IBM is making a major push into digital assets with the launch of a new platform designed to integrate cryptocurrency and tokenized assets into traditional corporate finance.
The initiative, dubbed Digital Asset Haven, targets U.S. businesses and government entities, offering custody, payments, and on-chain yield opportunities across more than 40 blockchain networks.
Set to roll out as a software-as-a-service solution in late 2025, the platform was developed in partnership with crypto wallet provider Dfns. It is designed to help institutions navigate regulatory compliance, token management, and decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols, effectively turning digital assets into a fully operational part of corporate infrastructure.
The move reflects a growing trend among financial institutions to adopt stablecoins and tokenized real-world assets (RWAs). Tokenized equities, for example, saw a 220% surge in July, with blockchain addresses holding these assets increasing from 1,600 to over 90,000 in just one month. Analysts say this mirrors the early DeFi boom, which saw total value locked in protocols jump from $1 billion to $100 billion in just two years.
According to Chainlink co-founder Sergey Nazarov, blockchain-based compliance and automation tools could make regulated transactions “ten times faster and cheaper” than traditional methods. Chainlink’s Automated Compliance Engine (ACE), unveiled earlier this year, is a modular framework aimed at simplifying regulatory processes and unlocking potentially $100 trillion of new capital for the blockchain economy.
Clarisse Hagège, CEO of Dfns, emphasized that the platform extends beyond simple custody. “We’ve built an ecosystem that allows digital assets to move from experimental pilots to full-scale production, meeting the same standards as traditional financial infrastructure,” she said.
With this launch, IBM aims to bridge the gap between traditional finance and blockchain technology, providing institutions with a secure, compliant, and scalable way to participate in the growing digital asset economy.