ABU DHABI, UAE, April 28th, 2026, Chainwire
ADGM’s Registration Authority (RA) and Hashed Open Research (HOR) have written a new policy report together. HOR is a policy think tank run by Hashed.
The report sums up the main points from the “Web3 Leaders Roundtable.” ADGM held this meeting with Hashed during Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW) 2025.
Who took part
The closed-door roundtable brought together about 40 senior leaders. They came from global financial firms, regulators, and infrastructure companies. Participants included:
- Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA)
- BlackRock
- The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC)
- Franklin Templeton
- Circle
- Consensys
- Solana Foundation
- The European Commission
- The Government of Liechtenstein
Talks focused on how AI and blockchain-based finance are coming together. They also covered the practical hurdles that slow down large firms from using digital assets.
AI Agents and Blockchain Infrastructure: Building Trusted Financial Systems at Scale
Participants discussed the growing use of AI in finance. They looked at what it means when systems make and carry out more decisions on their own.
Participants noted that machine-to-machine activity could outgrow systems built mainly for people. This could raise demand for safe, open systems that work at scale.
The report stresses records that can be checked and strong governance. It also describes blockchain-based systems as a more and more important base for trusted settlement.
Tokenisation is changing market structure
The roundtable also showed how tokenisation has moved beyond turning existing assets into digital form. It is now being used to redesign how markets work, including how assets are issued, sold, and settled.
Examples included:
- DTCC’s stated aim to tokenize the entirety of the U.S. capital markets
- Early bridges to adoption, such as tokenised gold products drawing money from traditional gold ETFs
DTCC has since moved ahead on this front. Read our report on how the DTCC tokenization service went live.
Participants noted that the way banks and accountants treat stablecoins and other digital settlement assets can affect adoption at scale. They also said personal AI agents (“digital twins”) may become a key way for people to take part in the digital economy.
Regulatory Uncertainty Remains the Primary Bottleneck for Institutional Adoption
The report notes that unclear rules are still the main barrier to wider use by large firms.
Key challenges included:
- Capital charges: under Basel capital rules, some digital-asset holdings carry risk-weighted asset charges. These charges can reach up to 1,250%.
- Overlapping checks: AML and KYC rules overlap across countries.
- Open questions: accounting and tax treatment is still not settled.
What works today
The report names stablecoins and real-time settlement as the most proven and practical ways to scale on-chain finance.
However, tokenization needs strong secondary market liquidity and reliable ways to redeem assets. Only then can it deliver real value and real upgrades to markets. Without them, tokenization risks becoming only a technical wrapper. Our RWA tokenization news page tracks how this market is developing.
The report also notes that rules that are too strict too early can hold back testing. This can happen before risks and control points are even visible.
It therefore stresses the need for balanced frameworks. These should give clarity and trust while leaving room for innovation.
What the authors said
H.E. Rashed Al Blooshi, Chief Executive Officer of ADGM Registration Authority (RA), said, “This report reflects ADGM’s commitment to convening global perspectives that help shape the future of finance. As AI and blockchain become increasingly embedded in financial systems and participate directly in economic activity, governance cannot be an afterthought.
The report highlights the control points that matter most in practice, including identity, permissions, auditability, and rights clarity, so that innovation can scale responsibly and remain aligned with market integrity. The focus must remain on building systems that are trusted, well-governed, and designed to operate at scale.”
“This was an occasion where global leaders from regulators, institutional investors, and infrastructure builders came together to discuss how capital market structure should be redesigned and who should lead that redesign, addressing substantive policy directions at the intersection of AI and blockchain,” said Simon Seojoon Kim, CEO of Hashed. “We hope this report serves as a concrete reference for the design of digital financial infrastructure.”
The full report is available on the ADGM website here and the Hashed Open Research website –www.hashedopenresearch.com.
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About ADGM
ADGM is the leading international financial centre (IFC) based in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. It is one of the world’s largest financial districts by size. It is also the largest IFC in the Middle East and Africa by the number of active licences.
ADGM is one of only a few places in the world, and the only one in the region, to directly apply the trusted legal system of English Common Law.
ADGM governs both Al Maryah and Al Reem Islands, which together form Abu Dhabi’s financial free zone. It links the economies of the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia (MEASA) region with global markets.
Its open and inclusive ecosystem supports financial and non-financial firms. It promotes innovation, sustainable growth, and long-term economic strength.
Through its continued growth and cross-border partnerships, ADGM is strengthening Abu Dhabi’s position as the ‘Capital of Capital’ and a leading global hub for finance, investment, and enterprise.
For more details on ADGM, please visit www.adgm.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram: @ADGM X: @adglobalmarket
For media queries, please contact:
Email: media@adgm.com
About Hashed
Hashed, established in 2017, is a web3 venture capital firm. It invests in and researches global startups and decentralized protocols.
The Hashed team has offices in Seoul, San Francisco, Singapore, Bangalore, and Abu Dhabi. Hashed has been the earliest supporter of many pioneering blockchain teams globally.
Hashed supports its portfolio companies as a ‘second team,’ helping web3 founders build global mass adoption.
Contact
Head of Communications
Wooster Han
Hashed
wooster@hashed.com
This is a press release / sponsored content. Read our Sponsored Content Policy. This article is not intended as financial advice. Educational purposes only.
