Assets on Blockchain 2026 Marks a Turning Point: From Tokenization to Functioning Financial Markets
McKinsey, Coinbase, Gemini, Moody's and former CFTC Chairman J. Christopher Giancarlo convene in New York as RealAssets
Press Release Disclaimer: This is a press release distributed through the XPR Media network. It has not been independently verified by our newsroom.
New York, NY, Nov. 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The third annual Assets on Blockchain (AOB) Conference, held October 29 at the Harvard Club of New York, brought together leaders from traditional finance, blockchain, technology and regulation to explore the next phase of digital finance: moving beyond tokenization toward functioning, trusted and liquid global capital markets.
Chaired by Suresh Nichani, Chairman of RealAssets Technologies & Labs and I-Chain Capital, the conference featured representatives from McKinsey & Company, Coinbase, Gemini, Cboe Global Markets, S&P Dow Jones Indices and Moody’s. J. Christopher Giancarlo, former Chairman of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), delivered a keynote on financial innovation, regulation and the modernization of American capital markets.
The conference was supported by Luna PR, a global communications agency specializing in emerging technology and finance, with Founder and CEO Nikita Sachdev serving as conference host and moderator. 361Firm participated as an event partner.
A major milestone was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between RealAssets Technologies & Labs and The Lynd Company, a U.S. real estate organization managing more than 17,000 multifamily residential units. The collaboration will explore how blockchain-based financial infrastructure could improve asset management, capital access and liquidity in traditionally illiquid real estate markets.
From Tokenization to Functioning Capital Markets
Opening the conference, Nichani traced the industry’s evolution through three phases: 2024 was about the possibility of bringing trillions of dollars in assets onto blockchain; 2025 was defined by regulatory momentum; and 2026 marks the transition toward institutional adoption and implementation.
He emphasized that tokenization alone does not create liquidity. The greater opportunity lies in developing financial infrastructure connecting asset ownership, verified information, regulatory compliance, global capital, programmable transactions and secondary markets.
RealAssets Technologies & Labs (RTL) is developing infrastructure spanning asset onboarding, identity and compliance, self-custody wallets, asset provenance, smart contracts, payments, settlement and AI-native financial systems.
Its ambition extends beyond real estate to private credit, private equity, mortgages, infrastructure, energy assets and other traditionally illiquid investments.
The overarching mission: Unlocking Illiquid Assets. Connecting Global Capital. Creating Liquid Markets.
RACE: Building Blockchain Infrastructure for Global Assets
Krisanth Sivarajh, Head of Tokenization at RACE, outlined how blockchain infrastructure could transform fragmented asset markets into interconnected financial ecosystems.
RACE is being developed as a separately governed blockchain infrastructure ecosystem supporting asset onboarding, verification, management, programmable transactions and settlement.
Its proposed architecture integrates blockchain execution, digital identity, self-custody wallets, smart contracts, payments and asset intelligence.
A key component of the broader technology vision is the Truth Engine, intended to organize verifiable asset histories, ownership information and financial records into dependable, machine-readable data.
This infrastructure is designed to support institutional investors and financial intermediaries, alongside emerging AI agents requiring trusted information, defined permissions and reliable transaction execution.
Rather than focusing solely on token issuance, RACE aims to connect the broader asset lifecycle with eligible investors and global capital markets.
McKinsey and Wall Street Highlight Institutional Adoption
Matthew Higginson, Partner at McKinsey & Company, delivered a keynote examining the movement of financial assets and money onto blockchain networks.
He identified common standards, interoperability and consistent issuance frameworks as critical requirements for institutional adoption, emphasizing that scaling blockchain-based markets depends on systems being able to work together.
These themes continued in discussions featuring representatives from Gemini, Cboe Global Markets and S&P Dow Jones Indices, who examined opportunities to improve collateral management, settlement efficiency and capital utilization.
The broader consensus was that institutional adoption will be determined by measurable financial and operational improvements rather than technological novelty.
RealAssets and LYND Advance Institutional Real Estate Infrastructure
One of the conference’s defining developments was the signing of the RealAssets–LYND MOU.
David Lynd, CEO of The Lynd Company, joined Nichani, Locke Lynd and Krisanth Sivarajh for the signing, followed by a discussion moderated by Luna PR’s Nikita Sachdev.
The agreement builds on a relationship spanning approximately seven years and brings together established real estate operations with blockchain-enabled financial infrastructure.
With LYND managing more than 17,000 multifamily residential units, the collaboration will explore applications involving asset verification, financial administration, investor access, capital formation and potential secondary-market participation.
RTL contributes financial infrastructure and technology development, while the separately governed RACE ecosystem is intended to support blockchain-based applications.
The MOU represents an exploratory step toward connecting established real estate assets with more transparent, programmable financial systems, subject to applicable legal and regulatory requirements.
Stablecoins, AI and the Future of Financial Markets
Beyond real estate, the conference examined emerging technologies reshaping global finance.
In The New Money Stack: Stablecoins as Financial Infrastructure, moderated by Remy Blaire, Rajeev Bamra of Moody’s and Reza Bundy of Atlas explored stablecoins’ growing relevance to payments, treasury operations, settlement and cross-border transactions.
Sessions on artificial intelligence examined the convergence of blockchain infrastructure and autonomous financial systems, including how AI agents may increasingly evaluate investments, manage portfolios and execute transactions using trusted, machine-readable asset information.
Additional discussions addressed prediction markets, private-market investments, institutional treasury strategies, global capital distribution and compliant secondary markets.
Giancarlo on Regulation and America’s Financial Future
J. Christopher Giancarlo, former CFTC Chairman, delivered a keynote examining the modernization of financial markets and the role of regulatory frameworks in supporting innovation.
He subsequently joined John D’Agostino of Coinbase for Built in America, exploring U.S. digital asset policy, regulatory clarity, investor protection and America’s competitiveness in the next generation of financial infrastructure.
Their discussion reinforced the importance of connecting technological innovation with credible regulatory frameworks as institutional adoption accelerates.
From Industry Vision to Institutional Execution
Across the conference, a consistent theme emerged: blockchain’s future in finance will depend on trusted infrastructure, credible underlying assets, institutional participation and the creation of functioning markets.
The RealAssets–LYND MOU provided a practical example of this transition, connecting established real estate expertise with emerging financial infrastructure.
For RTL, the objective is to develop technologies that make assets verifiable, programmable and accessible to global capital. For RACE, the ambition is to support those capabilities through a separately governed blockchain ecosystem designed for asset lifecycles, transactions, settlement and AI-enabled finance.
As AOB concluded its third annual edition, the message was clear:
2024 was about possibility. 2025 was about regulatory momentum. 2026 is about adoption.
The next phase will be defined by turning that adoption into functioning global financial markets.
About Assets on Blockchain (AOB) Conference
Assets on Blockchain is an annual institutional conference bringing together leaders from traditional finance, investment management, blockchain infrastructure, technology and regulation to explore the future of global capital markets. Chaired by Suresh Nichani, AOB focuses on institutional adoption, financial infrastructure and the convergence of blockchain and AI. The 2026 conference was supported by Luna PR and event partner 361Firm.
About RealAssets.com
RealAssets.com is a technology-driven real estate investment platform connecting high-net-worth individuals, family offices and institutional investors with institutional-quality real estate opportunities. Bringing together investment expertise and financial technology, RealAssets.com focuses on expanding access to real assets. Through its Assets on Blockchain Conference, the company convenes leaders across finance, technology and policy to explore how tokenization can transform asset ownership and financing.
For more information, visit www.realassets.com.
About RACE
RACE is a separately governed blockchain infrastructure ecosystem designed to support the lifecycle of real-world assets, from onboarding and verification to programmable transactions and settlement, connecting financial market participants with blockchain-based applications.
About Luna PR
Luna PR is a global strategic communications firm specializing in emerging technologies, financial services, and capital markets. Headquartered in Dubai, with offices in London and New York, the firm advises startups, publicly listed companies, financial institutions, and multinational organizations on corporate communications, reputation management, media relations, and executive positioning.
With expertise spanning digital assets, blockchain, artificial intelligence, fintech, robotics, and digital infrastructure, Luna PR helps organizations navigate complex markets, shape industry narratives, and engage stakeholders globally.
Combining international media relationships with strategic advisory capabilities, the firm delivers integrated communications solutions that strengthen institutional credibility, influence market perception, and support long-term business objectives.
darina@lunapr.io
Media gallery