Launch of the ISO Standardization Initiative for the T-REX / ERC-3643 Permissioned Tokens
The ERC3643 Association, together with leading players from the financial and industrial sectors — including TOKENY, an Apex Group company providing the leading operating system for blockchain-based finance, and ONYZE, a provider of digital asset management and custody infrastructure — has announced the launch of an initiative to promote the ERC-3643 (T-REX) standard as an international ISO standard.
This proposal has been initiated by the Spanish national correspondent committee of ISO TC 307, which will lead the standardization project through the formal establishment of its Working Group GT4, and aims to position ERC-3643 as the global reference for the tokenization of regulated securities. To speed up its adoption by ISO, the GT 4 is working on its Committee Draft in English, allowing non Spanish speaking experts to participate in its development.
ERC-3643 is an open standard for the creation and management of tokens representing all kinds of financial assets on the Ethereum blockchain, specifically designed to meet regulatory requirements such as KYC/AML.
Unlike conventional tokens, ERC-3643 enables identity-based permissions to be managed directly within the smart contract layer, ensuring that only verified investors can hold or transfer tokenized assets.
To date, more than 32 billion USD in real-world assets have been tokenized using this standard, supported by key institutions such as DTCC, which has recognized ERC-3643 as a tool that enhances the secure and efficient management of digital assets. Most recently, SEC Chairman Paul S. Atkins cited ERC-3643 in his speech announcing Project Crypto, as an example of how compliance can be enforced directly on tokenized assets.
The national correspondent committee of ISO TC 307, in coordination with ISO TC 68, will submit a New Work Item Proposal (NWIP) for ERC-3643 to be formally recognized as an ISO standard.
The standardization process involves contributions from international experts and strategic partnerships with organizations such as ANNA (Association of National Numbering Agencies), INATBA, and European bodies including CEN/CENELEC.
Adopting ERC-3643 as an ISO standard will ensure global interoperability and regulatory compliance, providing a secure and efficient foundation for tokenization in regulated financial markets, in line with the recent BIS proposal of the so called Unified Ledgers as future backbone of all kind of financial services.
This will facilitate the adoption of blockchain technology by traditional institutions and provide investors with greater legal certainty in their transactions.
With the recent implementation of the MiCA regulation in the European Union, the standardization of ERC-3643 will offer a clear path for entities to comply with European regulatory requirements when tokenizing financial assets.
MiCA introduces comprehensive measures to regulate the crypto-asset market, providing much-needed clarity. However, it’s important to note that MiCA does not apply to crypto-assets qualifying as financial instruments, such as transferable securities. These assets continue to fall under the existing regulatory framework of MiFID II (Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II). This provides clear guidance to securities’ issuers. With ERC-3643, issuers can enforce these rules into the tokens.
In contrast, MiCA imposes significant new requirements on utility tokens and stablecoins, fundamentally changing how these assets can be issued and managed. Most cash equivalent tokens currently use the ERC-20 token standard, which lacks owner identification capabilities. Under MiCA, issuers might need to consider a transition to the ERC-3643 token standard to issue permissioned tokens, enabling the necessary compliance features such as owner identification and additional controls.
The support of leading European institutions ensures that this initiative aligns with the highest market and compliance standards.
The ERC3643 Association invites all stakeholders involved in the tokenization of regulated assets to join this collective effort to establish a common global standard that will shape the future of digital finance.
For more information, please contact: marketing@erc3643.org
