Tokenization is often described as a technological upgrade enabling faster settlement, cheaper payments, and programmable assets. But it is a lot more.

When financial assets and liabilities move onto shared digital ledgers, the structure of the financial system itself changes. Processes that today occur sequentially — execution, clearing, settlement —can now happen simultaneously, governed by software rather than institutional processes. Risk could migrate away from the balance sheets of institutions such as banks and investment funds towards the companies managing services and market infrastructures. The potential points of failure could change, so the policy frameworks must adapt accordingly.

Our research shows that policy choices made now will shape whether tokenization strengthens or fragments the financial system. Additional work goes deeper into new trends in payments and asset tokenization and how financial market infrastructures will evolve in a tokenized economy.