 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐖𝐀𝐬 (𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝-𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠):  • Canton Network: $372.7B across 8,460 assets (95.2% market share)  • Provenance: $13.9B (the Figure Technologies Blockchain – 3.56% market share) • Purpose: Immutable records, legacy custody systems 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐖𝐀𝐬 (𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐎𝐧-𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭):  • Ethereum: $11.8B across 303 assets (64.2% market share)  • BNB Chain: $1.6B (↑99.56% in 30 days! – 8.53% market share)  • Solana: $757M across 88 assets (4.14% market share) Purpose: Transfer, custody, programmability, composability 📌 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬: Stablecoins proved crypto-native payment rails work at scale. Now RWAs are proving the same for yield-bearing assets, lending, and complex financial instruments. Canton's dominance shows institutions are comfortable with blockchain as a "source of truth" layer. But Ethereum's leadership in distributed RWAs—where assets are actually transferable and composable on-chain—signals where the real transformation is happening. We're watching two parallel infrastructures emerge: one for institutional record-keeping at scale, another for genuinely programmable, liquid, interoperable assets. The 672% growth in Institutional Alternative Funds and BNB Chain's near-doubling in 30 days suggests the distributed model is reaching an inflection point. If stablecoins were 2025's proof of concept, RWAs are 2026's infrastructure play. Together, they're rewriting the rails of global finance especially at the institutional level. What's your take? Is blockchain adoption settling into incremental record-keeping upgrades, or are we witnessing the early stages of a deep capital markets transformation that will take off in 2026? #RWA #Tokenization #Blockchain 

Blockchain: The Infrastructure that Banks and Investors Should Not Ignore Recent fraud allegations that MFS (U.K.) and Tri-Color double pledged collateral across multiple lenders is nothing short of alarming. This is not a new risk. It is a structural flaw tied to fragmented systems, delayed verification, paper and e-mail trail with a reliance on representations rather than real time fact-based truth. Every loan could carry a single, immutable record of origination, ownership, lien status, and payment history. Title, servicing activity, and collateral pledges would be visible to authorized participants in real time. A loan cannot be pledged twice if the system of record enforces uniqueness at the asset level. Blockchain eliminates this vulnerability entirely. This is not theoretical; the technology exists today. Every origination event, title transfer, lien, warehouse pledge, repo, securitization and payment is recorded as an immutable, timestamped hash on a public or permissioned ledger. The record cannot be altered. Every counterparty sees it in real time. Double pledging becomes structurally impossible when a single authoritative registry marks each asset as encumbered at the moment of pledge. Warehouse lines reflect the precise collateral position at all times. Principal, interest and tax payments are logged instantaneously on the ledger. If the loan moves to repo or securitization, that event is captured sequentially, in chronological order, with zero latency and no paperwork. Investor can examine the chain of ownership and evaluate the complete payment history. The same process extends beyond loans as it is as easily applied to the securities and futures markets. Every securities transaction, repo, sale and purchase agreement benefit from instantaneous, immutable settlement as does home loans, auto loans, CRE loans, corporate loans. Jamie Dimon wrote in his April 2026 shareholders letter that JPMorgan needs to roll out its own blockchain, as Tricolor and MFS blew up from the exact fraud blockchain would have prevented. Given recent events, the cost of inaction is becoming clearer; Jamie knows this and so do the regulators. In 2026, the age of technological change, the question is not whether blockchain belongs in the credit infrastructure; the question is why it has not been widely adopted. As often is the case, Jamie is spot on in his belief.

Tokenization converts real-world assets such as real estate, art, or financial instruments into blockchain-based tokens, making them divisible, tradable, and accessible on a global scale while creating new opportunities for investors and asset owners. Tokenization of real-world assets works through the legal representation of a physical or financial item as a blockchain token. Each token can be issued, bought, or transferred, and ownership is recorded transparently through smart contracts. This process increases liquidity, allows fractional participation in valuable assets, and extends market access across borders. At the same time, it raises challenges related to regulatory frameworks, custodianship, and technical risks connected with digital infrastructure. Projects such as Ethereum, Chainlink, and Securitize provide the technological and operational layers that make this model possible, combining secure data management with compliance and efficient trading. #CryptoExplained #Tokenization #Blockchain #DigitalAssets #RWA #SmartContracts