BlackRock to launch tokenized investment fund with Securitize

Quick Take

  • BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, has notified regulators that it will offer a tokenized pooled investment fund. 
  • According to the filing, the pooled investment fund will require outside investors to put down a minimum of $100,000. 

BlackRock is launching a tokenized private equity fund in tandem with financial services firm Securitize as the company deepens its foray into digital assets. 

Last Thursday, the world's largest asset manager filed a Form D, or a notice of exempt securities offerings, to the Securities and Exchange Commission regarding its USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund. According to the filing, the pooled investment fund will require outside investors to put down a minimum of $100,000.
 
The notice shows the fund's estimated sales commissions are set at $525,000, with no finder's fees reported. The notice does not provide a launch date for the asset manager's latest offering. Securitize Markets, a regulatory-friendly platform for digital assets based in Miami, is listed as conducting the sale. 
 
A token called BlackRock USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund (BUIDL) was created on March 5 on the Ethereum blockchain, according to Etherscan. It has a maximum quantity of 100 tokens but so far, only one holder. 
 
Since regulators gave it the green light in January, BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin ETF (IBIT) has accumulated $15.5 billion in assets under management, making it the second-largest spot bitcoin ETF, according to data compiled by The Block. The firm has over $9 trillion in assets under management. 
 
Neither BlackRock nor Securitize were immediately available for comment. 

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About Author

Elizabeth Napolitano is a data reporter covering business and technology news, with a focus on cryptocurrencies. Prior to joining The Block, Elizabeth reported on BigTech, AI, crypto and videogames for CBS Moneywatch. As a CoinDesk reporter, she covered DeFi, NFTs and U.S. courts. She holds an MA in Journalism from CUNY. Follow her on X: @LizKNapolitano

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