Mirae Asset Management is joining hands with global real-world asset (RWA) tokenisation platform company Ondo Finance to move into exchange-traded fund (ETF) tokenisation. It plans to expand digital sales channels for its global ETF lineup, starting with U.S.-listed ETFs.

Mirae Asset Management said on Monday it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Ondo Finance to build digital-asset-based investment products and a tokenised finance ecosystem.

Tokenisation is a technology that represents traditional financial assets in the form of blockchain-based digital tokens. Tokenised ETF products are backed by existing ETFs but are issued and traded as separate blockchain-based digital securities.

This allows 24-hour trading, near real-time settlement (T+0) and broader access for global investors, it said.

Ondo Finance is a real-world asset tokenisation platform company that runs U.S. Treasury-based tokenised products such as USDY and OUSG.

Ondo Global Markets, Ondo Finance's tokenised stock and ETF platform, has topped $1 billion in total value locked (TVL) and offers more than 260 tokenised securities.

Mirae Asset Management will use the agreement to pursue tokenisation of its existing listed ETF lineup. It will start with U.S.-listed ETFs and then gradually expand the scope of tokenised assets to global markets including Canada, Europe, Australia, Japan and Hong Kong. It will also review tokenisation of various asset classes such as commodities.

Younghwan Kim (김영환), president and head of the Global Management Division at Mirae Asset Management, said, "Tokenisation is a key technology that will change the paradigm of the asset management industry." He added, "Through this cooperation, we will provide more efficient investment solutions."