In an unprecedented move, Switzerland-based blockchain protocol Backed Finance has launched the first tokenized government bond on the Base network. This state-of-the-art financial instrument, designated by the ticker symbol blB01, signifies a tokenized short-term US Treasury bond ETF, presenting an avenue for investors to track the inherent value of the asset without necessitating direct exposure.
The primary mission of Backed Finance is to engender real-world assets that seamlessly coexist with the blockchain ecosystem. The company leverages the Swiss Distributed Ledger Technology Act to create Backed-issued tokens mimicking the value of diverse assets such as treasury ETFs and equities. Unlike traditional finance methods, these digitized assets can be transferred unrestrictedly, providing investors a digital footprint of their assets sans the hindrance of tactile handling.
However, this innovation comes with a potent side order of skepticism, particularly for U.S. investors. Despite the promising landscape of the American market, it has displayed a surprising lethargy in forwarding lucid regulation for this booming industry. This has compelled several crypto-related businesses to push their boundaries to international waters, including Backed Finance. The company has specifically announced that its real-world asset offering will be off-limits for U.S. residents and investors, largely due to non-compliance with the U.S. Securities Act of 1933.
Highlighting Backed Finance’s unique choice of employing the Base network over traditional ones like the Ethereum blockchain, Head of Product, Giorgio Giuliani, underscored Base’s proclivity for developers and the comparative cost-effective nature of Base’s gas fees for both users and developers. This paradigm-shift feels like a tug of war between potential and skepticism that seems to be shaping the future of the fintech sphere.
While Backed Finance’s initiative paints an exciting picture for tokenized assets and their accessibility, it also underscores a stark demarcation of access due to regulatory restraints. This degree of separation, driven by lack of regulatory clarity, feeds into the growing chasm between the jurisdictions ready to embrace this frontier and those hesitant about it. Even though blockchain continues to beckon with its significant promise, the path tread by pioneering companies like Backed Finance brings to light pressing questions around user accessibility and regulatory transparency that will ultimately colour the future canvas of crypto investment.
Source: Cryptonews
