In response to the LawTech Delivery Panel’s report, Todd McDonald, co-founder at blockchain firm R3, said: “The report vindicates what we have long said, that blockchain and tokenisation of assets represent the future and can fit comfortably with existing regulatory frameworks, provided the architecture and designs are properly thought through. The private and permissioned nature of R3’s Corda fits well with the principles as outlined in the report.
“The creation of a new global capital market powered by digital tokens is one of the most exciting – and ambitious – promises of blockchain technology. Tokens hold the potential to create new opportunities for capital formation, liquidity and more efficient asset management in a huge range of markets.
“Properly regulated tokens, fit for real businesses, are on the cusp of becoming a reality in financial markets. Momentum is being fuelled by innovation in areas such as custody, settlement and post-trade – which remain critical functions in regulated financial markets – with providers developing an ecosystem of services that replicate these functions for digital assets traded in a blockchain environment.
“In order to further accelerate the adoption of digital asset trading, R3 set up a working group in 2017 with 104 participants drawn from banks, law-firms, exchange groups and buy-side firms. The working group is a collaborative effort to develop and support shared standards and regulatory approaches around digital assets and we see this report supporting the group’s thinking.”