Global regulators including IOSCO warn that tokenization may introduce new risks as adoption increases
Tokenized money market funds have reached nearly $9 billion in total assets, marking a ten-fold increase from approximately $770 million at the end of 2023. The Bank for International Settlements released a bulletin detailing the rapid growth of these blockchain-based investment vehicles.
These funds represent traditional money market portfolios on public blockchains. They give investors access to short-term interest-bearing assets like US Treasury securities through digital tokens.
The BIS report highlights that tokenized money market funds now serve as a major source of collateral in the crypto ecosystem. However, the organization cautions that this growth brings new operational challenges.
The primary concern centers on a liquidity mismatch between token settlements and underlying asset settlements. Tokens can be transferred instantly on blockchain networks. The actual assets backing these tokens follow standard settlement procedures that take one business day.
This timing gap creates potential problems during periods of heavy withdrawals. If many investors try to redeem their tokens at once, funds may struggle to meet redemption demands quickly.
The BIS also pointed to connections between tokenized money market funds and stablecoins. Some funds allow rapid conversions into stablecoins or get used for leveraged trading strategies. These connections could let market stress spread faster than in traditional money market funds.
BlackRock’s USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund currently dominates the space with more than $2.5 billion in tokenized assets. The fund recently expanded to multiple blockchain networks including Aptos, Arbitrum, Avalanche, Optimism and Polygon.
Franklin Templeton holds over $844 million in tokenized US government securities through its BENJI fund. The company announced on November 12 that it integrated its Benji tokenization platform with the Canton Network.
The tokens depend on permissioned wallets and offchain market infrastructure. A small group of large holders controls most of these assets. The BIS warns these factors could speed up market stress if redemptions spike.
The International Organization of Securities Commissions released a statement this month about tokenization risks. IOSCO noted that while existing rules cover most risks, new vulnerabilities could emerge from the technology itself.
Tuang Lee Lim, who heads IOSCO’s fintech taskforce, stated that tokenization could change how financial assets are issued, traded and managed. The regulator emphasized this concern despite currently low usage levels.
Some solutions are being developed to address the liquidity mismatch issue. Broadridge created the Distributed Ledger Repo system, which enables same-day transfer of tokenized Treasuries. This technology could help asset managers sell Treasuries during the day rather than waiting until the next business day.
The BIS appointed Tommaso Mancini-Griffoli as the next head of its Innovation Hub on November 25. Mancini-Griffoli currently serves as Assistant Director at the International Monetary Fund, overseeing payments and currencies, and will join the BIS in Switzerland in March.
