Global cryptocurrency exchange OKX has partnered with asset management leader BlackRock and banking giant Standard Chartered to introduce a groundbreaking collateral framework for tokenized real-world assets (RWAs).
Announced on April 28, 2026, this initiative allows qualified institutional investors to use BlackRock’s BUIDL, a tokenized U.S. Treasury fund, as collateral on the OKX platform while earning a U.S. dollar yield.
The assets will be securely held in regulated custody by Standard Chartered, marking the first off-exchange tokenized collateral model backed by a Tier 1 Global Systemically Important Bank.
Addressing Idle Capital Challenges
Historically, institutional investors faced a dilemma: keeping capital in high-quality, liquid assets like U.S. Treasuries for steady yields, or deploying that capital into trading markets where it earns no yield.
This new framework leverages tokenization to eliminate that inefficiency by merging traditional finance custody with digital market infrastructure.
We’ve been working on something important with BlackRock and Standard Chartered. The goal is simple, to make tokenized RWAs actually usable.
Haider Rafique, OKX Global Managing Partner
The operational details involve three components: the asset (BUIDL tokens), the custodian (Standard Chartered), and the utility (OKX platform).
BUIDL tokens allow investors to maintain exposure to high-quality short-term U.S. Treasuries while accruing yield based on the U.S. Federal Funds rate.
Standard Chartered provides institutional-grade security through regulated custody of the tokens, while OKX enables these tokens to be used as yield-bearing collateral on its trading platform.
The goal is simple: to make tokenized RWAs actually usable. That means assets stay with a regulated custodian, capital doesn’t sit idle, and institutions can operate across TradFi and crypto more seamlessly.
Haider Rafique
This collaboration represents a significant shift in the digital asset landscape, integrating tokenized RWAs into the essential mechanics of global liquidity and collateral management.