Germany’s Bundesbank Joins Singapore’s Project Guardian for Financial Market Tokenization

The Deutsche Bundesbank, Germany’s central bank, announced on Friday that it had joined Singapore’s Project Guardian, advancing cross-border initiatives to explore financial market tokenization in collaboration with the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).

Bundesbank Project Guardian: Advancing Financial Market Tokenization

Launched by MAS in May 2022, Project Guardian is a global initiative involving policymakers, financial institutions, and industry leaders to examine the potential of asset tokenization.

The project focuses on developing frameworks that integrate DLT into financial systems, enhancing operational efficiency and market liquidity.

By joining this initiative , the Bundesbank strengthens international collaboration in standardizing and advancing tokenized financial ecosystems.

Its primary focus will be on the Asset & Wealth Management workstream, where it will help develop interoperable blockchain platforms for managing tokenized funds.

Speaking about the collaboration, Burkhard Balz, a member of the Bundesbank Executive Board, noted:

“MAS is working intensively on innovative topics that we are also dealing with in Europe, for example, regarding how DLT and blockchain can be put to meaningful use in the financial sector.”

The Bundesbank Project Guardian initiative serves as a bridge between European and Asian markets, fostering knowledge-sharing and practical applications of tokenization under diverse regulatory frameworks.

Testing Blockchain Platforms for Bundesbank Project Guardian

The Bundesbank and other participants in Project Guardian are undertaking pilot projects to test the feasibility of tokenized financial assets across multiple jurisdictions.

These pilots seek to identify methods for seamlessly managing and trading tokenized assets on interoperable platforms.

One notable pilot, conducted by UBS Asset Management, Swift, and Chainlink, successfully settled tokenized fund subscriptions and redemptions through Swift’s network .

This project combined traditional financial systems with blockchain technology, integrating Chainlink’s infrastructure for off-chain cash settlements.

By reducing manual processes and enabling real-time data access, the pilot demonstrated the operational benefits of tokenization.

The Bundesbank’s contributions will align with these efforts, focusing on creating interoperable solutions for tokenized fund transfers in the Asset & Wealth Management workstream.

Through its involvement in these pilot projects, the Bundesbank Project Guardian initiative looks to address operational challenges and refine the practical adoption of blockchain technologies.

Collaboration for a Tokenized Future

MAS Deputy Managing Director Leong Sing Chiong emphasized the value of the Bundesbank’s expertise, stating:

“The Bundesbank’s expertise will be invaluable as we work together to enhance the liquidity and efficiency of financial markets through asset tokenization.”

As the Bundesbank Project Guardian partnership progresses, pilot programs and collaborative efforts are expected to establish global standards for tokenized assets, bridging regional differences and aligning regulatory practices.

The initiative’s long-term goal is to create a commercially viable ecosystem for digital assets that enhances market efficiency and fosters broader adoption of blockchain in global finance.