Assetera Launches Regulated Market for Real-World Assets on Polygon

Assetera, Europe’s first regulated secondary market for tokenized real-world assets (RWAs), has officially launched on the Polygon blockchain, marking a significant milestone in the convergence of traditional finance and decentralized technologies. Assetera, regulated by the Austrian Financial Market Authority, will offer a range of tokenized financial instruments and RWAs to retail, professional, and institutional clients.

The platform is set to revolutionize asset trading by utilizing blockchain technology to tokenize assets such as transferable securities, money market instruments, fund units, and derivatives, alongside RWAs like real estate and art. Assetera aims to democratize access to previously illiquid asset classes through blockchain’s transparency, efficiency, and security.

Leveraging Polygon for Speed and Scalability

Assetera has chosen the Polygon Proof-of-Stake (PoS) network to power its platform due to its scalability, low transaction fees, and robust security. By deploying in-house developed smart contracts on Polygon, Assetera will offer 24/7 trading without the need for manual intervention. Transactions will be conducted using stablecoins for purchase, clearing, and settlement, with atomic swaps ensuring fast and secure transactions.

Thomas Labenbacher, CEO of Assetera, commented to Cointelegraph, “This opens up a world of possibilities for asset owners and investors, providing a level of liquidity and accessibility previously unimaginable. Polygon’s PoS mechanism ensures we can scale this revolutionary platform sustainably while maintaining security and regulatory compliance.”

Assetera supports both custodial and non-custodial wallets, giving users flexibility in how they manage their digital assets. It also plans to introduce bank-managed wallets in the future. Key partners like Sumsub, Chainalysis, and Fireblocks will ensure robust Anti-Money Laundering (AML) compliance and security.

Regulatory Compliance Amidst Evolving Legislation

Assetera’s operations are fully compliant with European financial regulations, holding both a Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II (MiFID II) license and a virtual asset service provider (VASP) license. The platform will adhere to the latest Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulatory standards, allowing it to expand its services across the European Union.

MiFID II provides a regulatory framework for financial instruments but leaves specific definitions up to individual countries. As MiCA provisions come into force, particularly regarding stablecoins, Assetera will be well-positioned to operate within the evolving regulatory landscape.

In light of recent regulatory developments, including a consultative document by the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) on the definition of financial instruments, Assetera remains committed to staying ahead of compliance standards to offer safe and secure tokenized financial instruments.

A New Era for Tokenization of Real-World Assets

Tokenization – the process of converting traditional financial assets like bonds and commodities into digital tokens on the blockchain – is expected to be a multitrillion-dollar market in the coming years. Assetera’s integration of RWAs into a regulated digital marketplace opens new possibilities for investors seeking to trade these assets in a more transparent and efficient manner.

With the tokenization of assets like real estate and art, Assetera is providing a modern gateway for investors to diversify their portfolios, creating liquidity for assets that were traditionally difficult to trade.

As Assetera continues to develop its platform, the partnership with Polygon highlights the growing importance of blockchain in transforming traditional finance. This innovative approach to tokenizing RWAs is poised to shape the future of financial markets in Europe and beyond.

View the original reporting by Cointelegraph and CoinDesk.

Photo by Karl Werner on Unsplash

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