Swiss cryptocurrency fintech Taurus has launched an interbank network that is purpose-built for regulated institutions involved in digital asset operations.

On April 9, Taurus said in an announcement shared with Cointelegraph that it had launched Taurus-Network (TN), an interbank network designed to simplify and improve digital asset transactions between regulated financial institutions worldwide.

The network aims to improve collateral mobility, optimize settlement speed and reduce counterparty risk while benefiting capital and liquidity management in digital assets.

Among the key benefits of the network is the ability for participants to retain full sovereignty over assets, direct interaction with counterparties and automated compliance without third-party intervention, Taurus SA’s head of product infrastructure, Vassili Lavrov, told Cointelegraph.

Multiple banks already involved

The Taurus-Network launches with participation from several banks worldwide, including Arab Bank Switzerland, Capital Union Bank, Flowdesk, ISP Group, Misyon Bank and Swissquote.

According to Lavrov, all of those banks have taken meaningful steps to integrate digital asset capabilities within their operations, with most of them already offering custody of cryptocurrencies to their clients.

“By building on Taurus’ relationships with over 35 banking clients across four continents, the network is positioned to become the default infrastructure layer for compliant, high-trust digital asset activity,” he said.

A blockchain-agnostic network

As Taurus expects to tap major global regulated financial institutions for its network, the firm ensures that interoperability is among its core strengths.

Taurus-Network is blockchain-agnostic and supports both public and permissioned distributed ledger technologies, Lavrov said, adding:

“It’s engineered to enable seamless interaction across different digital asset types, whether cryptocurrencies, tokenized securities, or digital currencies.”

He added that the network is designed to interoperate across public and permissioned blockchains, so institutions “aren’t locked into one system.”

This is a developing story, and further information will be added as it becomes available.

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As more institutions explore blockchain-based finance, some industry leaders say tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) may surpass $30 trillion by the 2030s. Others are casting doubt on that projection.

In June 2024, Standard Chartered Bank and Synpulse predicted that RWAs may reach over $30 trillion by 2034. The narrative remained strong in the latter part of 2024, with some analysts expressing similar sentiments.

At Paris Blockchain Week 2025, a panel moderated by Cointelegraph’s managing editor, Gareth Jenkinson, brought together executives from across the tokenization ecosystem to discuss the future of RWAs. Participants included Charles Adkins of Hedera, Dotun Rominiyi from the London Stock Exchange, Shy Datika of INX, Steven Gaertner of Tiamonds and Securitize chief operating officer Michael Sonnenshein.

While the majority supported the $30 trillion estimate, Sonnenshein expressed skepticism.

The Truth Behind Tokenization and RWA panel. Source: Paris Blockchain Week

Securitize exec predicts a more conservative trajectory for RWAs

Sonnenshein, a former CEO of Grayscale Investments, said tokenized assets may not reach the $30 trillion mark. He argued that there are many “good systems” in place that already work for traditional assets:

“I have to just say, at the moment there obviously are some really good systems in place that allow some of these assets to trade. So, just because it can be tokenized doesn’t mean that it should be. And so, I’ll take the under on the $30 trillion number.”

Despite being an outlier in his predictions, Sonnenshein said he’s still bullish on RWAs, adding that his sentiment “doesn’t mean that tokenization isn’t here to stay.” 

Sonnenshein said that the space will still see a major explosion of investors who will see their wallets as not just a place for crypto speculation but also a “place that actually houses investments of theirs the way their brokerage accounts or investment accounts would as well.”

Related: BlackRock’s BUIDL expands to Solana as tokenized money market fund nears $2B

Tokenization doesn’t “translate well” to representing real estate ownership

Sonnenshein also questioned the viability of real estate as a primary use case for RWAs.

In the United Arab Emirates, government agencies have made moves to link tokenization with real estate. In January, local real estate developer Damac signed a $1 billion deal with RWA blockchain Mantra to tokenize real estate in the UAE. 

While some put their money on tokenized real estate, Sonnenshein cast doubt on the idea. “I’ll be the controversial one up here and just say I don’t think tokenization should have its eyes directly set on real estate,” he said during the panel. 

While the executive recognized the benefits of tokenizing real estate, he argued that this doesn’t translate well to representing ownership. 

“I’m sure there are all kinds of efficiencies that can be unlocked using blockchain technology to eliminate middlemen and escrow and all kinds of things in real estate. But I think today, what the onchain economy is demanding are more liquid assets,” he added. 

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Blockchain may soon earn itself a role in New York State’s voting processes and procedures.

New York Assemblymember Clyde Vanel introduced Bill A07716 on April 8, directing the state Board of Elections to evaluate how blockchain could help protect voter records and election results. The legislation is currently under consideration by the Assembly Election Law Committee.

According to the bill’s summary, the goal is to “study and evaluate the use of blockchain technology to protect voter records and election results.“

The bill mandates that the Board of Elections produce a report within one year assessing the potential benefits of blockchain in securing election data. The study must include input from experts in blockchain, cybersecurity, voter fraud and election recordkeeping.

Bill text. Source: New York State Assembly

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Blockchain applications in elections

This is not the first initiative that attempts to bring the tamper-proof features of blockchain technology to the voting process. In early March, the Bitcoin network was used to secure and store the results of the Williamson County, Tennessee Republican Party Convention’s March 4 election to determine the leadership and board of the local party chapter.

About a year ago, Brian Rose — an independent mayoral candidate in London — told Cointelegraph that blockchain-based voting systems could foster more transparency and public trust in the election process:

“Wouldn’t we all sleep better at night if the voting system was on the blockchain and you could really prove that identity and you could actually prove that vote and there would be an immutable record? This is the future and I think it takes someone like me who comes from a business background who’s intimately involved in the blockchain.”

Still, experts caution that blockchain systems are only as reliable as the data input into them — a concept often summarized as “garbage in, garbage out.” While blockchain offers tamper-resistant storage, it does not guarantee the integrity of the original data submission.

Related: Election tally: Does blockchain beat the ballot box?

A crypto-conscious assemblymember

Vanel is no stranger to blockchain-related initiatives, having introduced a bill that would establish criminal penalties to prevent cryptocurrency fraud and protect investors from rug pulls in early March. In January, he also stated that New York became the first US state to create a cryptocurrency task force to study the regulation, use and definition of digital currency.

He has also been a vocal commenter on the industry and its relationship with policymakers for years. In May 2019, Vanel said that the blockchain industry needs to be better at lobbying for itself and educating regulators.

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