Singapore's DBS Bank announces an expansion of blockchain technology usage by tokenizing structured notes, now accessible to institutional and accredited investors.
DBS's New Initiative
DBS, Singapore's largest bank, has announced the tokenization of structured notes on the Ethereum public blockchain. This move allows investment products, previously available only to the bank's private clients, to be offered to accredited and institutional investors through third-party platforms. The first product is a crypto-linked note that provides cash payouts when cryptocurrency prices rise.
Lowering Barriers for Investors
Traditional structured notes often require a high minimum investment of $100,000 and are customized for each investor, making them difficult to trade. DBS has simplified the buying, selling, and management process of these instruments by breaking them into $1,000 units through tokenization. Demand has been strong; DBS clients traded over $1 billion of these assets in early 2025.
Singapore's Role in Digital Assets
Singapore continues to be at the forefront of financial technology and innovation due to tokenization. The number of single-family offices in the country has increased to over 2,000 in 2024, a 43% rise from the previous year. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) is actively promoting new digital asset models through initiatives like Project Guardian.
DBS's move toward the tokenization of financial instruments marks a significant step in improving accessibility for a broader range of investors and supporting the growth of digital assets in Singapore.
