Today Nihon Unisys said it plans to launch a security token platform in the spring of 2022. The blockchain platform will support the issuance, transfer and redemption of the security tokens. Typically tokenization platforms aren’t only for digitizing stocks but can also tokenize real estate or wine bottles, as examples.
At the start, Unisys will support ERC-20 Ethereum tokens and may support non-fungible tokens in the future, such as for digital art and other intellectual property.
In the past, Unisys has used Enterprise Ethereum, and it did not clarify whether the solution will be on a public or permissioned network. Whichever technology is used, security tokens have to be legally compliant, as they are not owned anonymously.
Unisys is a member of the Japan Security Token Association (JSTA), one of two significant member bodies in Japan. While JSTA primarily has technology startups and corporates as members (with a few exceptions), most of Japan’s large financial institutions are part of the Japan Security Token Offering Association (JSTOA). Members include SBI Securities, SMBC Nikko Securities, Nomura Securities and Daiwa Securities.
Meanwhile, due to Japan’s legal changes to support security token offerings (STOs), multiple solutions are targeting the market. Nomura launched BOOSTRY, which received an investment from SBI. A consortium has been created involving BOOSTRY, Nomura, SBI and SMBC Nikko Securities to use BOOSTRY’s ibet solution for security tokens.
Startup Securitize, which announced a $48 million funding this week, partnered with LIFULL for a real estate solution. Securitize is also collaborating with NTT Data for an STO solution. In earlier funding rounds, Securitize was backed by Sony Financial Ventures, Nomura, MUFG and SBI.
