Seeds of Wisdom RV and Economic Updates Wednesday Afternoon 12-11-24

12/12/2024

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ICMA ISSUES DLT BONDS REFERENCE GUIDE

Today the International Capital Market Association (ICMA) published a reference guide for DLT based digital debt, or digital bonds. While it describes it as 50 practical questions, the figure is closer to three times that. Despite that, for those familiar with the topic it’s a quick read and provides an excellent planning and execution guide.

The document is the product of ICMA’s DLT Bonds Working group, which is chaired by Union Investment’s Christoph Hock.

“The token economy, and DLT-based bonds in particular, have become increasingly more relevant in recent months,” said Mr Hock, alluding to the recent Eurosystem wholesale DLT settlement trials in central bank money which helped to ramp up activity.

He continued, “Where currently we see a high degree of fragmentation across the value chain, we look forward to greater collaboration and standardisation, which will play a key role in further building the token universe. With its DLT Bonds Reference Guide, ICMA and all involved parties have made a great step in this direction.”

As an asset manager, Union Investment has been one of the most prolific investors in digital bonds, starting with the European Investment Bank’s (EIB) inaugural bond back in April 2021. The EIB has now issued six digital bonds, including two in November as part of the ECB DLT settlement trials.

The guide is a little biased towards Europe, but that’s where the vast majority of issuances have taken place, particularly in Germany and Switzerland. For Europe, Luxembourg is the legal jurisdiction of choice. There have been hardly any issuances in North America, partly the result of custody issues with the SEC’s SAB 121.

In February Hong Kong issued a multi currency bond of more than $750 million, the largest DLT bond to date. However, Germany’s KfW has issued two larger digital bonds totalling €8 billion on Clearstream’s D7 platform.

Technically, as they used a CSD, under German law the KfW bonds are not ‘crypto’ bonds. That’s despite D7 using Digital Asset’s Canton infrastructure. These sorts of questions are included in the reference guide.

ICMA also collaborated with the Monetary Authority of Singapore on the Guardian Fixed Income Framework published last month.

@ Newshounds News™

Source: Ledger Insights

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‘CONSUMERS EXPECT IMMEDIATE AND EFFICIENT TRANSACTIONS’: TOKENIZATION GAINS MOMENTUM

▪️Tokenization is merging traditional finance and blockchain, creating new opportunities for financial innovation.

▪️Panelists discuss regulation and future potential.

Integrating real-world assets into blockchain systems opens new possibilities in the digital asset space. At the recent Benzinga Future of Digital Assets event, panelists explored the intersection of traditional finance and blockchain, highlighting how tokenization creates opportunities for financial innovation and accessibility.

Bridging the Old and New

Panelist Robert Leshner, CEO of Superstate, emphasized the potential of tokenization to merge conventional financial markets with blockchain technology. “We’re seeing firms like Superstate act as bridges between the two by taking traditional assets, creating a token, and moving them on-chain,” Leshner said. This shift is beginning to blur the lines between digital and traditional financial systems.

Emma Marriott, co-founder of Atomic, also noted the increasing demand for streamlined integration. “Consumers expect immediate and efficient transactions,” she said, pointing to Atomic’s role in enabling smooth transitions between traditional and digital asset platforms. “We’re helping firms expand their offerings to meet these expectations, whether they’re moving from crypto to traditional assets or vice versa.”

Driving Institutional Interest

Institutional players closely watch these developments, particularly how tokenized assets can enhance portfolio diversification and liquidity. Leshner explained how tokenization allows assets to be used across various decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols. “We’re starting to see assets that began entirely within the crypto ecosystem now being joined by tokenized versions of traditional financial instruments,” he said.

Charlie Sandor, investment partner at CMT Digital, highlighted the broader implications of tokenization for financial efficiency. “Platforms like Coinbase are facilitating payment networks between off-chain and on-chain systems, demonstrating how these worlds are merging in ways that were unthinkable just a few years ago,” he said.

Regulation and Adoption

Panelists also addressed the regulatory hurdles that continue to shape the adoption of tokenized assets. Leshner acknowledged that while the potential is vast, compliance remains a critical challenge. “We’re at an early stage of understanding what open and autonomous financial markets look like,” he said, adding that creating frameworks that satisfy both traditional compliance standards and blockchain’s decentralized ethos is essential for future growth.

Marriott echoed this sentiment, pointing to the role of regulation in driving consumer trust. “As firms navigate these regulatory challenges, they’re building the infrastructure needed to make these systems more accessible and trustworthy for everyday users,” she said.

Looking Ahead

The panel concluded by focusing on what lies ahead for tokenization and its role in the financial ecosystem. Leshner predicted a rise in highly controlled and permissioned assets within DeFi platforms. “These systems will evolve to accommodate both traditional and decentralized markets, creating hybrid models that leverage the strengths of both,” he said.

With traditional and blockchain-based systems converging, tokenization is poised to transform how assets are managed, traded, and utilized. The panelists agreed that this transformation is just beginning, with 2025 expected to bring significant progress in integrating real-world assets into blockchain ecosystems.

@ Newshounds News™