Citi Is Catapulting into the Future of Finance with a Game-Changing Tokenized Platform

Citi announced on May 6 at the Point Zero Forum in Zurich that it will collaborate with SDX to build a first-of-its-kind platform

Citi, the well-known financial institution, is set to become a custodian and tokenization agent on a new platform being built by SDX Group AG (SDX) and unveiled at the Point Zero Forum in Zurich.

The platform, which is set to launch in the third quarter of 2025, will focus on providing access to private market investments in a streamlined manner.

Citi will be tokenizing, settling and safekeeping assets on SDX’s digital Central Securities Depositary (CSD) platform and will bring late-stage pre-IPO equities to institutional and eligible investors on the SDX platform.

This offering will be for institutional clients and qualified investors, aiming to simplify the complex and paper-heavy processes that currently dominate private markets.

The project combines Citi’s global securities services capabilities with SDX’s regulated digital asset market infrastructure, provided by SDX Trading AG and SIX Digital Exchange AG, to create a solution that meets the needs of issuers and investors.

“We are excited to welcome Citi to the SDX platform and together deliver this landmark project in the tokenization of private shares,” said David Newns, Head of SDX.

“The solution will enable investors to access equity in high-growth private companies in a less time-bound and more efficient manner, while offering issuers superior control over their capitalization tables and simplified liquidity events for early-stage stakeholders.”

As a digital custodian and tokenization agent on the SDX platform, Citi will support its global investor and issuer clients with end-to-end servicing of tokenized assets.

“As tokenization scales, we are meeting client demand for access to emerging and relevant digital asset ecosystems and investments,” said Ryan Marsh, Head of Innovation & Strategic Partnerships for Investor Services and Issuer Services at Citi.

The initiative also includes collaborations with Sygnum and SBI Digital Markets to expand the platform’s reach to clients in Europe and Asia, enhancing the Swiss digital asset ecosystem’s global connectivity.