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Security tokens bring the promise of major benefits for broker-dealers, from making processes more efficient to offering additional liquidity. But navigating this rapidly evolving space to take advantage of security tokenization can prove a challenge.

Industry

What is tokenization and how does it work?

Tokenization is the process of converting real-world assets into digital tokens on a blockchain. These tokens represent ownership or stakes in the underlying asset. Polymath’s platform makes tokenization easy by providing a suite of tools that manage the legal, financial, and technical aspects of issuing digital securities.

What are security tokens?

Security tokens are digital representations of traditional securities (like debt, equity, or real estate) on a blockchain. Just like their traditional counterparts, they are subject to regulatory oversight and must adhere to strict compliance standards.

By leveraging blockchain technology, security tokens streamline traditionally cumbersome, manual processes, offering increased efficiency, transparency, and automation. They provide a reliable, tamper-proof source of truth that all parties can depend on.

As of 2025, the security token market continues to grow rapidly, with projections suggesting it could surpass $2 trillion globally in the coming years. Industry experts, including Deloitte, predict that security tokens will become integral to the future of finance, reshaping how assets are traded and managed across the globe.

How are security tokens created?

There are two ways that security tokens can be created. The first is through asset tokenization, which is when a traditional financial asset that exists off-chain is represented on-chain, making it a ‘tokenized security’. An example of this would be tokenizing an existing share certificate. The second is through asset origination, which is when a financial asset is defined and exists only on the blockchain. These assets are often described as ‘natively digital securities’.

What advantages do digital securities on the blockchain have over traditional securities?

The traditional securities lifecycle is very inefficient, which limits scale, cuts into profit, and constrains product offerings for banks, broker-dealers, asset managers, issuers and investors alike.

Digitizing securities on the blockchain can bring benefits including:

  • Increased efficiency: Blockchain can reduce costs associated with bond issuance by almost 90% and can significantly reduce costs associated with other processes (i.e. corporate actions, reconciliation) through automation and transparent record keeping.
  • Reduced compliance cost: The financial industry spends $181b per year on compliance and this is expected to increase as rules grow in scope and complexity. On blockchain, rules are programmed directly into the security token, which reduces the risk of error and makes it 30-50% cheaper to manage complex compliance requirements.
  • Improved liquidity: There is $4 trillion locked in private equity and trillions in real estate. By removing administrative and technological roadblocks, tokenization opens assets up to a global investor pool, provides a way to trade previously illiquid assets, and stands to narrow the 20-30% illiquidity discount currently levied against private companies.
  • Increased transparency: Security tokens give issuers, investors, and agents access to the same source of truth, which helps the cap table stay up-to-date and reduces disputes around record keeping.
  • Facilitated innovation: Outdated financial infrastructure and manual processing requirements limit the type, scale, and availability of product and service offerings. Programmable smart contracts and a shared ledger open the door to fractionalized real estate, liquid revenue share agreements, dynamic ETFs, and other previously unmanageable offerings.

Polymath

What is Polymath and what do you do?

Polymath is a blockchain-based platform that helps businesses tokenize real-world assets, offering solutions for securities token offerings (STOs). Our goal is to simplify the creation, issuance, and management of digital securities, enabling businesses to raise capital efficiently and securely while complying with global regulations.

How does Polymath ensure regulatory compliance?

Polymath is committed to ensuring that tokenized securities meet regulatory requirements across different jurisdictions. Our platform includes features that support KYC/AML (Know Your Customer/Anti-Money Laundering) checks, investor accreditation, and other legal frameworks necessary for compliance. We also provide legal templates to help issuers draft legally compliant documents.

Who can benefit from using Polymath’s platform?

Polymath’s solutions are designed for a wide range of users, including issuers, investors, legal firms, fund managers, venture capitalists, and financial advisors. Whether you are looking to raise capital, create new investment opportunities, or manage digital securities, Polymath has tools that can help.

What is the Polymath Capital Platform?

The Polymath Capital Platform is an all-in-one solution for managing the lifecycle of tokenized securities. It includes tools for creating, issuing, and managing tokens representing real-world assets, enabling businesses to access a global pool of investors while ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. For more information visit our Polymath Capital Platform page.

What is Token Studio?

Polymath Token Studio is a user-friendly platform that simplifies the creation and management of security tokens. It provides powerful tools for issuers to design, launch, and maintain digital securities while ensuring full regulatory compliance.

Key features:

  • Customizable templates. Easily create tokenized assets like equity, debt, or fund interests using pre-built templates.
  • Automated compliance. Ensures your token complies with relevant regulations, streamlining the issuance process.
  • Blockchain integration. Leverages blockchain technology to ensure your digital securities are secure and scalable.
  • Simplified token issuance. A step-by-step process that eliminates technical complexities for issuers, making security token offerings (STOs) more accessible.

For more information, visit our Token Studio page.

What is "Node as a Service"?

Node as a Service is a feature that allows businesses to host their own blockchain node on the Polymath network without the need for technical infrastructure or maintenance. It ensures high uptime, reliability, and scalability, enabling your tokenized securities to operate smoothly in a decentralized environment.

Can I integrate Polymath’s platform with other systems?

Yes! Polymath’s platform is built with integration in mind. We offer APIs and other tools that allow seamless integration with existing financial, legal, and business systems. Whether you need to integrate with an existing investment platform or manage tokenized assets through an enterprise solution, we’ve got you covered.

Technology

Polymesh

What is Polymesh?

Polymesh is a purpose-built blockchain designed specifically for the tokenization of financial assets. It was created to provide a secure, scalable, and compliant platform for digital securities. Polymesh is designed to meet the legal and regulatory requirements that traditional securities markets demand, making it the ideal blockchain for issuing and managing tokenized assets.

How is Polymesh different from other blockchains like Ethereum?

Unlike Ethereum, which is a general-purpose blockchain, Polymesh is built specifically for the tokenization of regulated assets. Polymesh integrates features like on-chain identity verification, regulatory compliance, and governance mechanisms tailored to the needs of the financial industry. This makes Polymesh the ideal blockchain for digital securities, providing the necessary infrastructure to meet legal and regulatory standards.

What are the key features of Polymesh?

Polymesh offers several key features, including:

  • Built-in compliance. It supports regulatory features such as KYC/AML, accreditation, and transfer restrictions.
  • Identity layer. Polymesh has a unique identity layer that links entities and individuals to their on-chain presence.
  • Governance. Polymesh enables governance features that allow stakeholders to participate in decision-making processes.
  • Scalability and performance. Polymesh is designed for high throughput and low transaction costs, making it ideal for enterprise use.
What is the Polymesh token (POLY)?

The Polymesh token (POLY) is the native utility token of the Polymesh blockchain. It is used for transaction fees, governance, and staking within the Polymesh network. POLY enables the decentralized operation of the platform, ensuring its security and sustainability.

ERC 1400

What is ERC-1400?

ERC-1400 is a blockchain standard specifically designed for the issuance and management of security tokens. It combines the flexibility of token standards like ERC-20 with the specific needs of the financial industry, ensuring that tokenized securities are compliant with regulations and can be traded within the constraints of securities laws. The standard provides a framework for managing security tokens in a way that supports regulatory requirements such as KYC/AML, investor accreditation, and transfer restrictions.

What are the key features of ERC-1400 standard?
  • Partitioned balance. Tokens can be segregated by share type or regulatory restrictions.
  • Compliance. Enforces KYC and AML rules, allowing transfers to be blocked if regulations aren’t met.
  • Transparency. Provides clear error codes for failed transactions.
  • Interoperability. Compatible with ERC-20 and ERC-721 tokens, ensuring easy integration.
  • Off-chain data. Integrates with off-chain systems for regulatory checks and audit trails.
  • Forced transfers. Allows issuers to initiate transfers in certain regulatory situations.
How does ERC-1400 differ from other token standards like ERC-20?

While ERC-20 is a general-purpose token standard, ERC-1400 is specifically designed for security tokens. It combines the basic functionality of ERC-20 tokens (transfer, balance, etc.) with additional features tailored to the regulatory requirements of securities markets. ERC-1400 includes compliance checks, such as KYC/AML, investor accreditation, and transfer restrictions, which are not included in the ERC-20 standard. These features make ERC-1400 suitable for the regulated world of digital securities.

Why does ERC-1400 Standard matter?

ERC-1400 bridges blockchain and traditional finance, making tokenized securities compliant with industry regulations. It ensures:

  • Regulatory compliance. Includes whitelist/blacklist management and transfer restrictions.
  • Token segmentation. Allows tokens to be categorized by investor type, share class, or regulatory constraints.
  • Transparency. Enhances trust through clear transaction feedback.
  • Industry standardization. Ensures compatibility with Ethereum-based systems, reducing costs and boosting adoption.
Can I use ERC-1400 for cross-border tokenized securities?

Yes, ERC-1400’s flexibility and regulatory compliance features make it suitable for tokenized securities that may be traded across borders. By implementing transfer restrictions and investor accreditation requirements tailored to each jurisdiction, ERC-1400 can help issuers manage cross-border compliance, ensuring that tokenized securities are only available to authorized participants in specific regions.

ST-20 standard

What is the ST-20 standard?

The ST-20 standard is a set of guidelines for the tokenization of securities on the Polymath network. It ensures that tokenized assets are fully compliant with securities laws and regulations. This standard provides a common framework for issuing, managing, and transferring digital securities while adhering to legal and regulatory requirements.

Why is the ST-20 standard important?

The ST-20 standard is crucial because it provides a secure and compliant framework for issuing tokenized securities. By following the ST-20 standard, issuers can ensure that their tokenized assets are legally recognized as securities, enabling them to raise capital from a wider pool of institutional and accredited investors while meeting regulatory requirements.

How does the ST-20 standard support regulatory compliance?

The ST-20 standard includes features such as investor accreditation, KYC/AML compliance, and customizable restrictions on the transferability of tokens. These features help ensure that tokenized securities comply with relevant regulations in different jurisdictions, offering both issuers and investors peace of mind regarding legal matters.

How does the ST-20 standard differ from other token standards?

The ST-20 standard is specifically designed for the tokenization of securities, making it different from other standards like ERC-20 or ERC-721, which are not focused on regulatory compliance. The ST-20 standard integrates legal, financial, and technical components to ensure that tokenized securities are in line with global securities laws, while other standards may not provide such regulatory support.