RWA Weekly: HSBC and Standard Chartered Secure Hong Kong Stablecoin Licenses; US FDIC Releases Draft Guidelines for Institutional Stablecoin Issuance
RWA Weekly: HSBC and Standard Chartered Secure Hong Kong Stablecoin Licenses; US FDIC Issues Draft Guidelines for Institutional Stablecoin Issuance
This week’s RWA sector saw significant growth, with the on-chain total market cap rising to $29.06 billion. Stablecoin market capitalization remained high at $300.65 billion, while monthly transfer volume hit a record $10.21 trillion. Active addresses surged 15.24%, indicating strong retail participation recovery.
Regulatory milestones were achieved as Hong Kong granted its first stablecoin licenses to HSBC and Standard Chartered, marking the start of a compliant stablecoin era. The U.S. FDIC released draft guidelines for stablecoin issuance, focusing on reserve management, redemptions, and capital requirements. The U.S. Treasury also proposed rules requiring stablecoin issuers to implement anti-money laundering and sanctions compliance systems. South Korea, Dubai, and Russia advanced their stablecoin and RWA regulatory frameworks.
Key project developments include six Swiss banks, including UBS, planning to test a digital Swiss franc in 2026. Securitize began tokenizing shares for Nasdaq-listed Currenc, enabling 24/7 trading. SBI Ripple Asia completed development of a token issuance platform on XRP Ledger. Circle launched CPN Managed Payments to expand stablecoin payment services for institutions.
Funding highlights: Pharos raised $44 million in Series A funding to develop its RWA-focused blockchain. GSR led an investment in tokenization platform Libeara. Gobi Partners invested in Transak to expand compliant stablecoin and digital asset payment infrastructure in Asia.
S&P Global reported that banks remain cautious about stablecoins, with only 7% of small and mid-sized U.S. banks developing related frameworks. Chainalysis projected stablecoin transaction volume could reach $1,500 trillion by 2035, driven by generational wealth transfer and deeper integration into payment systems. Major tech firms like Meta are increasingly adopting stablecoins as a core payment strategy, signaling a shift toward digital asset-based transaction infrastructures.
marsbit04/10 09:48