A major leap in Asia’s digital asset evolution
Singapore-based Marketnode has announced a landmark collaboration with Maybank Asset Management Singapore and BNP Paribas Securities Services to launch Singapore’s first tokenised on-chain money market fund (MMF). The initiative marks a significant milestone in the digital transformation of Asia’s financial markets, bridging traditional investment products with blockchain-based infrastructure.
This partnership positions Singapore at the forefront of tokenised finance innovation, demonstrating how regulated institutions are now embracing blockchain to redefine liquidity, transparency, and accessibility in asset management.
Building the foundation for tokenised finance
Marketnode — a joint venture between Singapore Exchange (SGX Group) and Temasek — has emerged as one of the region’s leading digital asset infrastructure providers. Its platform facilitates the tokenisation of funds, bonds, and structured products, providing trusted, compliant technology for financial institutions seeking blockchain adoption.
The newly launched fund allows investors to gain exposure to Maybank Asset Management’s Singapore Dollar Money Market Fund through tokenised units recorded on-chain. This digital representation of fund ownership enables real-time settlement, programmable compliance, and improved liquidity management.
According to Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), tokenisation is a key component of Singapore’s Project Guardian — an ongoing initiative to explore blockchain’s role in regulated financial ecosystems. The Marketnode–Maybank collaboration aligns directly with this national effort, showcasing how financial-grade blockchain platforms can operate under existing regulatory frameworks.
BNP Paribas Securities Services, serving as the custodian and fund administrator, will leverage its expertise in post-trade operations and digital asset safekeeping to ensure compliance with Singapore’s financial regulations.
The launch underscores Singapore’s commitment to combining innovation and regulation — a model increasingly viewed as a blueprint for financial modernization across Asia.
From pilot to institutional-scale adoption
The partnership aims to move tokenisation from proof-of-concept to institutional-scale deployment. Marketnode’s infrastructure allows for the issuance, trading, and lifecycle management of tokenised funds using distributed ledger technology (DLT).
The on-chain fund will operate within a permissioned blockchain network that integrates smart contracts for fund subscriptions, redemptions, and reporting. This automation reduces manual reconciliation, shortens settlement cycles, and enhances auditability — long-standing inefficiencies in traditional fund administration.
Maybank Asset Management Singapore CEO Helen Ong stated that the project represents “a forward-looking step toward digital integration in asset management,” adding that the use of blockchain enables “investors to experience greater transparency and faster access to liquidity.”
Meanwhile, BNP Paribas Securities Services emphasized its commitment to supporting clients through the transition to digital markets. The bank’s regional head of digital transformation, Antoine Soulard, described the initiative as part of “a global effort to bridge traditional and tokenised asset classes under unified governance.”
For Marketnode, this collaboration also signals its growing role as Asia’s digital finance enabler, providing the technological and regulatory infrastructure needed to scale tokenisation across asset classes — from fixed income to funds and exchange-traded products.
According to Marketnode’s official site, its network now connects multiple financial institutions and service providers, creating a foundation for interoperable digital market infrastructure across the region.
How Asia is leading the tokenisation frontier
The Marketnode–Maybank partnership reflects a profound shift taking place across Asia’s financial landscape — the institutionalisation of digital assets. Once confined to crypto startups and experimental projects, tokenisation is now being embraced by mainstream financial institutions as a practical tool for market efficiency.
Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan have all positioned themselves as regulatory testbeds for asset tokenisation, recognizing its potential to reduce operational costs, democratize access, and strengthen transparency. Unlike early blockchain ventures, today’s initiatives operate within regulated financial ecosystems, ensuring investor protection and compliance.
The introduction of an on-chain money market fund in Singapore is particularly significant. Money market funds, traditionally conservative and low-risk, are a key entry point for digital adoption because they demonstrate blockchain’s capability to enhance trusted, regulated financial products without disrupting investor confidence.
Moreover, the involvement of Maybank — one of Southeast Asia’s leading banking groups — signals how ASEAN-based financial institutions are stepping into the digital frontier. By combining regional insight with advanced fintech collaboration, they are helping to make tokenisation mainstream rather than experimental.
This development also illustrates a larger narrative: Asia is no longer a passive participant in fintech adoption. It is setting the agenda, leveraging its deep expertise in financial infrastructure to shape the global evolution of tokenised markets.
Scaling blockchain across asset classes
Looking ahead, Marketnode’s collaboration with Maybank and BNP Paribas could set a precedent for multi-asset tokenisation across Asia-Pacific. The next phase of implementation will likely explore interoperability between fund platforms, allowing investors to move seamlessly between tokenised funds, bonds, and structured products within a unified ecosystem.
The initiative also positions Singapore as a regional hub for tokenised liquidity, attracting both institutional and retail interest in regulated digital assets. As blockchain networks evolve toward greater scalability and security, the country’s regulatory clarity and financial infrastructure make it a natural anchor for cross-border digital finance.
For Maybank, the pilot opens new possibilities in wealth management innovation, particularly for younger, tech-savvy investors seeking flexible digital instruments. Meanwhile, BNP Paribas stands to strengthen its leadership in digital custody and fund services, an increasingly critical area as tokenised assets grow in volume.
Analysts suggest that widespread tokenisation could unlock trillions in new efficiencies globally, enabling fractional ownership, 24/7 liquidity, and automated compliance — while maintaining the trust and oversight of traditional finance.
As Asia continues to drive the convergence of fintech, regulation, and institutional adoption, the Marketnode–Maybank–BNP partnership represents a defining milestone — one that bridges the old and new worlds of financial innovation.
Singapore cements its role as Asia’s tokenisation hub
The launch of Singapore’s first on-chain money market fund symbolizes more than technological progress — it reflects a systemic shift in how Asia’s capital markets are being built for the future.
By connecting regulated finance with blockchain innovation, Marketnode, Maybank Asset Management Singapore, and BNP Paribas Securities Services have delivered a blueprint for how tokenised finance can scale responsibly across borders.
As other markets in Asia follow suit, Singapore’s leadership in blending financial stability with digital ambition will continue to define the next wave of global finance — one that is inclusive, efficient, and blockchain-enabled.
