Janus Henderson Attracts $1 Billion Inflow for Tokenized CLO Strategy

Janus Henderson, a leading global asset manager, has successfully attracted a $1 billion inflow into its newly launched tokenized Collateralized Loan Obligation (CLO) strategy. This significant development marks a major bridge between traditional finance (TradFi) and decentralized finance (DeFi), positioning Janus Henderson as a pioneer in asset tokenization. The strategy, known as the Janus Henderson Anemoy AAA CLO Strategy (JAAA), is facilitated by the Grove protocol and Centrifuge infrastructure, leveraging blockchain technology to bring real-world assets into the decentralized economy.

The JAAA strategy is managed by the same portfolio managers behind Janus Henderson's $21 billion AAA CLO ETF, aiming to preserve capital while delivering attractive yields. The $1 billion allocation, seeded by Grove, an institutional credit platform within the Sky ecosystem, underscores the growing convergence between TradFi and DeFi. This move is part of a broader trend where traditional asset managers seek access to decentralized capital, and crypto-native protocols look for real-world yield. Grove's infrastructure serves as a crucial bridge, enabling efficient and low-friction access to institutional-grade credit strategies.

The launch of JAAA represents more than just another tokenized fund; it is a native, onchain investment product designed from the ground up for the decentralized economy. This initiative is expected to impact DeFi protocols supporting real-world asset tokenization, influencing Ethereum network operations and Centrifuge token (CFG) adoption. The move sets a precedent for similar TradFi-to-DeFi initiatives, reflecting institutional comfort in using blockchain-backed finance solutions. Projects like this could attract increased interest in financial technologies blurring the line between traditional and decentralized finance.

Centrifuge played a pivotal role in bringing JAAA onchain by fully integrating the credit strategy into an onchain-native format. This approach reduces intermediary costs, increases operational efficiency, and expands access to a global base of capital allocators. Anil Sood, Chief Strategy and Growth Officer of Centrifuge, highlighted the growing demand for diversified, high-quality assets onchain, noting that the partnership with Janus Henderson has unlocked operational efficiencies and broader investor access. Centrifuge's technology provides the foundation for tokenizing and distributing credit strategies in a transparent and programmable manner, paving the way for a new generation of institutional DeFi infrastructure.

The launch of JAAA is backed by industry leaders who emphasize the transformative potential of blockchain in financial markets. Nick Cherney, Head of Innovation at Janus Henderson, noted that the AAA CLO strategy attracted significant inflows last year among all actively managed fixed income ETFs. He expressed excitement about partnering with Grove and Centrifuge, sharing a vision for building the onchain economy. The initiative is also supported by Sky, whose protocol underpins stablecoins and continues to lead in the adoption of tokenized real-world assets. Rune Christensen, co-founder of Sky, praised Grove's role in unlocking the power of real-world assets for DeFi and highlighted the platform's expertise in modernizing and diversifying portfolios.

Through Centrifuge, asset managers can bring institutional-grade credit strategies fully onchain, delivering regulated, tokenized investment vehicles to the DeFi ecosystem. This partnership aims to unlock capital efficiency, expand global access to traditionally exclusive asset classes, and create foundational infrastructure connecting TradFi and DeFi. By embracing tokenization, Centrifuge, Grove, and Janus Henderson are leading the shift toward more transparent, efficient, and programmable financial products, setting a new standard for the future of finance.