Australian cryptocurrency exchange BTC Markets has informed the Australian Securities and Investments Commission that it plans to apply for a markets licence to offer trading of tokenised real-world assets.
The proposed licensing framework would allow the exchange to list tokenised equities, bonds and other assets alongside cryptocurrencies within a regulated trading environment.
Chief executive Lucas Dobbins said the initiative reflects growing institutional interest in blockchain-based financial markets and the expansion of tokenised asset infrastructure.
“The roughly $26 billion in tokenised assets on-chain today is really just the proof of concept,”
Said BTC Markets chief executive, Lucas Dobbins.
Dobbins said tokenised markets could grow to around $2 trillion by 2030 based on conservative projections, while some forecasts suggest the opportunity could reach as high as $16 trillion.
Major financial institutions and trading platforms including Kraken, Robinhood and Intercontinental Exchange have also begun developing platforms to support tokenised securities and digital asset trading.
BTC Markets said Australia could play a significant role in the emerging sector as regulatory clarity improves and infrastructure develops to support tokenised financial markets.