Tokenization news: $1.1T Schroders brings emerging market bond fund to Solana - CoinDesk
Global asset manager Schroders is tokenizing its emerging markets bond strategy on the Solana blockchain, marking its first deployment on the platform and expanding beyond traditional money market funds.
The London-based asset manager, which oversees $1.1 trillion in assets, is working with tokenization specialist Centrifuge to bring its Schroder International Selection Fund Emerging Market Bonds strategy to the blockchain. This initiative allows investors to hold tokenized shares in a feeder fund that invests in Schroders' underlying bond fund, with share values tracking its net asset value.
The strategy invests in debt issued by governments and companies across emerging economies, providing exposure to markets and currencies beyond the U.S. and Europe. Schroders has managed emerging markets debt for over 50 years, with more than 40 investment professionals dedicated to the asset class.
Expanding Tokenization
Schroders' move highlights how global asset managers' tokenization push is expanding beyond cash-like products that have dominated early growth. Tokenized U.S. Treasuries and money market funds still make up $14 billion of the $39 billion tokenized real-world asset market, according to RWA.xyz.
Emerging markets bonds offer a different investment proposition, with returns tied to creditworthiness, currency movements and economic conditions across developing countries.
Strategic Partnership
Centrifuge, with over $750 million in tokenized assets on its platform, provides the infrastructure to issue and manage these assets. The SISF is legally a feeder fund with an onchain share class that invests in Schroders' Emerging Market Bond Fund.
Schroders previously obtained regulatory approval in Ireland for its first tokenized share class of a U.S. dollar money market fund, called SOAR, in August 2026. The firm's debut on Solana follows similar moves by other major asset managers.
As the digital financial ecosystem develops, we also recognise the importance of bringing relevant emerging markets debt opportunities onchain, helping to make the asset class more accessible and fit for the future.
Industry Trend
Schroders is the latest global asset manager to bring investment strategies onto blockchain rails. Federated Hermes, overseeing $911 billion, plans to issue its first tokenized fund shares in early 2027. New York Life's asset management arm, with over $800 billion under management, has also entered the market through Centrifuge.
The tokenization market continues to evolve, moving beyond simple cash products to more sophisticated investment strategies. Solana Foundation's Nick Ducoff emphasized this shift, stating that the arrival of asset managers like Schroders marks a new stage for onchain capital markets.
This development represents a significant step in the integration of traditional finance with blockchain technology, potentially increasing accessibility and efficiency for investors seeking exposure to emerging markets debt.
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