Applications of blockchain and distributed ledger technology (DLT) in finance have proliferated in recent years, forcing policy makers around the world to step in and formulate rules in regard to asset tokenization.
In a report released in January 2021, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) documents and analyses the range of policy responses to the emerging tokenization market, outlining the main strategies that have been adopted by regulators around the world so far.
Stylised representation of asset tokenisation, Regulatory Approaches to the Tokenisation of Assets report
A technology-neutral approach to regulating financial services
According to the study, most regulators around the world, including the European Commission (EC), the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as well as US regulators, have opted for a technology-neutral approach to policies and risks where existing financial regulations are applied to tokenized assets.