BOCI, Bank of China’s investment banking subsidiary, has etched its name into the annals of the financial industry by launching China’s inaugural tokenized security in Hong Kong.
The innovative issue, valued at CNH 200 million, comprises fully digital structured notes and highlights BOCI’s relentless drive to capitalize on modern technology, thus steering the financial sector closer towards a promising digital future.
BOCI’s leap towards digital transformation
BOCI’s introduction of the digital structured notes underscores its commitment to technological advancements and digital finance. With a diverse clientele and an extensive array of products, BOCI is well-known for its innovative streak, particularly in issuing structured notes overseas.
This move to digitalize securities marks an important milestone in the bank’s relentless pursuit of product innovation.
The new tokenized security is not only a triumph for BOCI but also for the collaborative efforts of BOCI and UBS. As part of a longstanding association, UBS has played a pivotal role in originating the product and successfully placed it among its clients in the Asia Pacific.
This union reaffirms both financial institutions’ commitment to simplifying digital asset markets and products.
UBS, a trailblazer in the digital finance sector, had previously issued a USD 50 million tokenized fixed rate note in December 2022 under English and Swiss law. Now, working alongside BOCI, it is taking tokenization a step further by introducing the concept to a public blockchain network.
This transaction represents the first-ever tokenized product in the Asia Pacific constituted under Hong Kong and Swiss law on the main Ethereum blockchain. The successful move of regulated securities onto a public blockchain is a testament to the transformative potential of blockchain technology.
UBS continues to build on its tokenization services through its platform, UBS Tokenize. This platform offers structured products, fixed income, and repo financing.
By integrating blockchain technology into high-frequency issuance activity, UBS aims to significantly boost efficiency, a move that will undoubtedly benefit investors.
The future of finance in a digital economy
BOCI’s achievement in launching the first Chinese tokenized security signifies a transformative shift in Hong Kong’s financial industry. It serves as a powerful indicator of Hong Kong’s rapidly evolving digital economy.
By staying at the forefront of technological advances, BOCI is demonstrating its unwavering commitment to fostering innovation and digital transformation in the city’s financial sector.
The issuance of China’s first tokenized security has far-reaching implications for the financial landscape of the country and the Asia Pacific region. As both BOCI and UBS continue to champion digital finance, there are likely to be more groundbreaking innovations in the pipeline.
The integration of blockchain technology into the financial sector marks the dawn of a new era, one where digitalization holds the key to the industry’s future growth and prosperity.
