In a first-of-its-kind move, DBS Bank a leading Singapore-based financial institution, is tokenizing structured notes on the Ethereum blockchain. This initiative aims to meet the growing institutional demand for digital assets and make sophisticated financial products more accessible.
The bank has partnered with digital investment platforms ADDX, DigiFT, and HydraX to distribute these tokenized notes. The move will allow accredited and institutional investors, even those who are not DBS clients, to invest in these products.
DBS will initially focus on cryptocurrency-linked participation notes designed to offer cash payouts as crypto prices rise while providing a level of downside protection. The tokenization process breaks down a single note, which typically requires a minimum investment of $100,000, into more accessible and tradable $1,000 tokens.
This initiative comes as DBS has seen a significant increase in client activity, with over $1 billion in crypto-related trades in the first half of 2025—a 60% jump from the first to the second quarter. The bank plans to expand its tokenization efforts to include traditional financial instruments like equity-linked and credit-linked notes.
According to Li Zhen, head of foreign exchange and digital assets at DBS, this move into “asset tokenization” is the next step in financial market infrastructure. The bank is capitalizing on Singapore’s booming wealth management sector, which has seen a surge in single-family offices, driving demand for alternative investment products. By creating standardized, liquid tokens, DBS aims to improve the accessibility and flexibility of its structured products for professional investors.
August 2025, Cryptoniteuae
