Ant Digital Technologies, a unit of Ant Group, said today it has linked more than 60b yuan, about $8.4b, of energy infrastructure and power assets to its AntChain blockchain, Bloomberg reported.
The move ties over 15m devices, from wind turbines to solar panels and charging units, to a ledger that records output and tracks outages. Ant has also issued tokens backed by some of those assets and used them to raise capital, including about 300m yuan for three clean energy projects.
What the system does?
AntChain captures data from connected devices, and the chain logs power production and notes when equipment goes offline. That record is unchangeable. It gives a continuous view of what the grid is doing.
The firm has already tokenised part of that asset pool. Investors can buy digital tokens that represent a share of project returns. The company says this cuts out some traditional middlemen and can speed up financing.
Early results and deals
Ant Digital says it secured funding through token sales this way. In one case last year, it helped Longshine Technology Group raise 100m yuan.
It also linked more than 9,000 charging units to AntChain and later arranged over 200m yuan in funding for GCL Energy Technology by putting its photovoltaic assets on the ledger. The new financing model has now moved beyond tests to cover a large set of energy assets.
How tokenisation changes financing?
Tokenisation lets project owners offer fractional stakes or revenue rights in digital form. That can reduce the need for loan officers and underwriters. It can also let smaller investors take part in big projects.
Ant Digital has even worked with offshore investors in past deals. Executives are now weighing plans to list these tokens on offshore exchanges to boost liquidity. Those plans remain tentative and will depend on regulators.
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Wider trend and competitors
The tokenisation of real-world assets is gaining traction globally, and firms in the US and Europe have started to set clearer rules for digital assets. Other companies are also moving assets onto blockchains.
Some projects focus on equities and bonds, others on treasuries or fractional real estate. Ant’s program puts energy assets into that same shift. Its scale stands out because the total value linked to AntChain is much larger than most earlier pilots.
Ant’s broader strategy
Ant Group is best known for Alipay. After regulators halted its IPO in 2020 and limited its lending business, the firm shifted to cross-border payments and enterprise services.
Blockchain has become central to that shift, and Ant has been exploring stablecoin licences in places such as Singapore and Hong Kong.
Its Whale blockchain already handles part of the payment volume that flows through Ant’s global platform. Executives see tokenisation as a way to bring new investors into infrastructure projects and to speed capital flows.
Partnerships and new hires
Ant Digital has also moved into Web3 partnerships. It signed a collaboration with Sui on December 14 to speed the integration of real-world assets into the Web3 ecosystem.
Meanwhile, the firm is testing token models and legal structures that would let assets move between markets while following local rules.
Risks and regulatory hurdles
Tokenisation still faces hurdles. Market players say projects need clear rules on custody, investor protection, and compliance. Any move to trade tokens on offshore exchanges will likely need regulatory sign-off.
The legal and tax treatment of tokenised assets can vary between jurisdictions. That creates uncertainty for issuers and buyers alike.
What comes next
Ant Digital’s work shows how blockchain can be used to tie physical assets to digital tokens at scale. If regulators approve cross-border trading, the tokens could gain liquidity and reach more investors.
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