• Ethena Labs and Securitize are joining forces to launch Converge, a new blockchain for decentralized finance and tokenized assets.
• Converge will be Ethereum Virtual Machine-compatible and serve both retail and institutional DeFi.
• ENA price rose 5% to change hands above $0.38 following the announcement

Ethena Labs and Securitize are teaming up on a venture that will see the crypto projects unveil Converge, a new blockchain built for tokenized assets and decentralized finance.

Announced on Mar. 17, Converge will be a custom-built, Ethereum-compatible blockchain. The developers envision a platform that will cater to both everyday investors and deep-pocketed institutional players.

Per a blog post introducing the new blockchain, the anticipated launch date is Q2 2025.

Ethena, Securitize unveil Converge

According to Ethena Labs, Converge is a blockchain platform designed to bridge the gap between traditional finance and DeFi.

The technology behind the EVM-compatible chain will allow users to leverage user-friendly decentralized applications for retail investors. Converge will also offer a suite of top tools aimed at institutional investors.

Both Ethena Labs and Securitize plan to tap into the new blockchain to advance the DeFi and asset tokenization ecosystem. In this case, the partnership will see Ethena bring its burgeoning DeFi to Converge.

Securitize will also revamp its traction in the real-world asset (RWA) tokenization space. With nearly $2 billion minted, Securitize stands out as one of the top platforms championing the growth of tokenized assets.

Converge’s unveiling will bring an EVM-compatible settlement layer, driving new adoption for stablecoins and tokenized assets.

“We’re developing Converge to fill a clear gap in the market as the go-to settlement layer for institutional-grade DeFi and tokenized assets,” Guy Young, founder of Ethena Labs, said in a statement.

According to Young, “storage and settlement of stablecoins and tokenized assets” is set to be a massive opportunity in the coming years.

Stablecoins, blockchains and exchanges are a “holy trinity of crypto protocols” the Ethena Labs founder posted on X.

Further comments came from Carlos Domingo, the co-founder and CEO of Securitize. He noted:

“By combining Ethena’s innovation in DeFi with Securitize’s leadership in tokenizing real-world assets, Converge sets a new standard for how institutions can confidently engage with on-chain financial markets.”

Converge’s initial launch partners

The two firms will look to advance Converge via key industry collaborations. Helping the cause are initial launch partners, including Pendle, Aave Labs (via its Horizon project), Morpho, Ethereal and Maple Finance.

Converge’s RWA traction will also benefit from custodial support from Anchorage, Copper, Fireblocks and Zodia among other institutional-grade custody providers.

Also key will be interoperability partners LayerZero and Wormhole. Meanwhile, Converge will tap into oracle support from Pyth Network and RedStone.

Furthermore, Converge will use Ethena’s native governance token ENA for staking and security. The latter will tap into a permissioned validator set. The USDe and USTb stablecoins will power network transactions as gas tokens.

The news saw the ENA token jump more than 5% to trade above $0.38.

Reddit’s cofounder Alexis Ohanian is keen on acquiring Chinese social media platform TikTok with plans to bring it on-chain. While details of his plan are sparse, Ohanian seeks to use Web 3 to change the concept of social media ownership.

Bringing TikTok Onchain Will Change The Landscape For Creators, Says Reddit Co-founder

Ohanian has formally thrown his hat in the ring to acquire TikTok, joining a laundry list of individuals angling to purchase the social media platform. The Reddit cofounder joins Frank McCourt’s bid for TikTok, serving as a strategic adviser for Project Liberty.

“I’m officially now one of the people trying to buy TikTok US – and bring it on-chain,” wrote the Reddit cofounder.

Ohanian confirmed his interest via X (formerly Twitter) that he is keen on bringing TikTok on-chain after the purchase. For the serial entrepreneur, integrating Web 3 offerings into the app will change the concept of ownership on the embattled platform.

Without disclosing details, it appears that the users of the Ohanian-led TikTok will own their data while creators will own their audience

“We’re setting a new standard for what’s possible in digital communities,” said Ohanian. “A TikTok for the people, by the people. Let’s see if we can pull this off.”

How Will An On-chain TikTok Look Like?

Apart from changing the landscape for ownership, Ohanian’s post did not offer key details about TikTok’s future. However, pundits say the platform could feature on-chain monetization via micropayments in cryptocurrencies. Particularly, one of the assets tapped for the Crypto Strategic Reserve is expected to fill the role.

Another potential perk includes the integration of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) akin to Reddit’s experimentation with digital collectibles.

It is unclear which blockchain Ohanian will lean on in the push to bring TikTok on-chain. There are whispers of centralized Layer 2 blockchains but Reddit’s botched attempt could see a preference for Layer 1 chains.

However, Ohanian and Project Liberty members will have to achieve regulatory compliance in the quest to bring TikTok on-chain. Although the SEC is dismissing crypto lawsuits against exchanges, Ohanian has to proceed with caution.

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Aliyu Pokima

Disclaimer: The presented content may include the personal opinion of the author and is subject to market condition. Do your market research before investing in cryptocurrencies. The author or the publication does not hold any responsibility for your personal financial loss.