BlackRock’s Larry Fink and Rob Goldstein say tokenization could do for finance what the early internet did for information

BlackRock CEO Larry Fink and COO Rob Goldstein asserted in an op-ed that asset tokenization represents a transformative force for global markets, comparable to the early internet's impact on information. They view tokenization—recording asset ownership on digital ledgers—as the next major technological evolution after double-entry bookkeeping and the SWIFT system, enabling instant settlement and modernizing inefficient, paper-heavy processes, particularly in private markets. While acknowledging initial confusion with crypto speculation, they stress tokenization's core value is expanding investable assets beyond traditional stocks and bonds. BlackRock is already active, notably with its BUIDL tokenized money market fund. Fink and Goldstein compare the current state of tokenization to the internet in 1996—early but poised for massive growth—and advocate for regulators to update existing frameworks to ensure clear buyer protections and robust identity verification, framing tokenization as a bridge to a future where all assets are held in a single digital wallet.

(Source：The Block)