Tag: Adoption & Partnerships

Standard Chartered Pioneers Direct Stablecoin Access for Institutional Clients

Standard Chartered has achieved a significant milestone, becoming the first Global Systemically Important Bank (G-SIB) to enable institutional clients to mint and redeem USDC directly via its banking platform, the lender announced.

This new service eliminates the necessity for eligible clients to establish separate accounts with Circle, the issuer of USDC. Instead, it offers a streamlined, single onboarding process for both traditional banking services and access to stablecoins.

The offering, unveiled on July 2, was developed in partnership with Circle. It will permit qualifying institutional clients to mint and redeem USDC through Standard Chartered’s operations in the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC). The bank stated that clients will gain access to banking, custody, and digital asset services through a unified platform, facilitating on-chain settlement and treasury management using USDC.

Initially, the service will be exclusively available through the bank’s DIFC operations. However, Standard Chartered indicated plans to extend the offering to additional markets, pending regulatory approvals.

“Digital assets are increasingly becoming a crucial component of global financial infrastructure, and institutional clients are seeking the same levels of trust and governance that underpin traditional markets,” said Roberto Hoornweg, Standard Chartered’s chief of corporate and investment banking.

He further emphasized that the launch aims to foster broader institutional engagement in crypto markets by leveraging established compliance and risk management frameworks.

Industry observers have interpreted the announcement as a further indication of stablecoin infrastructure’s integration into regulated finance. Hupzy of Spot On Chain commented on X that enabling a G-SIB to directly participate in the USDC minting process removes a substantial operational barrier for institutions that previously relied on exchanges or over-the-counter desks for stablecoin acquisition. The analyst suggested that this arrangement could boost USDC adoption among institutions, thereby enhancing on-chain liquidity.

Standard Chartered’s announcement follows closely on the heels of the introduction of OpenUSD, a new stablecoin backed by a consortium of over 140 companies, including major players like Visa, Mastercard, Stripe, Coinbase, Ripple, and BlackRock. This initiative, built on principles of collaborative governance and revenue sharing, introduces another competitor to the landscape of institutional stablecoin infrastructure development.

The bank has been actively expanding its footprint in regulated digital assets. In April of this year, Standard Chartered was among the first entities to secure a Hong Kong stablecoin issuer license, empowering it to mint Hong Kong dollar-backed stablecoins for cross-border payment purposes.

New York Life Arm Taps Blockchain for High-Yield Bond Fund

New York Life Investment Management (NYLIM), a prominent active asset manager, is venturing into the blockchain space by tokenizing a portion of its fixed-income business. The firm has partnered with Centrifuge, a tokenization platform, to introduce a high-yield corporate bond strategy aimed at crypto-native investors.

The companies announced Tuesday the debut of the NYLIM Anemoy U.S. High Yield Corporate Bond Segregated Portfolio, which will trade under the ticker HYB. This marks NYLIM’s inaugural tokenized product and represents one of the earliest efforts to bring a high-yield bond fund to public blockchain infrastructure, according to the announcement.

NYLIM oversees approximately $807 billion in assets. Under this new arrangement, the firm’s established high-yield strategy, encompassing its investment process and risk management protocols, will remain consistent. However, eligible investors will now have the option to participate through tokens issued on Centrifuge’s platform. Subscriptions and redemptions will be processed using the stablecoin USDC.

Thomas Sy, NYLIM’s head of multi-asset solutions, stated that tokenization addresses investor demand for “transparency, efficiency, and broader market participation.” He added that the firm views blockchain infrastructure as a complementary addition to its traditional platform, rather than a replacement.

Anil Sood, co-founder of Centrifuge, characterized the partnership as a component of a larger initiative to migrate institutional funds onto more “transparent” and “composable” digital frameworks, rather than an isolated product launch. Centrifuge currently provides tokenization infrastructure for other major asset managers, including Apollo Global Management and Janus Henderson.

The fund will not be available to U.S. persons or within the United States, the companies clarified. This restriction highlights the ongoing regulatory prudence guiding traditional asset managers as they explore tokenized products.

The move comes as Wall Street firms increasingly investigate tokenization—the process of representing traditional financial assets as digital tokens on a blockchain. This approach is seen as a means to modernize back-office operations and potentially broaden access to institutional-grade investment strategies for a new cohort of investors operating within decentralized finance markets.

Major Companies Launch New Stablecoin to Reshape Digital Payments

A consortium of over 140 companies, including prominent names like Coinbase, Visa, Mastercard, Stripe, and BlackRock, has joined forces to introduce a new stablecoin, Open USD (OUSD). The initiative aims to establish a shared digital payments infrastructure that is not controlled by any single entity.

The announcement appears to have significantly impacted the stock of Circle (CRCL), the issuer of the USDC stablecoin. Circle’s shares reportedly fell nearly 16% on the day, reaching a price of $63.99, according to Yahoo Finance. This decline contributes to a 39% drop in the company’s stock over the past month. While Coinbase is a significant partner of Circle, it has also lent its support to the new Open USD initiative.

Unveiled on Tuesday by a newly formed independent operator named Open Standard, the OUSD stablecoin is designed to tackle persistent issues within the growing stablecoin industry. These include high fees associated with minting and redeeming tokens at scale, issuers retaining interest earned on reserves, and a lack of input from the businesses that are the primary users of these digital currencies.

Open Standard, led by founding CEO Zach Abrams, who previously founded the stablecoin company Bridge (acquired by Stripe), stated that businesses will be able to mint and redeem Open USD without charge and with no volume limitations. Instead of the issuer alone, partner companies will share in the earnings from reserves, after a management fee.

Governance of Open USD will be managed by a board composed of representatives from its partner companies, rather than a single corporate entity. Organizers believe this structure is crucial for achieving widespread adoption.

“Existing stablecoins offer significant advantages, but for businesses to utilize them at scale, they require something that is open, low-cost, high-throughput, broadly accessible, and aligned with their interests,” Abrams said in a statement.

The list of backers includes payments giants such as Visa, Mastercard, and American Express; financial institutions like BlackRock, BNY, and Standard Chartered; technology firms including Google and Shopify; and cryptocurrency players like Coinbase and Ripple.

Executives involved in the project described the effort as an attempt to build neutral infrastructure, drawing parallels to the early development of the internet. Samara Cohen of BlackRock characterized it as “a constructive step toward giving businesses more choice,” while BNY projected that the broader stablecoin market could expand to $1.5 trillion by 2030.

Open USD is anticipated to launch later this year.

Securitize to Debut on NYSE Under Ticker SECZ Following Merger Approval

Securitize is set to commence trading on the New York Stock Exchange on July 2, 2026, under the ticker symbol SECZ. This move follows shareholder approval of its merger with Cantor Equity Partners II, which was granted on June 29.

The transaction is expected to raise approximately $400 million, valuing Securitize at $1.25 billion pre-money. This listing marks a significant moment, making Securitize the first pure-play tokenization infrastructure company to be publicly traded on a major U.S. exchange. The combined entity will operate as Securitize Corp., with the merger officially closing on June 30.

For the broader U.S. regulatory landscape concerning cryptocurrency and capital markets, a regulated tokenization infrastructure firm achieving public-market scale on the NYSE represents a fundamental shift, extending beyond a mere corporate achievement.

Founded in 2017, Securitize has established a robust regulatory framework. In the U.S., this includes roles as an SEC-registered broker-dealer, transfer agent, fund administrator, and ATS operator. Additionally, the company holds authorization under the EU’s DLT Pilot Regime in Europe. This extensive licensing is recognized as a key competitive advantage, as highlighted by Benchmark Equity Research, which recently reiterated a ‘Buy’ rating with a $16 price target.

The company announced that the SEC has declared its Registration Statement on Form S-4 effective. The proposed business combination was submitted for approval to Cantor Equity Partners II shareholders of record as of May 11, 2026, at a special meeting convened on June 29.

Securitize’s prominent client relationship is with BlackRock. The latter’s BUIDL tokenized money market fund, administered on Securitize’s platform, has seen its total value locked grow to over $3 billion. Other notable institutional clients include Apollo, KKR, Hamilton Lane, and VanEck.

Securitize CEO and co-founder Carlos Domingo emphasized the broader industry implications of the listing. “Today, tokenization is moving into the mainstream, and we believe becoming a public company gives us the visibility, credibility, and capital to lead that next phase of growth,” he stated.

A notable aspect of the financing structure is the low redemption rate among Cantor Equity Partners II Class A shareholders, with fewer than 30% choosing to redeem their shares. This allowed Securitize to retain over 71% of the SPAC trust. This redemption rate is significantly lower than recent SPAC norms, where redemptions often surpass 80% or 90%, suggesting strong conviction from institutional holders.

Cantor Equity Partners II shareholders approved the business combination with Securitize on June 29, advancing the transaction toward its expected closure on July 1, 2026.

The total $400 million raise includes a $225 million PIPE (Private Investment in Public Equity) that was oversubscribed. An oversubscribed PIPE for a tokenization infrastructure deal in mid-2026 signals genuine institutional demand, rather than speculative interest.

Combined with first-quarter 2026 revenue of $19.5 million, representing a 39% year-over-year increase, Securitize’s financial profile entering the public market is not indicative of a speculative stage.

The market for real-world assets (RWA) tokenization has experienced substantial growth. The 15 leading RWA tokenization protocols saw their total value expand by 128% over the past year, increasing from $9.55 billion to $21.84 billion as of June 29, 2026. Separate estimates place the on-chain RWA market closer to $32 billion, considering a broader range of protocols. While Securitize is not the sole infrastructure provider in this domain, it is now the one poised to trade on a major exchange with public capital to deploy.

Securitize’s relationship with the NYSE extends beyond its listing. The company has signed a memorandum of understanding with the exchange to serve as the digital transfer agent for a new 24/7 tokenized stock and ETF trading platform. This platform will utilize on-chain settlement and stablecoin funding. Consequently, SECZ will function as both a listed equity and a critical infrastructure partner to the NYSE itself, a unique dual role that positions the firm within the core of traditional capital markets.

This integration is mirrored in other areas of the sector, where tokenization infrastructure is already being employed for institutional instruments such as sovereign climate bonds, indicating a transition from proof-of-concept to live market application.

The initial trading session on July 2 will establish a public market benchmark for tokenization infrastructure as an asset class. While Benchmark’s $16 price target offers an analyst anchor, day-one price discovery will reveal how generalist equity investors, not solely crypto-native capital, perceive the value of regulated tokenization rails at this revenue scale.

Future disclosures regarding capital deployment, the tokenized-equity roadmap, and new institutional partnerships will provide further insights. Securitize estimates the total addressable market for RWA tokenization to be $19 trillion. The viability of this market projection under public-company scrutiny remains to be seen, but the underlying business is established. The valuation discussion is set to begin on July 2.

RedotPay Taps OpenPayd to Bolster Global Stablecoin Payment Infrastructure

London, United Kingdom – June 30th, 2026 – RedotPay, a global fintech firm specializing in stablecoin-based payments, has chosen OpenPayd, a prominent financial infrastructure provider, to enhance its treasury operations, multi-currency payment capabilities, and cross-border remittance services for its international customer base.

This strategic collaboration is set to fortify RedotPay’s payment infrastructure, facilitating a more fluid global fund transfer experience. The integration aims to empower users to effortlessly transition between local and digital currencies.

As a direct outcome of this integration, RedotPay customers will experience accelerated and more efficient cross-border remittances, alongside seamless multi-currency payment options. The partnership also streamlines the management of liquidity behind the scenes, ensuring secure and timely transaction processing irrespective of the user’s geographical location.

By harnessing OpenPayd’s robust infrastructure and merging traditional and digital finance elements into a unified, user-friendly platform, RedotPay is enabling its users to navigate between local and digital currencies with ease. This move supports RedotPay’s ongoing global expansion, reinforcing its commitment to delivering a fast, flexible, and customer-centric payment experience.

Jonathan Chan, Head of Partnerships and Co-Founder of RedotPay, stated, “Our core mission has always been to make digital finance accessible and practical for daily use. By partnering with world-class infrastructure providers, we are effectively removing the friction associated with cross-border payments. This collaboration empowers RedotPay users with effortless multi-currency payments and faster cross-border remittances, enabling us to better serve our customers as our global reach continues to grow.”

Lux Thiagarajah, Chief Commercial Officer at OpenPayd, commented, “RedotPay is cultivating a highly compelling payment experience at the nexus of traditional finance and digital assets. As they scale globally, the ability to seamlessly move between different payment rails, currencies, and stablecoins becomes a significant competitive advantage. OpenPayd is proud to provide the foundational infrastructure that allows RedotPay to deliver faster, more efficient, and more flexible money movement for customers worldwide.”

RedotPay operates as a global stablecoin-based payment fintech, integrating blockchain solutions with established banking and financial infrastructures. Its intuitive platform is designed to enable millions globally to spend and send digital assets, promoting faster, more accessible, and inclusive financial services. The company is dedicated to advancing financial inclusion for the unbanked and supporting crypto enthusiasts, driving the worldwide adoption of secure and flexible stablecoin-powered financial solutions for real-world applications.

OpenPayd is focused on building the universal financial infrastructure for the digital economy. Established in 2018 by Dr. Ozan Ozerk, its platform is designed to be agnostic to various payment rails, allowing businesses to move and manage funds globally across both fiat and digital assets through a single, powerful API. OpenPayd offers embedded accounts, foreign exchange services, domestic and international payments, Open Banking capabilities, and stablecoin on/off ramps, thereby ensuring interoperability between traditional finance and digital assets. With one of the most extensive banking networks available, OpenPayd facilitates real-time money movement across all regions.

Trusted by major global brands including eToro, Kraken, OKX, and B2C2, OpenPayd processes over $240 billion in annual transaction volumes for more than 1100 businesses, serving as the underlying infrastructure for the next generation of financial services.

BNY Mellon Expands Stablecoin Services for Institutional Clients

The Bank of New York Mellon (BNY), the United States’ oldest bank, has deepened its collaboration with Circle to offer new stablecoin services tailored for institutional clients.

Under the agreement, Circle’s USD Coin (USDC) will be the inaugural stablecoin available on BNY’s Digital Asset Custody platform. This integration will empower BNY clients to manage USDC, including storage, transfers, minting, and burning, through the bank’s established custody services.

The move significantly expands BNY’s role as the primary custodian for USDC reserves, according to an official blog post. Institutional clients utilizing BNY’s digital asset custody platform can now hold USDC within their custody wallets and leverage the bank to facilitate the conversion of U.S. dollars into USDC via Circle.

Clients will also have the capability to redeem USDC for U.S. dollars through the burning mechanism. Circle stated that these services are designed to encompass the full spectrum of institutional stablecoin operations, bridging traditional cash services with digital asset custody within a unified framework. BNY highlighted that these stablecoin functionalities are integral to its comprehensive Digital Assets platform, which aims to assist institutional clients in navigating the evolving intersection of traditional finance and digital assets.

By integrating custody and cash management services, BNY intends to provide access to blockchain-based networks while upholding the stringent controls, governance, and operational resilience demanded by institutional markets. The bank also indicated plans to extend support to other stablecoin issuers and additional digital cash workflows in the future.

Carolyn Weinberg, BNY Mellon’s Chief Product and Innovation Officer, commented, “As digital assets become increasingly integrated into financial markets, institutions need infrastructure that seamlessly works across traditional and blockchain-based systems. With the addition of our enhanced stablecoin enablement capabilities, we’re expanding the ways clients can move value with the operational scale, trust, and resiliency they expect from BNY.”

BNY Mellon and Circle initially formed a partnership in March 2022, when the bank was appointed as a primary custodian for the reserves backing the stablecoin. Since then, BNY has consistently bolstered its presence in the digital asset sector over the past few years.

This year, the financial institution expanded its digital asset custody business by partnering with Finstreet and ADI Foundation to develop regulated crypto infrastructure within Abu Dhabi’s ADGM financial hub.

Ripple’s 2025 Impact Report Details Significant Investment in Education, Financial Inclusion, and Sustainability

SAN FRANCISCO – Blockchain payments company Ripple has unveiled its 2025 Annual Impact Report, showcasing substantial contributions to education, financial inclusion, sustainability, and humanitarian initiatives. Since 2018, the company has collectively donated over $250 million, with more than $70 million allocated in 2025 alone.

Blockchain Tools Drive Economic Opportunity and Financial Access

The report underscored how Ripple’s blockchain technologies, including the XRP Ledger and its stablecoin RLUSD, have been instrumental in supporting projects aimed at fostering economic opportunity and enhancing financial access. These initiatives have spanned emerging markets, microfinance efforts, and humanitarian aid, often realized through collaborations with nonprofit organizations.

Ripple committed $25 million in RLUSD to bolster underserved U.S. small business owners and to fund career development programs for military veterans. Furthermore, the company facilitated its partners in deploying $53.6 million and supported nearly 12,000 loans for water and sanitation projects in conjunction with Water.org.

Long-Term Partnerships and Humanitarian Innovation

Several nonprofit partners characterized Ripple’s financial backing as consistent, long-term support rather than ephemeral donations. The International Rescue Committee, for instance, continues to explore the potential of stablecoins as a mechanism for expediting cash assistance during humanitarian crises.

University Blockchain Research Initiative Fuels Innovation

Ripple’s commitment to advancing blockchain education and research is evident through its University Blockchain Research Initiative. Now in its seventh year, the program involves 62 universities, has disbursed $74 million in funding since its inception in 2018, and supported 198 XRPL projects in 2025.

Research funded by the initiative has explored a diverse range of topics, including stablecoins, tokenized real-world assets, decentralized finance infrastructure, cryptographic security, interoperability, artificial intelligence governance, and various blockchain applications. Specific projects have focused on developing quantum-resistant enhancements for the XRP Ledger, advancing privacy technologies, and creating tools to detect price manipulation within decentralized finance markets.

Environmental Initiatives and Carbon Footprint Reduction

The report also highlighted Ripple’s environmental stewardship, detailing its investments in blockchain-based climate projects. The company announced an investment of $31 million in climate initiatives and the retirement of 1,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent through sustainable aviation fuel credits in 2025. Ripple has set a target to retire an additional 93,000 tonnes by 2030.

Employee Engagement and Charitable Contributions

Beyond its corporate environmental efforts, Ripple reported record employee participation in its social impact programs. Approximately 80% of employees engaged in volunteering and donation activities, supporting 544 nonprofit organizations and raising $550,000 for charitable causes.

Driving Broader Blockchain Adoption

In addition to its social and environmental endeavors, Ripple’s programs have demonstrably contributed to broader blockchain adoption. The company reported a 37% increase in active users and a 113% rise in transactions year-over-year. Tokenized real-world assets on the XRP Ledger saw significant growth, expanding from $24.7 million to $568 million during 2025. Total network transactions surpassed 3.8 billion.

Securitize Poised for Public Debut, Signaling Tokenization’s Growing Financial Clout

Wall Street’s burgeoning interest in tokenization is set to face a real-world test next week with the anticipated public debut of Securitize, a firm at the forefront of digital asset representation. The BlackRock-backed company, which specializes in creating digital tokens for real-world assets, has announced plans to list on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “SECZ” following its merger with a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC) backed by Cantor Fitzgerald.

SPAC Merger Nears Completion

The transaction moved a step closer to finalization this week as investors holding less than 30% of Cantor Equity Partners II’s common shares opted not to redeem their holdings in the SPAC. This development means Securitize anticipates receiving approximately $400 million in proceeds from the combination and associated private financing before the deal officially closes.

A Milestone for Tokenization

Securitize’s public listing, eight years after its founding, represents a significant milestone for the tokenization sector. CEO Carlos Domingo described the move as a testament to the technology’s evolution from a niche market mechanism to a foundational element of modern finance.

“The notion that major institutions would adopt tokenized securities was still largely theoretical,” Domingo stated. “Today, tokenization is entering the mainstream, and we believe becoming a public company will provide us with the visibility, credibility, and capital necessary to lead this charge.”

Growing Institutional Adoption

In recent years, Securitize has become a go-to resource for a range of institutions, extending beyond its prominent relationship with BlackRock, which utilized the firm for a tokenized money market fund in 2024. Other notable clients include Apollo, BNY, Hamilton Lane, and KKR. In March, Securitize also announced a collaboration with the NYSE itself to develop systems for blockchain-native securities.

As of June, Securitize reported over $4 billion in assets under management. The firm’s largest offering by a significant margin is BlackRock’s BUIDL, which was valued at $2.4 billion as of Friday, according to data from RWA.xyz.

The Case for “Native” Tokenization

As infrastructure providers like DTCC increasingly engage with the tokenization space, Domingo has championed the concept of “native” tokenization. He argues that for securities to realize their full potential at scale, they must be issued directly on-chain rather than being encapsulated in digital wrappers.

Regulatory Scrutiny and Innovation

Last month, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) reportedly postponed a decision on an innovation exemption for tokenized stocks. This delay followed concerns raised about third-party issuers, which could potentially complicate corporate actions and governance responsibilities through on-chain token issuance, as reported by Bloomberg.

Since assuming his role as SEC chair, Paul Atkins has characterized tokenization as a technology with the “potential to transform markets” through enhanced trading efficiency. His remarks echo sentiments previously expressed by BlackRock CEO Larry Fink during the crypto market downturn in 2022.