UBS Launches First Tokenized Fund via Chainlink DTA

UBS, one of the world’s largest private banks managing over $6 trillion in assets, has completed the world’s first in-production tokenized fund transaction using Chainlink’s Digital Transfer Agent (DTA) standard. The transaction involved UBS’s own tokenized money market fund, uMINT, executed in collaboration with DigiFT, a regulated on-chain fund distributor.

Together, they processed live fund subscription and redemption orders entirely on blockchain, demonstrating that complex fund operations can now be automated, synchronized, and settled across digital and traditional financial systems.

How the Technology Works: Inside Chainlink’s DTA

At the core of the operation is Chainlink’s Digital Transfer Agent (DTA), a technical standard built to enable fully automated fund management on-chain.

The DTA connects off-chain systems used by financial institutions with blockchain infrastructure, using components such as:

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  Chainlink Runtime Environment (CRE): Allows banks like UBS to translate standard financial messages (e.g., SWIFT ISO 20022) into smart contract instructions without changing their legacy systems.
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  Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP): Ensures tokens and fund operations work across public and private blockchains.
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  Automated Compliance Engine (ACE): Enforces rules like KYC and AML within smart contracts.
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  NAVLink: Feeds real-time pricing data for accurate fund valuation and redemption.

Together, these components create a unified framework that enables tokenized funds to function more efficiently across systems, a goal traditional institutions have pursued for years with limited success.

Why UBS and Chainlink Fit

The partnership between UBS and Chainlink was not developed overnight. It builds on the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s Project Guardian, where both companies tested cross-border tokenization frameworks earlier this year.

Chainlink’s infrastructure, long used to secure billions in on-chain data, offers a plug-and-play bridge between smart contracts and the traditional fund industry: an ecosystem worth over $100 trillion globally.

For UBS, the move signals a continuation of its broader UBS Tokenize initiative, which explores how regulated institutions can bring investment products into blockchain environments without compromising compliance or investor protection. As Mike Dargan, UBS’s Group Chief Operations and Technology Officer, put it, the deal illustrates “how smart contract-based technologies enhance fund operations and the investor experience.”

Sergey Nazarov, co-founder of Chainlink, called the live deployment “a new benchmark for institutional finance on-chain.” He added that it demonstrates “secure, compliant, and scalable end-to-end workflows” capable of linking traditional fund structures to digital infrastructure.

From Pilot to Production

This milestone follows the September pilot run, in which UBS used Chainlink’s CRE and the SWIFT network to automate fund orders using ISO 20022 messaging. That pilot showed that global financial institutions could use existing infrastructure to initiate tokenized fund transactions, minting and burning tokens without manually interacting with blockchain code.

By moving from pilot to production, UBS has shown that tokenized funds can function in real market conditions, not just in sandbox trials. DigiFT, which handled the live fund distribution, confirmed that “operations can be executed and reconciled on-chain with real-time visibility,” marking progress toward faster, audit-ready transactions.

The collaboration also builds on their Hong Kong initiative, where UBS, Chainlink, and DigiFT are developing a regulated tokenized fund system under the Cyberport Blockchain & Digital Asset Pilot Scheme, aimed at automating subscriptions, settlements, and fund lifecycle management.

Why This Matters for Tokenization

The success of this transaction goes beyond one institution. It signals that tokenization, once a buzzword, is entering its operational phase. By combining Chainlink’s interoperability infrastructure with UBS’s regulated frameworks, the industry is moving closer to scalable on-chain fund distribution that maintains compliance.

As global banks, asset managers, and regulators explore digital asset integration, this live demonstration shows that automation, interoperability, and transparency can coexist within a regulated environment.

What's Next

Coin Compass host Quinten Francois said in an X post, “There isn’t a single project in crypto with this level of real-world adoption.”

UBS’s move could accelerate broader institutional adoption of blockchain in asset management, particularly as tokenization frameworks mature across Europe and Asia. Future iterations of the DTA standard may extend beyond money market funds to equities, bonds, and structured products, effectively merging digital rails with traditional finance.

For now, the UBS–Chainlink collaboration is a signal to the market: tokenization is no longer experimental. The infrastructure for regulated, cross-chain fund management has arrived — and it’s being tested by the world’s largest financial players.