Understanding Tokenised Real World Assets: The Next Step For Digital Assets

As digitisation and decentralisation continue to advance, the distinction between physical and virtual entities is becoming progressively blurred. Blockchains, which have proven to be robust environments for managing digital-only assets, are now starting to facilitate the representation of real-world assets (RWAs) in the digital sphere. But what are the technical implications of this process, and why does it merit close attention in the context of blockchain technology and asset management? Tokenisation is a process in which the rights to a real-world asset (RWA) are converted into a digital token on a blockchain. This process is applicable across a wide array of assets, including but not limited to, real estate, commodities, artwork, and equity. The transformation of these assets into tokens facilitates improved divisibility, transferability, and accessibility, potentially simplifying asset management and investment protocols. Where Did It Start? The concept of tokenised real-world assets is not new and has actually been around since the early days of Bitcoin. Here is a brief history: Coloured Coins (2012–2013) are a concept that originated in the Bitcoin community as a method to represent real-world assets (like commodities, securities, or property) or even other digital assets within the Bitcoin blockchain. Essentially, they are Bitcoin tokens that have been “coloured” or assigned an additional value or function beyond their inherent Bitcoin value. They utilise small amounts of Bitcoin value to represent other assets, turning the Bitcoin blockchain into a type of decentralised asset registry. Mastercoin/Omni Layer (2013) : Mastercoin, later renamed to Omni Layer, was another early attempt to create a protocol layered on top of Bitcoin to issue and manage tokens. This protocol was used to conduct one of the first Initial Coin Offerings (ICO) — for the Mastercoin itself. Counterparty (2014) : Counterparty was another early Bitcoin layer solution that aimed to bring more advanced functionality to Bitcoin beyond simple asset issuance. It allowed users to create their own virtual assets and smart contracts on top of the Bitcoin blockchain. Stablecoins (2014 onwards) : The introduction of stablecoins like Tether (USDT), USD Coin (USDC), and Paxos Standard (PAX) marked another important development. These are tokenised assets pegged to the value of a fiat currency (like USD), providing stability in the otherwise volatile crypto markets. Ethereum and ERC20 (2015) : The launch of Ethereum in 2015 represented a major breakthrough. Ethereum introduced a more advanced scripting language that allowed for the creation of complex “smart contracts”, making it easier to issue and manage tokenised assets. The ERC20 standard was introduced, allowing for a common interface for tokens issued on Ethereum. This greatly facilitated the development of decentralised applications (dApps) and led to the ICO boom of 2017–2018. ERC721 and Non-Fungible Tokens (2017) : The development of the ERC721 standard on Ethereum enabled the creation of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), which can represent unique, indivisible assets. CryptoKitties, a game where players can collect and breed unique digital cats, was one of the first successful implementations of NFTs. DeFi and Tokenised Real-World Assets (2019 onwards) : The rise of decentralised finance (DeFi) applications, especially on Ethereum, opened up even more possibilities for tokenising real-world assets. Companies like Centrifuge, for example, have begun using blockchain to tokenise a variety of real-world assets, such as invoices, mortgages, and royalty payments, and use them as collateral in DeFi protocols. How Does It Work? In essence, each token represents a certain fraction of the underlying asset and can be bought, sold, or traded independently. In the ecosystem of tokenised assets, bridge operators and issuers play vital roles. Bridge Operator: a is a trusted entity responsible for issuing tokens that represent real-world assets. They ensure that these assets are held securely and that the number of tokens issued accurately represents the value of the underlying asset. Issuer: the asset owners themselves or entities authorised by the asset owners. They initiate the process of tokenising the asset and are responsible for the authenticity of the asset being tokenised. The end goal with all of this is to, as we’ve always tried to do in the digital asset economy, remove middlemen and have the owners of the assets be able to directly tokenise their possessions, bringing increased transparency and efficiency. Here’s how the rest of the process generally unfolds: Validation : After the Issuer initiates the tokenisation process, the authenticity, ownership, and value of the asset being tokenised needs to be validated. This could be done by an independent third-party validator or, in some cases, the bridge operator themselves. This validation process often involves legal and financial due diligence to ensure the tokenisation process complies with relevant laws and regulations. Token Creation : Once the asset has been validated, the bridge operator issues the corresponding tokens on the blockchain. These tokens represent fractional ownership in the underlying asset. For instance, if a piece of real estate valued at $1 million is tokenised, one million tokens might be issued, each representing a 0.0001% ownership stake in the property. Trading and Settlement : These tokens can then be bought, sold, or traded on a secondary market, often a decentralised exchange or a specialised platform. The transactions are recorded on the blockchain, ensuring transparency and immutability. Redemption : Depending on the terms set by the issuer and bridge operator, token holders may be able to redeem their tokens for the underlying asset. For example, a token holder might be able to exchange their real estate tokens for physical ownership of the property. The implementation of blockchain technology in the tokenisation process reduces the need for intermediaries , reduces transaction costs , and accelerates the settlement process . Moreover, it democratises the investment landscape , allowing individuals to invest in fractionalised high-value assets like real estate or fine art that would otherwise be out of reach. However, it’s important to note that while the goal is to reduce reliance on intermediaries, some entities, such as bridge operators , still play an essential role in the process, especially in terms of providing security, trust, and compliance with regulatory standards. Tokenisation also paves the way for improved liquidity and market efficiency . Physical assets can often be difficult to sell or transfer, particularly when they are of high value or located in different geographical areas. Tokens, however, can be readily traded on a digital marketplace , providing asset owners with increased liquidity. How Can We Help? The expanding sector of tokenised real-world assets calls for a data-driven navigation. The intricacy and sheer quantity of tokenised assets can create potential obstacles for parties interested in venturing into this domain. To mitigate these challenges, CCData’s API delivers a comprehensive suite of real-time and high-quality data on tokenised assets . Our API provides granular information, encompassing asset metadata , market data , and specific blockchain statistics . This detailed data is meticulously curated, ensuring that our users have access to precise and wide-ranging information to drive informed decision-making . On top of that, we have integration teams for anything related to trade and order book data from spot , futures and options exchanges, blockchains / DeFi , and 3rd party social data sources (Github, BitBucket, Gitlab, Discord, Telegram, Reddit, Twitter (X?)). In addition to providing detailed asset metadata , market data and social data , we also aggregate the latest news from a wide array of sources. This includes both major publications focused specifically on digital assets and more traditional financial and business media outlets. In essence, we ensure you’re always informed about the key developments in the wider world of finance, as well as the rapidly-evolving digital asset sector. A few examples of SUPPORED_PLATFORMS for USD Acknowledging the crucial roles that bridge operators and issuers play in the tokenisation process, our API is designed to offer detailed insights into these entities, you can access under SUPPORTED_PLATFORMS in the asset metadata data endpoint all the bridge operators alongside the smart contract address and blockchain the assets are listed on, here is an example for all the 140 bridges built for USD . Users can gain an understanding of the credibility and operational history of these operators and issuers, along with information about their previous token issuances and regulatory compliance. This data set includes everything from the token sale date, price, and the amount raised, to the total supply and allocation. We aim to make all data points required for an investor to make an informed decision available at their fingertips. Example response from the CCData API for the token sales fields We're continuously developing solutions to simplify navigation within the realm of tokenised real-world assets. If you're interested, we suggest getting started by exploring our free API. Delve into the wealth of data and features that can empower your venture into this new and exciting domain. Start your journey today with CCData’s API . CCData | Leading Digital Asset Data & Index Provider Understanding Tokenised Real World Assets: The Next Step For Digital Assets was originally published in CCData on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.