Standard Chartered-Backed Zodia Custody Starts Safekeeping Tokenized Emeralds

Zodia Custody, the crypto custodian backed by big banks like Standard Chartered and SBI, will handle the safekeeping of tokenized emeralds, through a partnership with GEMx, a Swiss fintech company that specializes in blockchain-based co-ownership of the precious stones.

The partnership allows access to the gemstone market through the EmGemX token, a way for institutional investors to receive fractional ownership in a diversified portfolio of high-quality emeralds, according to a press release on Wednesday.

The tokenization of real world assets (RWAs) is bringing the blockchain world closer to traditional finance. In this case, physical emeralds, which have seen an average annual appreciation of around 9%, are stored in vaults and subject to regular, independent appraisals, the release said.

“Partnering with Zodia Custody is a major milestone in our mission to bring institutional trust and stability to the gemstone investment market,” said Paul Poltner, CEO and co-founder of GEMx.

"With GEMx, we’ve built a framework that delivers real-world value through digital innovation that is secure, auditable, and has been historically inflation-resistant,” Poltner said.