A New Utility Framework for Tokenized RWAs, Delivered with BlackRock and Standard Chartered

Today, through our collaboration with BlackRock and Standard Chartered, we are introducing a new utility framework for tokenized real-world assets in digital asset markets. With this new framework, a tokenized U.S. Treasury fund can serve as both yield-bearing on-exchange margin and off-exchange collateral within one integrated framework.

Qualified investors can deploy BlackRock’s BUIDL, a tokenized U.S. Treasury fund issued on public blockchain rails, as trading collateral on OKX while continuing to earn U.S. dollar yield benchmarked against the U.S. Federal Funds rate. At the same time, assets can be held in regulated custody with Standard Chartered, marking the first-ever G-SIB-backed off-exchange tokenized collateral framework.

This collaboration brings together the strengths of three global institutions: BlackRock’s market leadership in tokenized treasury funds, Standard Chartered’s regulated custody as a Tier 1 Global Systemically Important Bank, and OKX’s institutional-grade trading and margining infrastructure.

Historically, institutions often had to choose between keeping capital positioned in high-quality liquid assets or deploying it actively in trading markets.

Tokenization now enables a different model.

On-exchange, BUIDL can be deposited and used as yield-bearing collateral across trading activities on OKX. As yield continues to accrue, margin becomes productive and balance sheets become more efficient.

Off-exchange, BUIDL can be held in custody with Standard Chartered while supporting trading activity on OKX. With assets safeguarded by a global systemically important bank, institutions gain access to digital asset markets with a protection profile aligned to the highest institutional standards.

What makes this framework different is integration. Institutions can deploy tokenized collateral across both on-exchange and off-exchange environments while maintaining continuity in custody, trading and collateral management workflows.

The customer impact is clear:

• Capital remains invested in high-quality short-term U.S. Treasury exposure

• Yield continues while collateral is deployed in trading activities

• Off-exchange custody is safeguarded by Standard Chartered as a G-SIB

• Trading activity on OKX remains fully operational and real-time

This improves capital efficiency, enhances liquidity management and allows institutions to deploy collateral more dynamically across digital markets.

Safety is fundamental to this framework. Assets are safeguarded within regulated custody with Standard Chartered, while trading exposure is supported by OKX’s institutional-grade execution and margining infrastructure. The underlying exposure remains anchored to cash, U.S. Treasury bills and repurchase agreements that have long served as foundational instruments in global liquidity markets.

Real-world asset tokenization is ultimately about expanding how capital can move and operate within financial markets. By bringing assets such as short-term U.S. Treasury funds onto blockchain rails, tokenization introduces greater transparency, programmability and operational flexibility into collateral management.

Our strategy remains consistent. We build within regulatory frameworks, collaborate with institutions that define global financial standards and focus on infrastructure that expands the utility of tokenized assets for institutional participants.

The digital asset industry began with price discovery. The next phase focuses on embedding tokenization into the core mechanics of global market infrastructure.

When the world’s largest asset manager, a Tier 1 Global Systemically Important Bank and a leading digital asset exchange collaborate within a single framework, it demonstrates how traditional financial institutions and digital market infrastructure can work together to scale the utility of tokenized real-world assets.

Through this joint framework, tokenized RWAs move beyond experimentation and into real institutional workflows for trading, margining and liquidity management.