Private Market Tokenisation: Strategic M&A-Driven Growth in the Tokenised Asset Infrastructure Sector

The tokenised asset infrastructure sector has emerged as a linchpin for private market innovation in 2025, with strategic mergers and acquisitions (M&A) catalyzing growth in real estate, private equity, and alternative assets. As regulatory clarity and institutional adoption converge, M&A activity has surged, reshaping traditional financial paradigms and unlocking liquidity in previously illiquid markets. This analysis explores how infrastructure consolidation is accelerating private asset tokenisation, supported by real-world case studies and macroeconomic trends.

M&A as a Catalyst for Tokenised Infrastructure Consolidation

The tokenised asset infrastructure sector witnessed unprecedented M&A activity in 2025, with over $40 billion transacted in crypto-related deals by November alone. This represents a dramatic acceleration compared to the combined total of the previous four years, driven by regulatory frameworks like the GENIUS Act, which provided clarity for stablecoin and tokenisation operations. Key players such as Coinbase, Ripple, and Kraken have leveraged acquisitions to expand into derivatives, tokenisation, and institutional finance. For instance, Coinbase's $2.9 billion acquisition of Deribit and Kraken's purchase of NinjaTrader underscore a strategic shift toward building end-to-end digital financial ecosystems.

Stripe's $1.1 billion acquisition of Bridge, a stablecoin infrastructure startup, further highlights the sector's institutionalization. By integrating compliant stablecoin services, Stripe positioned itself to facilitate cross-border payments and tokenised asset settlements, addressing a critical gap in global finance. These deals reflect a broader trend: infrastructure firms consolidating to create scalable, interoperable platforms that reduce friction in private market tokenisation.

Real Estate Tokenisation: From Niche to Mainstream

Real estate has become a flagship use case for tokenised private assets, with M&A-driven infrastructure enabling fractional ownership and dynamic financing. By 2025, Deloitte projected that $4 trillion in real estate would be tokenised by 2035, up from less than $0.3 trillion in 2024. Platforms like Kin Capital and Chintai are pioneering this shift. Kin's $100 million real estate debt fund on the Chintai blockchain, for example, allows institutional investors to participate with $50,000 minimums, democratizing access to high-value properties.

Tokenisation also facilitates large-scale developments. Canada's Project Champfleury, a $300 million tokenised real estate project, is leveraging blockchain to attract global investors for a mixed-use development. Similarly, Chicago's tokenisation of a $150 million school redevelopment project demonstrates how smart contracts automate compliance, capital calls, and income distribution, reducing administrative overhead by up to 70%. These innovations are not limited to existing properties; undeveloped land and under-construction projects are now being fractionalised, enabling liquidity in traditionally illiquid assets.

Private Equity and Credit: Tokenisation's Institutional Frontier

Tokenised private equity and credit funds are redefining institutional investing. Hamilton Lane and KKR have led the charge, with Hamilton Lane's Senior Credit Opportunities (SCOPE) fund reducing minimum investment requirements from $5 million to $20,000 via blockchain. This democratization extends to secondary markets, where tokenised feeders enable compliant on-chain trading.

BlackRock's BUIDL fund and Franklin Templeton's FOBXX exemplify how tokenisation is integrating with traditional finance. BUIDL's tokenised blue-chip assets and FOBXX's on-chain money market instruments have attracted over $760 million in assets showcasing the scalability of tokenised investment vehicles. Meanwhile, Siemens' €60 million digital bond on Polygon settled in under two days, proving tokenisation's efficiency in corporate debt markets.

Regulatory and Technological Synergies

Regulatory frameworks like the GENIUS and CLARITY Acts have been pivotal in legitimizing tokenised M&A. These laws address compliance, anti-money laundering (AML), and investor protection, reducing legal ambiguity for cross-border deals. Concurrently, AI-driven tools are streamlining due diligence, cutting analysis time by 50%. For example, AI algorithms now identify tokenisation-ready assets and automate risk assessments, accelerating deal execution.

Conclusion: A New Era for Private Markets

The confluence of M&A-driven infrastructure consolidation, regulatory clarity, and technological innovation is propelling private market tokenisation into the mainstream. As platforms like Zoniqx and Securitize scale compliance-driven solutions, the barriers to entry for retail and institutional investors are dissolving. By 2035, tokenised real estate alone could represent $4 trillion in value, while private equity and credit markets will follow suit. For investors, the lesson is clear: strategic M&A in tokenised infrastructure is not just reshaping asset classes-it is redefining the very architecture of global finance.