BlackRock moves into real-world assets, partners with Securitize to launch tokenized fund

The world's largest asset management company, BlackRock, has notified regulators that it will collaborate with the financial services company Securitize to launch a tokenized private equity fund.

BlackRock has submitted its USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund's Form D to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for exemption from issuing securities notification. The company will collaborate with the blockchain firm Securitize, specializing in tokenizing real-world asset RWA, to launch a tokenized private equity fund, requiring external investors to commit at least $100,000, according to the documents.

According to data from Etherscan, a token named BlackRock USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund (BUIDL) was created on the Ethereum blockchain two weeks ago. The maximum supply is 100 tokens, and currently, there is only one holder.

BlackRock has been actively expanding into digital assets recently. Its Bitcoin spot ETF IBIT, established just over two months ago, has reached a $15.3 billion asset under management, making it the second-largest Bitcoin spot ETF after Grayscale GBTC. Additionally, BlackRock has also submitted an application for an Ethereum spot ETF to the SEC.

Securitize, which collaborates with BlackRock, was founded in 2017 and specializes in tokenizing real-world asset RWA. In July 2019, Securitize obtained SEC transfer agency registration. In 2022, Securitize provided tokenized investment funds for KKR funds in the U.S. and established a tokenized channel for Hamilton Lane's private credit fund in 2023, also available to qualified investors using the Polygon blockchain.