Polygon and R25 Address DeFi Opacity with Transparent rcUSD+ Yield Token for Institutions

Polygon Integrates R25's Yield-Bearing rcUSD+ Token, Bringing Institutional-Grade Finance

Polygon, a leading blockchain platform for payments and real-world assets (RWA), has partnered with R25, a real-world asset and stablecoin protocol, to launch a yield-bearing token on its network. The integration marks a significant step in bridging traditional finance with decentralized ecosystems, offering users access to institutional-grade yield while maintaining the transparency and composability of DeFi.

The rcUSD+ token is designed to generate returns for holders by being backed by a professionally managed portfolio of real-world assets, including money market funds and stablecoin equivalents. Unlike conventional stablecoins that merely maintain a peg to fiat currencies, rcUSD+ actively earns yield through conservative, low-risk investments typically used by institutions to preserve capital and generate modest returns. This approach aligns with Polygon's vision of becoming the "chain of choice" for RWA and payments, as highlighted by Polygon CEO Sandeep Nailwal, who emphasized that R25's risk-managed products represent the next evolution of DeFi.

The partnership leverages Polygon's low-cost, high-throughput infrastructure to enable billions in stablecoin activity, creating a scalable environment for rcUSD+.

R25's Chief Strategy Officer, Jason Windawi, noted that Polygon's ecosystem provides an ideal foundation for launching structured RWA products, with rcUSD+ expected to serve as a collateral layer and yield-bearing component across Polygon-based applications. The token's transparency-ensuring users can verify the assets backing their holdings-addresses a key challenge in DeFi, where opacity often deters institutional adoption.

For developers, rcUSD+ introduces a standardized building block for RWA-linked DeFi instruments, such as lending protocols and liquidity pools. For end-users, it offers a straightforward way to earn sustainable yield without relying on volatile crypto-native assets. Institutions, meanwhile, gain a transparent entry point into Web3, with risk management frameworks that mirror traditional finance. The launch coincides with growing institutional interest in tokenized assets, driven by regulatory clarity and the demand for on-chain liquidity.

R25, incubated by Alibaba's Ant Financial, brings asset verification technology and a track record in tokenization projects, including gold and blockchain infrastructure as reported in the crypto news. The protocol's integration with Polygon aligns with broader trends in the RWA sector, where tokenized yield products have surged in 2024-2025. By combining Polygon's developer ecosystem with R25's institutional-grade approach, the partnership aims to accelerate the adoption of hybrid financial systems.