IOST, which is a high-performance modular blockchain platform for tokenizing real-world assets (RWAs), announced it has secured $21 million in strategic funding to accelerate the global rollout of its compliant RWA infrastructure. The funding round includes participation from institutional investors such as DWF Labs, Presto, and Rollman Management Group.
IOST also defines “RWA 3.0” as the next generation of tokenized finance infrastructure, combining modular subnets, compliance modules, and real-world yield integration across both institutional and retail layers.
How the funding will be used: The funding round was designed to:
— Align stakeholder incentives
— Support sustainable, modular infrastructure development
— Enable a higher level of decentralization across multiple regulated jurisdictions
This funding will enable IOST to power its product roadmap, ecosystem integrations, and validator expansion across regulated markets worldwide. And initial deployment efforts are focused on Japan and Asia-Pacific, where IOST holds a unique regulatory positioning and strong institutional demand, but expansion into the Middle East, Europe, and North America is actively underway.
IOST is among a group of public blockchains greenlisted by Japan’s JVCEA for meeting key infrastructure and compliance standards, which is a distinction that positions it well to support institutional-grade tokenization frameworks in one of the world’s most regulated environments.
As interest in RWAs grows across institutional and retail markets, IOST’s ecosystem provides infrastructure for issuing, managing, and earning yield on tokenized financial products from real estate and bonds to on-chain investment funds. And recent developments, including IOST’s listing on Coins.ph and partnership with MAS-regulated exchange DigiFT, reflect its focus on compliant market entry and regional accessibility.
Momentum: IOST has processed over 954 million transactions with zero downtime since 2018. Its architecture includes a high-performance L1, EVM-compatible subnets, and a permissionless deployment framework, all optimized for real-world asset tokenization and compliant DeFi.
KEY QUOTES:
“This isn’t just a capital raise. It’s a commitment to building scalable, compliant infrastructure that can power the next generation of tokenized assets. By partnering with long-term aligned investors who share our vision, we’re reinforcing both the security and decentralization of the IOST network while delivering real value to the broader ecosystem.”
Blake Jeong, CEO of IOST
“We believe RWA infrastructure will become a core pillar of Web3 adoption. IOST’s modular architecture and traction in Asia set it apart as a serious contender in the next wave of tokenized finance.”
Lingling Jiang, Partner at DWF Labs
“The tokenization of real-world assets marks a foundational shift in global finance, and IOST’s regulatory-first approach and modular architecture uniquely position it to lead this transformation across Asia.”
Sean Kim, Head of Corporate Strategy at Presto
