MoonPay expands into tokenized assets and DeFi markets with new platform for banks

Finance Share Share this article Copy link X icon X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook Email MoonPay expands into tokenized assets and DeFi markets with new platform for banks With MoonPay Trade, the crypto payments firm is building infrastructure for banks, fintechs to access stablecoins, tokenized funds and yield in a one-stop shop. By Krisztian Sandor | Edited by Sheldon Reback May 21, 2026, 2:42 p.m. 2 min read Make preferred on Caroline D. Pham, Head of MoonPay Institutional, speaking at Consensus 2026 in Miami (CoinDesk) What to know : MoonPay is expanding beyond crypto payments to give banks and fintechs access to tokenized assets, DeFi and stablecoin liquidity across more than 200 blockchains. The platform is underpinned by Decent.xyz, the cross-chain startup MoonPay acquired, and will support the firm's financial institutional business led by former acting CFTC Chair Caroline Pham. Tokenized assets has become rapidly growing crypto sector attracting the interest of Wall Street firms as traditional finance and blockchain increasingly intertwine. MoonPay is betting institutions want broader access to onchain financial products beyond simple crypto purchases. The crypto payments firm said Thursday it started MoonPay Trade, a platform designed to connect banks, fintechs and enterprises to tokenized assets, decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols and stablecoin liquidity across more than 200 blockchains through a single integration. The service is underpinned by Decent.xyz, the cross-chain routing startup MoonPay has acquired for a "high eight-figure" sum, a spokesperson said. The expansion comes as tokenization is gaining momentum across finance, attracting global banks and asset managers. Tokenized real-world assets — blockchain-based versions of stocks, bonds and funds — now exceed $33 billion in market value, tripling in a year, RWA.xyz data shows. Boston Consulting Group projected the market could grow to $18.9 trillion by 2033. Large asset managers including BlackRock, Franklin Templeton and JPMorgan have already introduced tokenized funds on public blockchains, while stablecoins increasingly serve as settlement rails for payments and trading activity. MoonPay Trade will serve as the execution arm for MoonPay Institutional, the company’s business focused on regulated financial firms and led by former acting CFTC Chair Caroline Pham. "Every major financial institution is building a tokenized asset strategy," Pham said in a statement, adding that the platform gives institutions access to onchain markets "with full compliance." MoonPay Trade supports tokenized fund subscriptions, collateral transfers and integrations with DeFi lending protocols such as Morpho, Aave and Maple Finance. Those protocols allow users to earn yield or borrow against digital assets directly on blockchain rails. The firm has been on an acquisition spree as it expands from crypto payments into broader financial infrastructure. Earlier this month, the company acquired Solana trading infrastructure provider DFlow , which processed more than $12 billion in trading volume in the first quarter. This year, it also bought security startup Sodot , following last year’s acquisitions of payments processors Meso and Helio . MoonPay Tokenization mergers and acquisitions More For You Peer-to-peer trading startup Variational raises $50 million for real-world perps in funding round led by Dragonfly By Olivier Acuna | Edited by Sheldon Reback 45 minutes ago The company is initially offering perpetual futures on real-world assets including oil, silver, copper and gold. What to know : Variational, an onchain derivatives trading protocol, said it raised $50 million in a round led by Dragonfly with participation from Bain Capital Crypto and Coinbase Ventures. The company plans to use the funding to expand its derivatives trading services, including its range of perpetual futures tied to real-world assets such... Read full story Latest Crypto News Peer-to-peer trading startup Variational raises $50 million for real-world perps in funding round led by Dragonfly 45 minutes ago Live markets: Bitcoin's flat action continues as SpaceX IPO, Nvidia earnings capture news cycle 51 minutes ago Blockchain.com files with SEC for U.S. IPO 52 minutes ago Bitcoin's long-term holder supply approaches record high, breaking multi-year downtrend 1 hour ago CoinDesk 20 performance update: Internet Computer drops 1.6%, leading index lower 1 hour ago Stablecoins retain the edge over tokenized money market funds, JPMorgan says 1 hour ago Top Stories The $6 billion expiration countdown: Traders pile into $82,000 bitcoin calls ahead of May 29 expiry 3 hours ago Binance launches SpaceX pre-IPO perps amid $2 trillion valuation bets 7 hours ago Don't call us just a WLFI treasury company, says AI Financial 9 hours ago HYPE leads crypto rebound as traders position for volatility breakout 3 hours ago A crypto whale has made a $224,000 bet that XRP's price stays perfectly flat through June 5 hours ago It's not all HYPE: Privacy and quantum-resistant coins advance as bitcoin coasts 3 hours ago