The Rise of Tokenized Finance in Asia: Coinbase and Standard Chartered's Strategic Move in Singapore

A New Era of Institutional Adoption

Singapore-based Amber Premium, a regulated crypto services provider, has become a bridge between traditional finance and blockchain ecosystems. Its recent Nasdaq listing and merger with iClick underscore the growing institutional appetite for tokenized assets, particularly among banks, family offices, and hedge funds, as noted in a Fortune Asia report. Meanwhile, Evolve is pioneering the tokenization of renewable energy infrastructure, such as solar farms and EV-charging networks, converting these assets into investment-grade digital tokens. By partnering with U.S.-licensed custodians like Coinbase Custody Trust, Evolve enables cross-border liquidity, addressing one of the sector's key challenges, as the Fortune Asia report also notes.

Strategic Partnerships Driving Mainstream Adoption

Standard Chartered's foray into tokenized finance in Singapore is marked by two transformative initiatives. First, its collaboration with DCS Card Center to launch DeCard-a stablecoin-enabled credit card-leverages the bank's API infrastructure to facilitate virtual account linking and seamless transaction reconciliation, as described in a Bitcoinist article. This innovation caters to a growing demand for stablecoin settlements, particularly in cross-border commerce.

Second, Standard Chartered's partnership with Coinbase to launch Coinbase Business in Singapore represents a bold step toward mainstream adoption. This platform allows startups and SMEs to access crypto trading, stablecoin payments, and crypto payroll services, effectively lowering barriers to entry for businesses seeking to integrate digital assets into their operations, as noted in a Yahoo Finance report. Such initiatives align with Singapore's broader vision to become a global fintech hub, supported by regulatory clarity and innovation sandboxes, as the Fortune Asia report also notes.

Regulatory Tailwinds and Market Projections

Singapore's blockchain in financial market revenue is projected to surge from USD 6.85 billion in 2024 to USD 69.04 billion by 2033, growing at a staggering 32.6% CAGR, according to a LinkedIn post. This trajectory is fueled by initiatives like the Monetary Authority of Singapore's (MAS) Project Ubin and collaborations between local fintechs and global tech giants. The broader Singapore fintech market is also forecasted to expand at a 16.12% CAGR from 2025 to 2030, reaching USD 25.45 billion by 2030, according to a Mordor Intelligence report.

Asia's regulatory landscape is equally dynamic. While Singapore leads with structured innovation, countries like India, Japan, and South Korea are adopting distinct strategies. India's UPI-driven fintech ecosystem and Japan's yen-backed stablecoin licensing reforms exemplify the region's diverse but complementary approaches, as noted in a Chainalysis blog. These developments suggest a maturing market where regulatory clarity will continue to attract institutional capital.

Challenges and Opportunities

Despite rapid growth, tokenized finance remains nascent. Liquidity constraints and wallet-to-wallet transfer restrictions persist, particularly for tokenized real-world assets, as the Fortune Asia report notes. However, these challenges present opportunities for infrastructure providers and custodians like Coinbase, which are scaling solutions to enhance interoperability and security. For investors, the key lies in identifying firms that can navigate regulatory complexity while building scalable platforms.

Conclusion

The strategic moves of Coinbase and Standard Chartered in Singapore signal a paradigm shift in how digital assets are integrated into traditional finance. With Singapore's regulatory support and Asia's projected market growth, crypto-integrated fintech infrastructure offers a compelling long-term investment thesis. As tokenization expands beyond commodities and real estate into sectors like energy and SME finance, early adopters and enablers are poised to capture significant value.