The RWA and trade finance blockchain is steadily building for lasting success

June 1 marked the sixth anniversary of the XDC Network mainnet. Six fruitful years of live mainnet and secure transactions have led to a fast-growing community and a sought-after destination for trade finance and RWA tokenization. At the time of writing, RWA.xyz ranks XDC Network #13 in RWA chains, and CoinMarketCap consistently ranks the network well within the top 100 in the cryptocurrency market. Beyond rankings and recognition, the XDC community remains as lively as ever. Builders and network advocates have focused relentlessly on building for lasting success through protocol upgrades, impactful integrations, infrastructure additions, and successful relationships with industry leaders across the globe.

In just the past year, the network has seen significant developments, including:

Deutsche Telekom MMS launched a masternode on the XDC Network, reinforcing enterprise-grade infrastructure support for network users.

Archax, the UK’s first Financial Conduct Authority-regulated digital securities exchange, broker, and custodian, integrated XDC Network. Within months, money market funds were live on chain, bringing tokenized funds from giants like BlackRock, Fidelity, and State Street into the XDC ecosystem.

SBI XDC Network APAC and SBI R3 Japan successfully launched a proof-of-concept demonstrating enhanced payment efficiency and inter-business trade settlements across different distributed ledger technologies. 

The network witnessed major upgrades, including:

In Q3 2024, at block number 80,370,000, the XDC 2.0 protocol update was successfully implemented on XDC Network, the most significant upgrade to date. This upgrade introduced state-of-the-art security, employing forensic monitoring—and malignant node-slashing capabilities—not yet seen in the blockchain industry. XDC 2.0 requires only three-block finality, and new blocks are generated every two seconds. It also brings advanced Byzantine Fault Tolerance. 

Etherscan integrated XDC Network to create the XDCScan explorer, an industry-wide standard for block explorers now available to XDC Network users.

This hard work, often in the background, leads to newsworthy accomplishments. Despite the headlines, for all of its years, XDC Network has been—in many ways—hidden in plain sight.

The rankings, integrations, and awards it has received over the years place the network firmly in the upper echelon of the blockchain space—though not quite yet in the mainstream crypto consciousness. Visibility aside, XDC Network keeps moving forward. Consider the following:

In May alone, XDC Network completed integrations with global liquidity layer Stargate, compliance leader Elliptic, institutional digital asset platform Utila, and regulated tokenization infrastructure provider Libre. Finally, LatAm payments infrastructure provider Bitso integrated XDC Network to deliver fast, low-cost cross-border payments along the world’s largest remittance corridor between the United States and Mexico.

Also in May, the network joined the MiCA Crypto Alliance, an initiative established by the DLT Science Foundation to coordinate and enhance compliance with EU Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation.

In March, XSwap Protocol launched Circle’s Bridged USDC on XDC Network. Seamless USDC transfers are now live on the network. In unison, XDC Foundation became a member of the Circle Alliance.

Trade finance is also hidden in plain sight.

Like the XDC Network, trade finance and global trade, as a whole, are often hidden in plain sight. Most of us only see the end result of trade—the products on shelves, so to speak. But global trade is a massive, complex, $33 trillion operation with untold nuances and intricacies. Not always apparent to the average person, industry insiders and business owners worldwide know that trade finance is particularly antiquated and in serious need of tokenization.

Blockchain has the potential to revolutionize trade finance—and not only has it begun, but the process is accelerating. Much progress has been made in the last two years with the adoption of electronic negotiable instruments (UK’s ETDA) and the tokenization of trade instruments, such as bills of lading and other trade transaction documents (SBI). In June 2024, France officially adopted the Model Law on Electronic Transferable Records (MLETR), providing a framework for the legal use of electronic transferable records. Japan followed shortly thereafter, joining the UK and Singapore in recognizing electronic bills of lading. The gears are in motion.

Bringing liquidity to web3 trade finance will enable easier tokenization of trade finance assets and entry for secondary market investors. London-based Tradeteq is a pioneer in redeploying trade finance assets to a secondary investor market. In fact, they were the first project ever to tokenize a trade finance asset—on the XDC Network—demonstrating a feasible digitization process.

Now acquired by the working capital advisory firm Silver Birch, Tradeteq will continue to deliver efficient, scalable trade finance products to Silver Birch's broad client base. These acquisitions and alliances herald trade finance’s acceleration into web3, underpinned by blockchain technology, and more specifically, the XDC Network.

XDC Network associates continue to figure prominently in the trade finance narrative, taking leadership roles in key discussions surrounding the transformation of trade finance and its regulations. These include: 

TFDI Connect in Dubai, led by André Casterman and co-hosted by the XDC Network and the Trade Finance Distribution Initiative (TFDi). Multiple panels, including leaders from XDC Foundation, Ripple, and McKinsey and Company, discussed relevant topics such as stablecoin usage in global trade finance.

Trade Finance Investor Day in the UK, where XDC Foundation Executive Director Billy Sebell was the keynote speaker. 

UK Parliament’s House of Lords Global Stratelogues event, where Head of Enterprise Alliance & Ventures Saloi Benbaha represented XDC Network. Benbaha highlighted the XDC Network and blockchain technology’s potential to modernize trade finance and streamline inefficient processes.

As tokenization establishes a foothold in trade finance and other real world applications, XDC Network saw significant integrations and growth in the RWA sector last year. Mercado Bitcoin, one of the largest digital assets platforms in Latin America and the largest crypto exchange in Brazil, issued an initial $12M in fixed income RWA tokens, backed by Brazilian corporate debt, on XDC Network.

In November, XDC Foundation and Plug and Play Tech Center launched the first-ever XDC Enterprise RWA Accelerator, bringing multiple new RWA projects onto the network. The inaugural cohort was established through a competitive process, where finalists from 100 RWA and enterprise-focused applicants showcased their projects and were judged by top industry professionals. This distinguished class of tokenization projects brings name recognition, capital, and utility to the XDC ecosystem.

Phase two of the accelerator begins this summer and will focus on RWA capital resource entities.

As briefly mentioned above, other notable integrations with the network include:

Enterprise-grade digital asset operations platform, Utila, integrated XDC Network, enabling banks and financial institutions to securely custody tokenized assets using non-custodial, MPC-based wallets with role-based access, automated treasury workflows, and seamless EVM RPC connectivity.

The Elliptic integration brought industry-standard AML solutions to XDC Network, allowing real-time transaction screening and risk monitoring for institutions. This compliance tool paves the way for further institutional adoption and support. 

Libre integrated with XDC Network to enable compliant on-chain issuance of tokenized funds for institutional and accredited investors.

Through its collective efforts, the XDC community plays an integral role in advancing and campaigning for the XDC Network. A global force, the community has roots in Australia, Brazil, Singapore, UAE, UK, US, Singapore, and many other countries and regions. From meeting with policymakers to conducting RWA hackathons, the community is servicing the network and is at the heart of its growth.

Podcasts have become increasingly important educational platforms that highlight ecosystem updates, regulatory conversations, developer initiatives, and more. Find several here:

XDC MENA Podcast. From DeFi to RWA tokenization and everything in between, the XDC MENA Podcast explores the cutting-edge projects and developments shaping the XDC Network, with a frequent focus on the MENA region. 

XDC APAC Podcast. The Asia-Pacific region is well-covered in the XDC APAC Podcast, with broader XDC Network and blockchain technology discussions as well.

Genfinity’s Crypto Enclaves. The Crypto Enclave podcast features top industry experts and often spotlights XDC Network developments with a focus on helping listeners do their own research.

Inside XDC. Hosted by the XDC Network X account, Inside XDC is a regularly scheduled space that covers updates and developments from participants across the ecosystem. 

With its upgraded infrastructure and expanding integrations, the XDC Network has also maintained a presence across key industry events, staying current with emerging trends, innovations, and key developments shaping the industry. These events attract many industry experts and innovators and create opportunities to make strategic connections that will develop and sustain the XDC ecosystem.  

Australian Lead for Ecosystem and Business Development Sean White represented the network at the Digital Economy Council of Australia’s Annual Policy Forum, held at the Parliament House in Sydney. 

At the RWA London Summit, ecosystem members joined institutional leaders from Fidelity, State Street, BNY Mellon, and LSEG to discuss RWA tokenization and institutional adoption

ETHDubai saw XDC team members engaging with developers, enterprises, and blockchain enthusiasts around RWA tokenization, DePIN, and decentralized finance.

At the RWA Gulf Summit 2025, aligned with TOKEN2049 Dubai, XDC Network teams joined regional banking leaders, sovereign wealth funds, and institutional investors to explore how RWA innovations are transforming finance across the Middle East.

The XDC Foundation represented the network on-site at Consensus 2025 Toronto and hosted the Institutional RWA Mixer, a networking event bringing together issuers, allocators, banks, builders, and other key decision-makers across digital assets and finance.

The Crypto Hub meetup brought Hedera and XDC Network together at the XDC Innovation Labs in Dubai - fostering ecosystem collaboration in one of the world’s most active Web3 hubs.

Last year, the XDC Foundation successfully completed a XDC Network-branded sponsorship with D.C. United, one of the founding teams of Major League Soccer. This sponsorship was particularly timely, as the regulatory landscape in the U.S. was beginning to change. It helped introduce the XDC Network to key agencies in Washington, D.C., creating opportunities and establishing connections with influential forces in the area.

Positive momentum carries XDC Network forward. 

The milestones of the past year are a reflection of the foundational work laid in XDC Network’s early years. That work made the many integrations, project launches, and affiliations in year six and beyond possible. Consider the following:

While network privacy wasn’t much of a priority elsewhere, XinFin foresaw the need to provide enterprise users with privacy features via a proof of concept: a bridge to R3’s Corda in 2021. Today, now that the UI/UX, minting process, security, and general architecture are in place, the use of XDC sovereign custom networks can happen at-scale. Users can easily develop and launch their own blockchains for privacy and other needs, while taking advantage of the security, speed, and efficiency of the XDC mainnet.

When memes and NFT art were raging in the crypto space, XDC Network hosted the world’s first trade finance NFT, issued by Tradeteq.

During a time when so many were focused on hype, XDC Network was  quietly establishing alliances with global trade associations like the Trade Finance Distribution Initiative, International Trade & Forfaiting Association, and Digital Negotiable Instruments Initiative.

As regulatory progress stalled in parts of the world, XDC Network associates increased their leadership and participation in significant regulatory victories in other areas of the world.

In Q2 2024, XDC became one of only four blockchains at the time to be supported by Securitize, the leader in end-to-end tokenization of real-world assets.

As XDC Network enters its 7th year, it does so with purpose-built infrastructure, growing regulatory clarity, and expanding institutional alignment. The cryptocurrency industry evolves ever faster in areas like stablecoin regulations, which are rapidly coming to fruition. XDC Network will see growth in stablecoin support and usage, a necessary advancement to enable cross-border transaction volume at scale. The network’s infrastructure is stronger than ever, and its place in the RWA tokenization space is more clearly defined. The journey ahead looks promising – perhaps no longer hidden in plain sight. 

Read more XDC stories on our Medium page!

XDC Network Caps Six Years of Live Mainnet

The deal underscores the growing role of Brazil as a tokenization hub in the region.

Brazilian securitization firm VERT Capital plans to tokenize up to $1 billion in debt and receivables on the XDC Network, expanding the use of blockchain for structured finance.

The deal aims to bring corporate debt, agribusiness receivables and other financial products on-chain over the next 30 months.

Tokenized assets are projected to become a multi-trillion-dollar market, with traditional financial institutions increasingly exploring blockchain for operational efficiencies.

VERT Capital, a Brazilian credit structuring and securitization firm, plans to tokenize up to $1 billion in debt and receivables on the XDC Network ... expanding the scope of public blockchain use in structured finance, the firms told CoinDesk.

As part of the deal, the firms will move financial instruments such as corporate debt, agribusiness receivables and structured credit products on-chain over the next 30 months.

The migration shifts VERT’s existing securitization work, which includes clients like Cargill, Santander and Raízen, towards digital issuance with a blockchain-based infrastructure designed to meet regulatory and audit requirements.

"Our goal is to transform traditional structured assets into digital assets with global liquidity," Gabriel Braga, head of digital assets at VERT, said in statement. "We already have ready-to-issue structures, proven frameworks, and validated compliance."

Meanwhile, XDC Network, an Ethereum-compatible layer 1 with two-second settlement times and ISO 20022 messaging support, has positioned itself as a hub for real-world asset tokenization. Its partners include Circle, Deutsche Telekom MMS and Securitize, and the network has integrated frameworks like MLETR and R3 Corda to support cross-border finance.

The deal between VERT and XDC adds to a growing list of tokenization moves around the world. Traditional financial institutions increasingly explore blockchain rails for moving and recording ownership of financial instruments like credit, bonds and funds, also dubbed real-world assets (RWA), seeking to gain operational efficiencies.

It can potentially be a huge opportunity: tokenized assets could grow to a multiple trillion-dollar market over the next few years, as projected by reports from Ripple, BCG, McKinsey and others.

Brazil has emerged as a key hub for asset tokenization in the region, Diego Consimo, XDC Network's head of Latin America, noted in an interview with CoinDesk.

Brazil-based crypto exchange Mercado Bitcoin shared plans earlier in July to tokenize over $200 million in RWAs, including fixed income and equity instruments, on the XRP Ledger. Last week, VERT also debuted a credit protocol on XRP Ledger with a $130 million Agribusiness Receivables Certificate (CRA).

Brazil's VERT Capital to Tokenize $1B in Real-World Assets on XDC Network

Atul Khekade, co-founder of XDC Network, on Tuesday predicted that tokenization will surpass Bitcoin's transformative power, outlining how tokenization—digitizing and fractionalizing assets like real estate, bonds, and commodities—will reshape the global economy.

Reflecting on his early years in Silicon Valley, Khekade recalled his first experience with Bitcoin.

"For the first time, value didn't just travel. It disappeared from one phone and appeared on another," he said. "That was the moment I realized this was bigger than just payments. It was the beginning of tokenization."

In his view, the evolution from Bitcoin to tokenization marks a broader transformation in how digital systems handle value. 

"Where Web2 gave us access to information," he said, "Web3 will give us access to assets, not through paperwork or intermediaries, but directly from machine to machine, peer to peer."

Khekade contrasted this emerging model with the limitations of traditional financial systems. "Banks may show you that a transaction is done," he said, "but the actual movement of value happens hours or days later."

He explained that the focus is no longer just about creating standalone solutions but providing the foundational infrastructure that others can build on. 

"We don't build solutions for every sector ourselves," he said. "We build the layer others can use to tokenize what matters to them."

According to Khekade, regulatory acceptance is already underway in several parts of the world.

"We're already working with regulators in Indonesia and the Philippines where XDC is approved for payments," he said. "Several African nations are piloting asset tokenization using XDC."

He emphasized that this shift from speculative assets to tokenized real-world value is already underway and grounded in real deployment. 

"Bitcoin solved trustless money," he said. "Tokenization solves global ownership."

Even as the technology gains traction, Khekade acknowledged that the broader tokenization economy is still early in its lifecycle. "It's like the early days of Amazon. You knew something big was being built, but it wasn't in every home yet. That's where we are with RWA tokenization today."

Why Tokenization Could Outgrow Bitcoin: Crypto's Biggest Success Story

In episode 7 of XDC The Stream, hosts Lance Lilly and Dave Marcus speak with Dr. Martin Hiesboeck, the Head of Research at Uphold. In this conversation, they discuss Martin’s interesting backstory as a linguistics major, a tech business owner, and a diplomat – and, of course, the state of blockchain and its future.