Hex Trust adds institutional custody for tokenized Uranium

Digital asset custody firm Hex Trust has integrated Etherlink, the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)-compatible layer 2 built on Tezos, to add institutional custody for xU3O8, a tokenized uranium asset issued on the network.

The integration is backed by Trilitech, the research and development (R&D) adoption hub for Tezos and developer of Etherlink, which is working with Hex Trust to connect institutional clients to xU3O8 and other Etherlink-based assets, according to a Tuesday announcement shared with Cointelegraph.

“Tokenized commodities like uranium are gaining institutional interest as more real-world assets move onchain,” said Giorgia Pellizzari, head of custody at Hex Trust.

Listed on multiple exchanges, xU3O8 allows users to invest in physical uranium, U308, the product created when uranium ore has been mined and milled. It is backed by uranium trading firm Curzon and UK-regulated exchange Archax.

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Hex Trust expands RWA services to Uranium

The addition of uranium extends Hex Trust’s services into a commodity that is tightly controlled and historically difficult for institutions to access.

Ben Elvidge, Trilitech’s head of commercial applications, called uranium a “perfect fit” for tokenization, citing challenges in market access and pricing transparency.

“Now we can solve both problems with blockchain rails. Having a proper regulated custodian like Hex Trust in the mix just makes it that much easier for institutions to dip their toes in the water,” he said.

Hex Trust is licensed in Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai and Italy. Last year, the firm announced it had from the Singapore financial regulator for a major payment institution (MPI) license.

Related:

Uranium.io brings Uranium trading onchain

Last year, Uranium.io, the world’s first decentralized application for uranium trading, in partnership with Curzon Uranium and Archax.

The platform is designed to lower barriers to entry in the global uranium trade, which was historically dominated by institutional investors. Prior to this, retail investors could only gain exposure to uranium through ETFs, as direct trading was largely restricted to institutional players with significant capital.

Earlier this year, Transak to let retail investors buy tokenized uranium with crypto or credit cards for as little as $10, a sharp drop from the $4.2 million minimum required in the over-the-counter market.

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