Home / Business and Economy / BVI Dominates Tokenized Securities Market
BVI Dominates Tokenized Securities Market
12 Sep
Summary
- BVI leads globally with 305 tokenized securities as of June 1.
- The territory boasts over 10% of the global US tokenized treasuries market.
- BVI has 362,000 active companies, with new ones increasing 10% year-over-year.
The British Virgin Islands (BVI) has established itself as a preeminent jurisdiction for tokenized securities, with 305 such instruments recorded as of June 1, 2026. This count places the territory at the forefront globally and accounts for more than 10% of the worldwide market for US tokenized treasuries.
This success is built upon forty years of legislative adaptation, including overhauls of company, fund, and anti-money laundering (AML) laws. Notably, the foundational 1984 International Business Companies Act was replaced by the BVI Business Companies Act in 2005, with further revisions to AML regulations occurring in 2018. Strategic enhancements like the approved manager introduced in 2012 and approved funds in 2015 aimed to boost competitiveness.
The territory's infrastructure supports this digital asset growth, with approximately 362,000 active companies on record. The first quarter of 2026 saw over 7,000 new companies registered, a 10% increase year-over-year and the strongest first quarter since 2022. Ayana Hull, head of regulatory and financial services at Maples Group, highlights the BVI's stable English legal system, a capable commercial court, the use of the US dollar, and improved accessibility with direct flights from Miami as crucial advantages.
Hull anticipates the BVI will be a leading jurisdiction for token issuance, custody, and Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) exchanges within the next four to five years. However, compliance challenges with centralized exchanges remain a hurdle.
