DBS Brings Tokenized Structured Notes to Ethereum, Expanding Digital Asset Access
DBS Bank has launched tokenized structured notes on the Ethereum public blockchain, marking a significant step in scaling its blockchain strategy beyond permissioned environments. The initiative broadens access to sophisticated investment products that were previously limited to private banking clients.
In a statement on Thursday, the Singapore-based bank confirmed the notes will be made available via local digital securities exchanges ADDX, DigiFT, and HydraX. This is the first time DBS is offering tokenized structured instruments to accredited and institutional investors outside its proprietary platforms.
The debut product is a crypto-linked participation note designed to offer cash payouts when digital assets appreciate, while capping downside risks. Traditionally, such notes require minimum investments of $100,000 and are bespoke, rendering them illiquid and non-fungible. DBS is addressing this by tokenizing the notes into $1,000 units—improving liquidity and tradability.
The bank cited strong demand for these instruments, especially among professional investors and family offices. DBS clients executed over $1 billion in trades involving structured products in the first half of 2025, with volumes climbing nearly 60% from Q1 to Q2.
The announcement is part of a broader national push toward asset tokenization, with Singapore’s Monetary Authority (MAS) spearheading Project Guardian to explore digital assets across fixed income, foreign exchange, and fund sectors. DBS has played an active role in these pilots, many of which began on permissioned chains before progressing to public ones.
While the first offering is crypto-linked, DBS noted it will also tokenize more traditional equity- and credit-linked notes over time.
“Asset tokenization represents the next evolution of financial market infrastructure,” said Li Zhen, Head of FX and Digital Assets at DBS. “This initiative not only responds to growing institutional demand for digital asset exposure but also enables a broader segment of investors to participate in our blockchain-based ecosystem.”
The move reinforces Singapore’s emergence as a global hub for tokenized finance and reflects the increasing institutional acceptance of public blockchains like Ethereum as viable platforms for regulated financial products.
