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Awesome Digital Assets in Financial Services (European Focus) Awesome PushRequests License: CC0 Last Updated

Awesome Digital Assets Logo

A curated collection of high-quality resources on blockchain, tokenization, and DLT-based capital markets — with a focus on European institutional use cases and regulation.

📌 Made for professionals and curious minds who want to understand the evolving DLT-based financial system

⭐️ Resources marked with a star are recommended beginner-friendly entry points.

Want to contribute? See my Guide for Contributors.

Questions, feedback, or ideas? Reach out on LinkedIn — Happy to connect!

Disclaimer: The resources linked here do not constitute financial advice and are exclusively external sources. The copyright of these great resources lies with the authors.

Contents

Digital Assets & Tokenization

DLT-based Capital Market

Tokenization by Asset Class

Tokenized Funds

Tokenized Securities & Bonds

Tokenized Real Estate

Other Tokenized Asset Classes (loans, commodities, etc.)

Digital Money

Important note: This list covers digital money only when it can potentially be used in capital markets transactions. Therefore, the retail digital euro is currently excluded, as it is intended solely for retail use at this stage.

CBDCs (Central Bank Digital Currencies)

Wholesale CBDCs

Retail CBDCs

  • Atlantic Council CBDC Tracker - Atlantic Council CBDC Tracker – Interactive tracker monitoring CBDC development globally. Provides up-to-date status on 100+ countries' CBDC projects (research, pilot, launched), including European initiatives like the euro, e-krona, digital pound, and various wholesale CBDC experiments.
  • CBDC Tracker - The CBDC Tracker is a website that provides information on ongoing projects and developments in the field of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs). The CBDC Tracker serves as a central source of information for those interested in keeping up to date with global developments in the field of central bank digital currencies.

Tokenized Bank Deposits

  • DK: Commercial Bank Money Token (CBMT) - The commercial bank money token, CBMT, represents a pioneering step towards a more digitalised financial system, achieved by placing commercial bank money onto distributed ledger technology, DLT.
  • Deposit Tokens: A foundation for stable digital money - Report of Oliver Wyman explaining the role deposit tokens can play in the evolution of digital money.
  • EBA: Report on Tokenised Deposits - As part of the European Banking Authority's (EBA) 2024-25 priorities on innovative applications, an analysis on the tokenisation of deposits by credit institutions has been carried out to identify existing cases, potential benefits and challenges.

Stablecoins (Privately Issued Money)

  • (NEW) BCG: Stablecoins Whitepaper - Recent BCG study on the stablecoin market and use cases, exploring their value proposition and long-term potential.
  • Circle Payments Network Whitepaper - Circle Payments Network brings financial institutions together in a compliant, seamless, and programmable framework.
  • Ubyx: Stablecoin Ubiquity - Ubyx proposes the idea of a clearing system that allows stablecoins from many issuers to be deposited and multiple currencies into existing bank and fintech accounts with the goal to meet the test for singleness of money.

Decentralized Finance (DeFi)

Industry Initiatives & Networks

BIS Innovation Hub

The BIS Innovation Hub aims to foster international collaboration on innovative financial technology within the central banking community.

  • BIS Innovation Hub



    Completed

    • Project Aurum 2.0 - The project seeks to advance the practical understanding of central banks around privacy when designing their CBDC systems and demonstrate to public sector how technology can protect personal data in the CBDC space.

    • Project Promissa - The project experiments with the concept of synchronisation, in which transactions settle using central bank money (reserves kept by commercial banks in the central bank) in an RTGS system.

    • Project Polaris - Project Polaris is focused on designing secure and resilient CBDC systems, online and offline. Over several workstreams, Project Polaris will provide central banks with the essential information needed to inform decision-making, architecture, design, implementation planning and investments.

    • Project Jura - Project Jura explores the direct transfer of euro and Swiss franc wholesale central bank digital currencies (wCBDCs) between French and Swiss commercial banks on a single DLT platform operated by a third party. It continues the experimentation under Project Helvetia.

    • Project Helvetia - Project Helvetia started a multi-phase investigation by the BIS Innovation Hub, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) and the financial infrastructure operator SIX. The project explored how central banks could offer settlement in central bank money in a future with more tokenised financial assets.

    • Project Icebreaker - Project Icebreaker explored a specific way to interlink rCBDC systems (the hub-and-spoke solution) with several additional features that would allow the Icebreaker model to be readily scaled up.

    • Project Genesis - Innovative technologies can foster a greener future by transforming finance. Project Genesis 1.0 and 2.0 aim at making it more attractive to issue and invest in green bonds.

    • Project Dynamo - The focus of Project Dynamo was on wholesale adoption explorations of CBDCs, Deposit Token, and Smart Contracts, including adoption challenges and the broader market development outlook for key market participants.



    Ongoing

    • Project Meridian - The project experiments with the concept of synchronisation, in which transactions settle using central bank money (reserves kept by commercial banks in the central bank) in an RTGS system.
    • Project Agorá - The project builds on the unified ledger concept proposed by the BIS and will investigate how tokenised commercial bank deposits can be seamlessly integrated with tokenised wholesale central bank money in a public-private programmable core financial platform.
    • (NEW) Project Pine - Project Pine, a joint research study by the New York Fed's New York Innovation Center and the BIS Innovation Hub Swiss Centre, explored if and how central banks can continue implementing monetary policy operations in a tokenised world. - Project Pine: Final Project Report

ECB New Technologies for Wholesale Settlement Contact Group (NTW-CG)

The New Technologies for Wholesale settlement Contact Group (NTW-CG) provides expert input and keeps the Eurosystem up to date with advances in the use of distributed ledger technology and other new technologies in wholesale financial markets.

Other Consortia & Networks

  • Regulated Liability Network (RLN) - The Regulated Liability Network (RLN) is a contribution to the global debate on the future of money offered by a group of industry participants. It explores the technical, legal and business characteristics necessary to provide on-chain, 24*7 programmable, final settlement in sovereign currencies, consisting of the liabilities of both public and private regulated financial institutions.
  • Canton Network - A privacy-enabled interoperable blockchain network for institutional assets, launched in 2023 by Digital Asset and a consortium of financial firms. Aims to connect disparate systems and permissioned ledgers (using DAML smart contracts) into a synchronized network, allowing atomic transactions across organizations while preserving privacy – e.g. for interbank trading, collateral, and asset tokenization use cases.
  • Regulated Layer One (RL1) / SWIAT - RL1 is a global, open, and interoperable network designed for the financial services industry.

Technology & Infrastructure

Blockchain Platforms (commonly used in industry initiatives)

  • Hyperledger Fabric - Hyperledger Fabric, an open-source project from the Linux® Foundation, is a modular blockchain framework that is used for many non-financial blockchain use cases, but was also used in some popular initiatives like the Bundesbank Trigger Solution.
  • Hyperledger Besu - Hyperledger Besu is one of the most common frameworks for institutions that want to build on an EVM-based technology for the broad developer ecosystem and the flexibility to potentially switch to public later.
  • Corda - The Corda platform was created by the enterprise blockchain and software development company R3. Corda is an open-source blockchain-based distributed ledger technology and smart contract platform. It is especially popular among banks as it is based on known principles and programming languages (JVM / Kotlin).
  • DAML - DAML is an open-source smart contract language for building future-proof distributed applications developed by the company Digital Asset. It has been used in multiple company initiatives, e.g. the Canton Network.

Custody Solutions

  • Fireblocks - A leading digital asset infrastructure platform offering secure custody, wallet-as-a-service, payments, and tokenization solutions. Fireblocks employs multi-party computation (MPC) technology to safeguard digital assets (e.g., used by Revolut, Crypto.com).
  • Taurus - A Swiss-based digital asset infrastructure provider offering a comprehensive platform for custody, issuance, and management of digital assets (e.g., used by Deutsche Bank, State Street, Santander, UBS).
  • Metaco - A Swiss digital asset custody firm acquired by Ripple, providing custody orchestration platforms for financial institutions (e.g., used by Citi, BBVA, DBS, BNP Paribas, DZ Bank, Standard Chartered)
  • BitGo - Pioneering multi-signature wallet technology, BitGo provides institutional-grade custody with advanced security protocols, insurance coverage, and real-time portfolio tracking capabilities (e.g. used by Galaxy Digital (acquired BitGo), Pantera Capital, Nexo).
  • Ledger Enterprise - Enterprise-grade custody with HSM-backed private key storage and governance workflows (e.g., used by Nomura (via Komainu), Uphold).
  • Copper - Custody and off-exchange settlement (ClearLoop), focused on institutional flexibility and DeFi access (e.g., used by Bitfinex).

Interoperability Solutions

Market Insights

Research & Reports

🇩🇪 German Resources

Data & Analytics Platforms

  • Particula Reports - High quality reports and ratings for individual projects.
  • rwa.xyz - Rwa.xyz aggregates and standardizes first-party data to provide an accurate and intuitive market intelligence experience for investors, protocols, regulators, and service providers. We are a New York City-based company.
  • Cambridge Digital Money Dashboard - The CDMD is envisaged to be a one-stop platform that brings together relevant digital asset adoption and risk indicators, allowing for multi-stakeholder uses and comparison. It aims to offer policymakers, financial authorities, academics, industry and the general public access to reliable information and analytical tools for thorough and insightful decision making.

Regulation

EU Regulatory Frameworks & Relevant Standards

  • MiCAR - Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) Regulation – Landmark EU regulation (2023) establishing a harmonized framework for crypto-asset issuers, service providers, and stablecoins.
  • BCBS: SCO60 - Cryptoasset exposures - Basel Committee Cryptoasset Exposure Standard – Global banking standard (Dec 2022) for prudential treatment of banks' crypto-asset exposures.
  • Travel Rule - EU Transfer of Funds (Travel Rule) Regulation – Implements the FATF “Travel Rule” in the EU (Regulation 2023/1113), requiring CASPs to include sender/receiver info with crypto transfers (effective Dec 2024).
  • EU DLT Pilot Regime - EU DLT Pilot Regime – EU's pilot framework (2023–2026) allowing market infrastructures to trade and settle tokenized securities on DLT with temporary regulatory exemptions.
  • DORA - The Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) is an EU regulation aimed at strengthening the digital resilience of financial entities. It establishes a framework for managing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) risks, ensuring financial institutions can withstand, respond to, and recover from ICT disruptions.

Regulation Research & Analysis

  • PwC Global Crypto Regulation Report 2025 - This report provides an overview of the global regulatory landscape, how the regulatory frameworks are developing across the world, and the impact on crypto and traditional financial services firms.

Events (Where to Connect with the Community)

  • Crypto Assets Conference (CAC) - The Crypto Assets Conference offers in-depth insights into current topics shaping the financial world. Over 500 industry experts, leading financial players, and regulatory decision-makers will meet in Frankfurt to discuss the latest developments in blockchain, digital assets and tokenized securities, including international regulatory frameworks.
  • Paris Blockchain Week - Paris Blockchain Week is the premier destination for blockchain professionals, attracting the world's foremost thought leaders, innovators, and industry drivers. As a pioneering event in the blockchain space, it is dedicated to fostering unparalleled innovation, collaboration, and knowledge sharing.
  • Digital Euro Conference - One of the largest events exclusively for advancements in central bank digital currencies, stablecoins, commercial bank money tokens, and the future of money.
  • Digital Assets Week - Conference series focused on institutional adoption of digital assets. Brings together banks, asset managers, fintechs, and regulators to discuss tokenized securities, regulatory compliance (MiCA, etc.), and innovations in crypto-market infrastructure.
  • European Blockchain Convention - European Blockchain Convention – One of Europe's premier blockchain events (held in Barcelona). Gathers industry leaders, startups, and EU policymakers to explore blockchain in finance. Features panels on topics like MiCA compliance, enterprise DLT use cases, and the future of Web3 in the European financial sector.
  • TUM Blockchain Conference - The TUM Blockchain Conference unites visionaries and thought leaders in a non-profit setting to transform Web3's potential from promise to action through collaboration and open dialogue. This initiative, organized by the TUM Blockchain Club, is fueled by students' passion for education, innovation, and community.
  • (NEW) Point Zero Forum - The Point Zero Forum is a high-level annual event in Zurich that explores the future of finance, with blockchain as one of the focus topics. It brings together policymakers, banks, and tech leaders aiming to advance the regulated adoption of blockchain in financial services.

Thought Leaders, Associations & Standards

  • INATBA - INATBA (International Association for Trusted Blockchain Applications) – Industry association convening blockchain developers, corporates, and policymakers (launched with EU Commission support). INATBA works on public-private dialogue and produces working group outputs on topics like privacy, interoperability, and regulatory compliance (e.g. recommendations on DeFi regulation and social impact of DLT).
  • Global Digital Finance (GDF) - Global Digital Finance (GDF) – Global members organization advocating for best practices and standards in the digital assets industry. Publishes an influential Code of Conduct for cryptoasset and DeFi firms, taxonomy reports, and engages with regulators (including Europe's regulators) on policy development.
  • Digital Euro Association (DEA) - Digital Euro Association (DEA) – Think tank focusing on CBDCs, stablecoins, and other forms of digital money in Europe. Provides research papers, webinars, and policy recommendations – for example, analyses of digital euro design choices, privacy issues, and how a euro CBDC could coexist with private-sector stablecoins.

How to stay up to date (News & Media)

News Sites

  • Ledger Insights - One of the most comprehensive news sites for institutional blockchain news. ⭐️
  • CoinDesk - One of the largest and most popular crypto media outlets in the world. Originally founded in 2013, CoinDesk features news articles, videos, podcasts, and newsletters for breaking news and expert opinions.
  • Forbes: Digital Assets - Insights into the biggest events shaping the blockchain and crypto industry.
  • The Block - The Block features breaking crypto news, in-depth research reports, and data dashboards that illustrate on-chain metrics.

Podcasts

  • Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'roll - The finance podcast between the traditional and the future financial system built on blockchain. ⭐️
  • Chainalysis: Public Key Podcast - Public Key is the cryptocurrency and compliance podcast, brought to you by Chainalysis. Every week, Chainalysis Chief Marketing Officer Ian Andrews sits down with thought leaders in the space to discuss a range of topics.
  • On The Brink with Castle Island - A popular weekly podcast (by Castle Island Ventures) covering crypto and digital asset industry news from an institutional and policy angle. Frequent discussions on regulation, market structure, and macro trends with notable guests (industry executives, researchers, and regulators).
  • Bankless - An influential podcast exploring how blockchain and Web3 can transform finance and society.
  • The Money Movement - A podcast hosted by Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire, focusing on digital currency in finance. Episodes (2020–present) cover trends like stablecoin use in banking, CBDC developments, and conversations with bankers, technologists, and lawmakers shaping the future of money.
🇩🇪 German Resources
  • Crypto Nerds Podcast - Practical crypto knowledge for beginners and anyone who wants to learn more. Are you new to the topics of crypto, Bitcoin, Web3 & Co? Then the Crypto Nerds Podcast is the right place for you.

Newsletters & Telegram Channels

  • CoinDesk Newsletter - Free newsletter (published weekly) that tracks the intersection of cryptocurrency and government. Excellent for staying updated on regulatory developments, enforcement actions, and policy debates in the US, Europe, and globally – including coverage of EU initiatives like MiCA, AML rules, and central bank digital currencies.
  • RWA Tokenization Insights by Particula - Up to date Insights on Real-World Asset Tokenization and Institutional Adoption Across All Asset Classes.
🇩🇪 German Resources
  • Blockstories Newsletter - Every Tuesday & Friday, we send out a newsletter that informs thousands of readers about the most important developments on the crypto market. Compact, to the point and without hype. ⭐️

Educational Resources

Other DLT-related Awesome Lists

  • Bitcoin - Bitcoin services and tools for software developers.
  • Ripple - Open-source distributed settlement network.
  • Ethereum - Distributed computing platform for smart contract development.
  • Corda - Open-source blockchain platform designed for business.
  • Waves - Open-source blockchain platform and development toolset for Web 3.0 apps and decentralized solutions.
  • Substrate - Framework for writing scalable, upgradeable blockchains in Rust.
  • Stacks - A smart contract platform secured by Bitcoin.
  • Algorand - An open-source, proof of stake blockchain and smart contract computing platform.
  • Cosmos SDK - Modular framework for building app-specific blockchains in Go.

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Collection of high-quality resources on blockchain, tokenization, and DLT-based capital markets (EU-Focus)

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