Coinbase taps Centrifuge as preferred tokenization backbone, takes equity stake

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Coinbase taps Centrifuge as preferred tokenization backbone, takes equity stakeFinance

What to know:

  • Centrifuge was selected as Coinbase’s preferred tokenization infrastructure, making it the default issuance layer for assets across Coinbase’s ecosystem, including Base. 
  • The partnership includes a strategic investment by Coinbase and is focused on expanding tokenized ETFs, credit, and structured products. 
  • The first institutional assets are anticipated to launch on Base within the coming weeks, supporting Coinbase’s path in the $27 billion tokenized real-world assets sector. 

Coinbase announced on Tuesday that it will be using Centrifuge to handle its tokenization needs and has also invested in the company.

Centrifuge will be the main platform for creating tokenized assets within Coinbase’s network, including its Base product. Coinbase and Centrifuge anticipate the initial set of tokenized institutional assets becoming available on Base in the next few weeks.

Coinbase is expanding into new financial areas like exchange-traded funds (ETFs), lending, and complex investment products, all built using blockchain technology. Their partnership with Centrifuge will help external financial firms launch these products directly on the blockchain, though Coinbase isn’t limiting itself to working with only Centrifuge.

Last week, Coinbase Asset Management announced it will launch its CUSHY stablecoin credit fund using Superstate’s FundOS platform. Earlier in March, they partnered with Apex Group to create tokenized shares of their Bitcoin Yield Fund on the Base network. Additionally, Coinbase Ventures previously invested in Centrifuge back in 2022.

Centrifuge helps companies like Apollo, Janus Henderson, and S&P Dow Jones Indices manage their financial strategies using blockchain technology. As of late 2025, the value of assets managed through Centrifuge has grown to $1.66 billion, up from over $1 billion earlier in the year, according to data from DeFiLlama.

With the value of digital representations of real-world assets now totaling around $27 billion, this agreement arrives at a time of significant growth in the field. Of that $27 billion, roughly $16 billion is made up of tokenized government bonds and other fixed-income investments.

Currently, Securitize and Ondo Finance are at the forefront of the Real World Asset (RWA) sector. They are joined by major stablecoin companies like Tether and Circle, who are also involved through tokenized gold and money market funds.

According to Centrifuge CEO Bhaji Illuminati, the focus has shifted from simply bringing assets onto the blockchain to ensuring the *correct* assets are brought on in a secure and effective manner.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong announced on Tuesday that the company was cutting its workforce by 14%. He explained that advancements in artificial intelligence had made some roles unnecessary.

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2026-05-05 17:46