Zodia Custody, a Standard Chartered-Backed Crypto Custody Company, Enters the Jewelry Industry! Tokenized Emeralds Are Coming! Here Are the Details

Zodia Custody, a crypto custody firm backed by major banks such as Standard Chartered and SBI, has partnered with Swiss fintech firm GEMx to securely store tokenized emeralds. The partnership aims to bring the traditional gemstone market into the world of digital assets.

Standard Chartered-Backed Zodia Custody Launches Custody of Tokenized Emeralds

According to a press release on Wednesday, through the collaboration, institutional investors will be able to gain fractional ownership in a diversified portfolio of high-quality emeralds through a token called EmGemX.

Tokenization enables physical emeralds to be digitized with blockchain technology, making them more accessible and liquid.

The emeralds are kept in safe deposit boxes where they are regularly evaluated by independent experts. According to the statement, emeralds have stood out as a stable investment vehicle with an average annual increase of 9% in value in recent years.

“Digitizing Real World Value”

“Partnering with Zodia Custody is a significant milestone in our mission to bring institutional-level trust and stability to the gemstone investment market,” said Paul Poltner, CEO and co-founder of GEMx.

“The architecture we have created with GEMx delivers real-world value to investors through a digital innovation that is secure, auditable and historically resistant to inflation,” Poltner added.

The development is part of a trend toward tokenization of real-world assets (RWA). This model, where physical assets ranging from real estate to bonds are represented on the blockchain, is increasingly blurring the lines between traditional finance and digital assets. Zodia Custody’s move could facilitate institutional access to traditional and private markets like precious stones.

*This is not investment advice.