OKX, BlackRock and Standard Chartered launch joint framework to establish new utility for tokenized real-world assets

• OKX to accept BlackRock’s tokenized short-term US treasury fund, BUIDL, as yield-bearing collateral for trading
• Standard Chartered to provide a comprehensive and reliable custody offering, the first-ever G-SIB-backed off-exchange tokenized collateral framework
• Initiative scales utility of tokenized real-world assets (RWA) and enables broader market participation

OKX, a leading global fintech company and crypto trading platform, today announced the launch of a joint framework with BlackRock and Standard Chartered to integrate BlackRock’s BUIDL tokenized short-term treasury fund into collateral workflows, marking the first time a globally systemically important bank (G-SIB) has acted as custodian in such an arrangement. The framework enables OKX clients to hold collateral in regulated, off exchange custody while trading on the same integrated venue.

Through this joint framework OKX VIP and institutional clients can post BUIDL as collateral held off-exchange in regulated custody at Standard Chartered, while trading seamlessly on OKX Middle East, eliminating the need to move assets between venues. In addition, BUIDL can be deposited and traded on-exchange, and used as yield-bearing collateral for margin trading.

This framework unites BlackRock’s BUIDL – tokenized by Securitize (which has announced a proposed business combination with Cantor Equity Partners II, Inc. (Nasdaq: CEPT))- Standard Chartered’s regulated custody as a G-SIB, and OKX’s institutional execution and margining infrastructure. This framework delivers a uniquely integrated model where collateral custody and trading occur within a single, coordinated ecosystem, representing a key advancement toward embedding tokenization into global market infrastructure.

The framework also delivers:

• Capital at work: The ability to use BUIDL as collateral transforms idle margin into a yield-generating asset.
  
  
• Universal collateral: OKX is expanding the utility of Real-World Assets by establishing BUIDL as a platform-wide collateral.
  
  
• Superior protection: With BUIDL safeguarded by Standard Chartered, OKX clients obtain trading collateral segregated from OKX’s assets, while retaining the ability to trade on OKX without transferring custody, providing clients with exchange default protection.
  
  

This framework, which involves the participation of the world’s largest asset manager, a Tier 1 Global Bank, and a premier digital asset exchange, establishes a new utility framework for the cryptocurrency ecosystem. It integrates traditional financial (TradFi) security with the agility of digital markets, embedding RWA tokenization into the core of global market infrastructure.

“BUIDL was designed to bring the benefits of tokenization to short term treasury exposure, allowing qualified investors to earn US dollar yields on blockchain rails,” said Samara Cohen, Global Head of Market Development at BlackRock. “The framework with OKX and Standard Chartered allows qualified investors to unlock new opportunities in how they deploy collateral.”

“This collaboration highlights the potential of tokenizing real-world assets (RWA) at scale. By enabling institutions to deploy BUIDL as on-chain collateral on OKX’s global platform, we improve capital efficiency while demonstrating how traditional financial instruments can operate seamlessly in digital markets,” said Haider Rafique, Global Managing Partner at OKX. “Tokenization is about making existing markets faster, more transparent, and more accessible.”

“Our role as custodian in this initiative reflects our commitment to delivering trusted and innovative solutions for clients as the financial ecosystem evolves,” said Margaret Harwood-Jones, Global Head of Financing and Securities Services at Standard Chartered. “By providing secure custody of BUIDL for this collateral use case, we are helping to ensure clients can access digital asset opportunities with the high standards of protection and compliance. This framework demonstrates how traditional financial institutions and digital market infrastructure can work together to bring tokenized assets safely and efficiently to global investors.”

The launch follows extensive institutional testing and integration. BlackRock’s BUIDL is issued on a public blockchain and invests in cash, US Treasury bills, and repurchase agreements, with yield distributed on-chain. Its integration into OKX’s collateral framework demonstrates that tokenized RWAs can operate at scale within existing institutional workflows for trading, margining, and liquidity management.

About OKX

OKX is a fintech company on a mission to modernize money and markets. Today it is trusted by more than 100 million people around the world who use OKX services to invest, transact and trade digital assets across a number of financial instruments including spot, futures, and decentralised markets. As one of the world’s largest platforms, OKX is known for its exchange, wallet, and onchain ecosystem used by everyday people and large institutions.

OKX maintains regional offices in the United States, Europe, UAE and Singapore with a number of local offices across São Paulo, Hong Kong, the Republic of Türkiye, and Australia. Over the past several years, it has built one of the world’s most comprehensive regulatory compliant, licensed fintech companies.

OKX is steadfastly committed to transparency and security and publishes Proof of Reserves reports on a monthly basis to ensure customer funds are always protected and available to people. To learn more about OKX, download the app or visit: okx.com.

About OKX Institutional

OKX Institutional(Opens in a new window) delivers secure digital asset market infrastructure for institutional market participants. We offer highly liquid spot and derivative markets through global offshore and regional onshore regulated exchange orderbooks and OTC RFQ, plus critical institutional services across the trade lifecycle.

From banks integrating crypto products to asset managers exploring allocation and trading firms scaling derivative strategies—we provide the compliant, flexible foundation institutions need to compete in digital asset markets.

About BlackRock

BlackRock’s purpose is to help more and more people experience financial well-being. As a fiduciary to investors and a provider of financial technology, we help millions of people build savings that serve them throughout their lives by making investing easier and more affordable. For additional information on BlackRock, please visit www.blackrock.com/corporate(Opens in a new window).

We are a leading international banking group, with a presence in 54 of the world’s most dynamic markets. Our purpose is to drive commerce and prosperity through our unique diversity, and our heritage and values are expressed in our brand promise, here for good.

Standard Chartered PLC is listed on the London and Hong Kong stock exchanges.