Benjamin Onomor, Chief Executive Officer of cryptocurrency startup Roqqu, described tokenization as the future of global finance, citing its potential to democratize access to investment opportunities and to reshape capital markets.
WHAT ROQQU SAID
Onomor made the remarks in commentary published by a regional business news outlet, framing tokenization as a structural shift in how assets are created, owned and traded. Roqqu positioned the change as particularly relevant to markets where traditional barriers to entry for retail and smaller institutional investors remain high.
The company, active in the cryptocurrency and digital asset space, presented tokenization as a mechanism to break large or illiquid assets into smaller, digitally native units. Roqqu argued that doing so could broaden participation in asset classes that have conventionally been limited to wealthy or institutional clients.
TOKENIZATION IN PRACTICE
Tokenization converts rights to an asset into a digital token that can be recorded on a distributed ledger or other digital registry. Proponents say the model can improve fractional ownership, support faster settlement and increase transparency by recording transactions in immutable ledgers.
Industry observers have linked tokenization to a suite of supporting technologies and services, including custody solutions, token issuance platforms and secondary market infrastructure. Roqqu’s commentary placed the company within that broader ecosystem, suggesting that fintech firms and digital asset platforms could play a central role in developing accessible products for individual and institutional investors.
Proponents also highlight that tokenized assets can be designed to carry enforceable rights through smart contracts or legal wrappers that map token ownership to traditional legal claims. Practitioners cautioned that operational and legal frameworks need to align for tokenized instruments to gain mainstream adoption.
MARKET AND REGULATORY IMPLICATIONS
Market participants said tokenization could affect capital formation and secondary trading dynamics by lowering minimum investment thresholds and creating new pools of liquidity. For markets in Africa, where access to capital markets can be uneven, the argument for tokenization focused on inclusion and greater participation.
Regulators across jurisdictions have taken divergent approaches to digital assets and tokenized offerings, ranging from permissive licensing frameworks to stringent restrictions. Roqqu’s public position underscored the need for regulatory clarity, market infrastructure and investor protections as prerequisites for scaling tokenized markets.
Industry stakeholders pointed to several practical challenges that must be addressed. These include custody and settlement arrangements, interoperability between platforms, anti money laundering controls and mechanisms to ensure that tokenized claims are legally enforceable in courts. Observers also highlighted the importance of market standards for issuance, disclosure and secondary trading to underpin investor confidence.
For fintech firms and payments platforms, tokenization presented both an opportunity and a set of operational responsibilities. Firms that sought to offer tokenized products needed to develop compliant issuance processes, robust custody and reconciliation capabilities, and clear customer disclosures that explained the rights attached to tokens.
Institutional investors and asset managers have shown interest in tokenization as a route to more efficient asset management and expanded investment universes. At the same time, incumbent market infrastructure providers, including exchanges and custodians, faced potential pressure to evolve their services to accommodate tokenized instruments.
Roqqu’s public remarks contributed to an ongoing industry conversation about whether tokenization will move from pilot projects and niche offerings to broader market adoption. The company framed the technology as a lever for financial inclusion and market evolution, while noting the need for supportive legal, regulatory and technical ecosystems.
Sources: Nairametrics Finance