Leading Swiss bank UBS has unveiled a live pilot program for a tokenized iteration of its variable capital company (VCC) fund, as part of Project Guardian, an initiative spearheaded by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
In an official statement, UBS Asset Management disclosed that this fund is just one facet of a broader VCC framework meticulously designed to introduce a diverse array of real-world assets (RWA) to the blockchain ecosystem. Thomas Kaegi, the head of UBS Asset Management for Singapore and Southeast Asia, characterized this project as a significant stride in comprehending the intricacies of fund tokenization. Kaegi remarked:
“Through this exploratory initiative, we will collaborate with traditional financial institutions and fintech innovators to gain insights into enhancing market liquidity and client accessibility.”
UBS Asset Management initiated the controlled pilot for the tokenized money market fund utilizing their in-house tokenization platform known as UBS Tokenize. Employing a smart contract on the Ethereum blockchain, the firm executed various operations, including redemptions and fund subscriptions.
This pilot program also forms an integral part of the company’s overarching global strategy centered on distributed ledger technology (DLT), leveraging both private and public blockchains to augment the distribution and issuance of funds.
This groundbreaking development solidifies earlier predictions concerning the tokenization of RWAs. During a panel discussion at the 2023 World Token Summit, Ellis Wang, an adviser to the United Arab Emirates government, conveyed that tokenizing RWAs offers an array of advantages such as transparency and security, attributes inherently woven into blockchain technology. According to Wang, the prospect of RWAs being tokenized is gaining momentum, presenting substantial opportunities across various industries.
In the recent months, protocols concentrating on RWAs have gained significant traction, surpassing other decentralized finance subsectors. On June 9th, token gains on the RWA tokenization platform Centrifuge had surged by an impressive 32% year-to-date.
