What is a security token offering STO?

For instance, you may want to seek legal advice before issuing announcements to investors. Licences are issued according to the business plan provided to the SFC, and the licensing conditions imposed by it. If there is a material change, then the licensed corporation must notify the SFC. Security token offerings are new, and would constitute a material change.

Asset-backed tokens are digital assets with characteristics similar to any commodity, such as gold, silver, and oil, which, in turn, bring value to these traded tokens. Bithumb is making it clear that it is actively pursuing STOs to be offered on its platform. One of the biggest Korean exchanges, the company recently invested in Codebox. The firm specializes in issuing and managing security tokens. Bithumb plans to utilize Codebox’s own mainnet called “CodeChain” which allow for tokens to be programmable based on legal requirements.

Blockchain cloud services

New ICO currencies can be generated ad infinitum, as might in some cases their tokens. An initial public offering is the process by which a private company first offers a share to the public. Both STOs and IPOs can represent an investment in a company, although STOs have more flexibility to represent assets beyond just company shares. With an IPO, you receive a document communicating the ownership of your investment, while with an STO, you receive a digital token recorded on the blockchain. The emergence of security tokens does not stop with only liquidity and revenue distribution frameworks. Instead, security tokens open up multiple possibilities of investments.

Any company or individual can participate in STO upon completion of AML and KYC which is similar, faster, and easier than opening a bank account or creating an account on a stock exchange. The safety features and due diligence checks are at the highest standard according to Swiss law, FAFT, and the EU AML regulations. Blockchain-based tokens backed by the underlying tangible and intangible assets that serve as regulated securities. We build load-resistant IoT services, both enterprise and consumer.Hit us with IoT consulting, app development, back-end engineering, or existing infrastructure revamping – we’ll nail it down. To help your token security solution evolve into a full-blown and highly-competitive financial instrument, we garner its performance stats and offer value-based improvements.

STOs enable digital funding, while still complying with government regulations. Security tokens require extensive regulations, so they are not traded on regular token exchanges. However, they are similar to ICOs in that they are fungible tokens, meaning that they hold monetary value.

Challenges to Solve with STO Development Services by ScienceSoft

Banking and investor relations will be crystal clear, with a focus on KYC/AML and industry-specific regulations. By integrating the world’s most efficient exchanges, you can trade and transfer your token security to a massive pool of trusted investors. Clearance and settlements are a central concern of investors looking to transfer assets.

• For instance, shares and debentures in a company can rely on safe harbours that are different to securities that are not shares or debentures in a company.
• We map out a scalable security token offering infrastructure, with KYC/AML, custodies, fiat ramps, payment gateways, and secondary market implementation in mind.
• This includes digitizing all policy document templates for standard rulemaking packages, as well as all templates for the department’s emergency rulemakings.
• One of the key advantages of tokenisation of assets is that tokenisation should make liquid and active trading possible for assets that cannot be otherwise actively traded.
• Protocols that automate execution of pre-programmed rules related to the issuance, distribution and trading of security tokens.

Because ICOs do not need to remain compliant with laws and regulations, ICOs offer a lower barrier to entry and are more easily available to the wider public. Such tokens represent ownership of assets, such as real estate, art, carbon credits, or commodities. Blockchain, being secure, immutable, and transparent, enables a trusted record of transactions; it reduces fraud and improves settlement time, thereby becoming a natural fit for the commodities trade.

Key Features

A security token offering is simply an offering of securities, aided substantially in process and execution by technology. Most offerings will seek to is sto cross platform rely on an exemption or safe harbour. This is sometimes referred to as a private placement, which can in fact include quite a number of people.

A better location might be a location that does not impose stamp duty on share transfers, or has an electronically enabled system for submission and payment of stamp duty. The underlying investment and asset management policy is subject to many conditions. The operator and other participants all are subject to a high degree of regulation. The cost of formation and operation mean REITs are geared to a property portfolio comprising many expensive property assets. The nature of the investment lends itself to a buy and hold investment policy. Also, even if a token is considered a utility token in one location, it could be considered a security token in another.

STO with minimized administrative costs and complete control for token issuers and investors over their digital assets due to eliminated intermediaries. Even if it is not an explicit requirement by the listing platform, an auditor and valuation company can help to show investors how healthy the business in doing. Investors are more likely to invest if the financial information is positive. Advising on the applicable rules and regulations on marketing security tokens. If you have people on the ground in Hong Kong working to launch a security token offering, then there is a very high probability it is a regulated activity and those people need a licence.

Only the indirect ownership interest represented by the security token changes hands. Yes, a popular listing platform can bring volume to your STO. They can also assist with managing the token holders and help with dividends payment. Ability of the listing platform to connect to other necessary service providers . In Hong Kong, the consequences relate to regulation of the offering documents, and regulation of persons conducting certain activities in or targeting Hong Kong in relation to the offering and subsequent trading. Banks, custodians, trustees, exchanges, brokers, valuers and auditors all need to be involved, and approved and licensed to do so.

Driving efficient capital markets

Slow, costly and opaque financing activities due to the presence of middlemen, such as governmental and financial entities. In their rating, the Financial Times has celebrated 500 companies with the strongest revenue growth. From user-centric mobile apps to full-blown cross-platform enterprise ecosystems — we’ll bring your concept to life, exactly as you think it should look and work. Equity token is intended to give equal dividend distribution rights to both the token holder and other contract parties.

No banking intermediaries, fraud, or misuse to sneak in as you execute your deals. The new Securities Token will offer a revenue share on fee-income derived from the platform, with those returns fully backed by purchased gold assets, being one of first in the region to offer such security to investors. The platform has already attracted the attention of multiple companies interested in acquiring its services, with Elio Motors being one of them. Elio Motors, which produces three-wheeled cars with a goal of revolutionizing the automobile industry, might even be among the first companies to see its security token on the platform. TZero, a blockchain subsidiary of a successful US online retailer, Overstock, has recently announced the launch of its new security token platform. According to reports, the company plans for the platform to go live next week.

No, an issuance platform will be engaged on a long-term basis, and not just for the STO. The issuance platform will continue to monitor the security tokens after closing the token sale. This can assist with managing the ownership registry, and ascertaining the ultimate beneficiaries of the tokens and their proportion of tokenised investment. This is a critical function when the STO company makes distributions in the future after closing.

Intellectual property rights

Conduct due diligence on the STO to ensure it is structured and resourced in a manner that will comply with securities laws and SFC regulatory standards in Hong Kong. A financial advisor is the critical adviser for an STO, and is likely to be the first person engaged by the STO company. Are the financial advisors the glue to keep the project together?. The financial advisor can give a preliminary advice on the expected costs and return of the STO. You will be able to assess whether this is acceptable to you before it’s too late.

In general, though, STOs are placed under securities legislation , and ICOs under utilities, with the differentiation being made mostly on a case-by-case basis. TokenEx can be used to secure any type of data your organization may process. Leverage the key to tokenize venture capital funds and unlock better fundraising opportunities. Optimize best opportunities for fundraising with our design thinking-driven approach to equity token creation. Technology areas leads to meaningful business outcomes to nurture your growth.

An investor can participate who may not be able to commit HK$50,000,000, but would be able to commit HK$500,000. RealVision – As a member of RealVision since they began, they add immense value and are heavily focused on the digital asset industry. What DeFi services (brought staking, lending, borrowing etc., to crypto) did for cryptocurrency, InvestaX and partners are doing for the STO industry. DeFi made a lot of cryptocurrencies useful, which previously were mostly just a speculative asset . When you need to protect and preserve the value of sensitive data, tokenization can help. But not every provider offers the same level of features, functionality, or flexibility.

Why Choose STO Development with ScienceSoft

From complex enterprise tech transformation to the innovative project launch, our team supports businesses at different stages of their projects.Come along, we’ll help you get an edge and play big on the global market. Be it a stablecoin or NFT, we can put flesh on any asset tokenization concept that fits the purpose. For further integrations like OTC tools and wallets, we have you covered too.

The broker-dealer must have completed the notification and approval process with the SFC for approval to distribute security tokens. The general expectation is that financial https://globalcloudteam.com/ advisers in respect of security tokens will need to be licensed in Hong Kong for Type 6 . However, the SFC has yet to confirm or provide guidance on this point.

Some are newly launched like the PathFund, SafeMeme, MemePad, TrustPad, AMPnet, etc. while many are rapidly moving towards a developed STO stage in the crypto market. Almost everything about an IPO and an STO equity token are the same as they both represent shares in a company. Equity token holders are similarly entitled to a company’s profit and even have the right to vote like a shareholder. The main difference between a traditional stock and an equity token is how the ownership information is recorded. Equity tokens will be recorded on the blockchain, while traditional stocks are printed on certificates and/or stored in a database.

Programmable ownership and value exchange

For instance, active trading of direct interests in property is not possible because of the tax, filing and other processes necessary to recording changes in the ownership of the property. The tokenisation process overcomes this challenge, and a trust or a custodian arrangement is one of the means of achieving this. The project won’t really get off the ground until you have got in touch with everyone.