The Compliance Layer: How On-Chain KYC/AML Will Unlock Trillion Dollar Tokenization
Introduction
Tokenization of traditional financial (TradFi) assets is no longer just an experimental blockchain application, and could possibly be the next big thing in capital markets. The tokenization of assets could unlock trillions of dollars of previously illiquid assets, and institutions continue to turn securities or bonds, or funds into digital tokens which will inherently change how those assets are moving and settling.
But, this is inherently not a technology problem. This is entirely a legal problem. The tokenized marketplaces will never go to scale without a built in native Know Your Customer and Anti-Money Laundering system. There needs to be a compliance layer: a programmatic system that ensures compliance similar to a smart contract runs computer code.
The article mentioned how on-chain developments continue to be the solution to provide the bridge of connecting blockchain innovation and financial regulation, and that the overarching importance in developing the next generation of capital markets.
Tokenization in TradFi
Tokenization is a process which turns rights of ownership of a physical asset into a digital currency (token) issued on the blockchain, providing a more efficient, nimble and economical framework for the transfer, ownership and trading of financial instruments executed within a right set.
The case can be made, and it has compelling clarity. Why? It will benefit receivers of service, and allow for:
- Immediacy in settlement as opposed to multi-day clearing periods.
- Programmable compliance allows eligibility and limitations of the transfer to be verified more easily.
- Global markets without time zones, able to perform at all hours of the day from anywhere in the world.
- Fractionalization of assets by opening up a path for smaller investors to participate in large scale investment regardless of the underlying asset being traded, be it real estate, or a cooperative investment fund.
Take for instance a condo in Manhattan represented by 10,000 tokens, or a pool of tokens representing ownership in the underlying real estate asset. An investor in Japan could buy 0.5% of the underlying real estate, transfer ownership of the token instantaneously, and collect rent proportionate to their ownership that is recorded on-chain.
This is not theoretical; tokenized real estate and private equity exists today, and the technology behind facilitates transfer of that asset in less than the time it takes for an original piece of paper to reach the other party.
And in this case, could only happen if the condition should be responded to in the same terms and conditions as the physical asset.
Compliance Issues
Traditional finance is located in KYC and AML processes that are highly regulated and geographically constrained. Banks and brokers need to verify users, monitor transactions, and report on suspicious activity. The challenge is regulatory compliance and outdated software solutions create huge problems when you are trying to leverage or implement devised transactions across borders locally.
As another example, tokenized assets can move through borders, yet the rules are local. This creates three really interesting friction points:
- Fragmented Compliance Regimes: What is compliance in the eyes of regulators is different regionally, creating a headache for cross-border business.
- Data Silos: Legacy databases can't communicate with smart contracts, or decentralized protocols.
- Regulatory Hesitancy: Regulators fear loss of visibility or control over completely decentralized systems.
All of these friction points create headaches. If we do not figure out one interoperable mechanism, tokenized assets are going to get stuck inside stubborn little compliant ecosystems instead of filling the spaces in between markets.
Solutions on the Chain
In order to address this issue, blockchain engineers are embedding compliance into the blockchain. One of the most promising techniques is zero knowledge KYC (for “Know Your Customer”), or zk-KYC, which uses a cryptographic technique that allows a person to prove they have passed, or are in compliance with, a KYC process without revealing any of their private information.
For example, an investor could prove they are from a sanctioned country, or an accredited investor, without having to disclose their complete name. This provides shape and regulatory satisfaction while maintaining privacy, something that was once thought to be impossible.
At the same time, Chainalysis KYT tools are behavioral; the solution monitors wallet activity on an ongoing basis and, instead of controlling the user, sends a prompt notification for each transaction or link that looks suspicious or leads to illicit money in real-time.
Both are best of class for these types of systems; zk-KYC emphasizes privacy and decentralization. KYT emphasizes regulatory sight and scale.
The complete value proposition would likely use both private identity sites for each user, along with the monitoring of activity on the public ledger that could be an issue or lead to illicit activity.
The Compliance Layer
What binds these solutions together as a coherent system is a compliance layer. It is neither a company nor a set of rules but is an invisible infrastructure - something similar to the TCP/IP of the internet that allows compliant transactions to uniquely occur across multiple chains and jurisdictions.
Some of the more interesting potential use cases include:
- On-chain identity verification using zk-KYC, or identity with digital credentials
- Enforcing rules that can be programmed to meet the jurisdictional needs of multiple jurisdictions
- Real-time monitoring for suspicious flows, à la KYT
- Cross-chain interoperability whereby conforming assets can be transferred from one network to another
This layer will make compliance continuous rather than episodic. Smart contracts may automatically block unauthorized transfers or change the terms of transfers as the law changes. Institutions can onboard faster without compromising decentralization, and regulators will audit immensely more efficiently.
The technical challenge is enormous: connecting old TradFi databases with compliance modules that take advantage of blockchain technology, but it is the only way to get much institutional capital.
Industry Impact
A sophisticated compliance layer has the potential to truly disrupt finance. For years, businesses have accepted fraud, delayed settlements, and ambiguous rules as costs of doing business. Those costs could be reduced or eliminated altogether.
For regulators, it allows them to monitor things in real time without needing to get into anyone's data. Automated compliance reduces costs and risks for institutions and gives investors simple access to global tokenized marketplaces.
Projects are already working with hybrid models where tokenized assets can only move between wallets that have been pre-vetted. Compliance-wrapped tokens can remain liquid and compliant. This could easily extend to bonds, commodities, and even digital currency from central banks.
Conclusion
Tokenized finance is not just about making finance more efficient, it’s about decentralization, trust, and inclusion. However, none of those outcomes are possible without a very strong KYC/AML compliance layer.
KYC/AML compliance on-chain and a single compliance layer is the foundational infrastructure required to tokenize trillion-dollar TradFi markets. It combines code with rules to create a world where finance can be both programmable and compliant by design.
The next wave of financial innovations will not come from new blockchains, but from integrating KYC/AML compliance across them. And their efforts to create this layer is enabling not just the tokenization of markets, but a fundamental shift in how banking will work globally.
This article is contributed by an external writer: Razel Jade Hijastro.
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