Fasset’s Wild Ride: Tokenizing Stocks, Defying Gravity, and Confusing Regulators 🤯

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As the world scrambles to tokenize everything from art to alpacas, Fasset has decided to throw its hat into the ring with Own, an Ethereum Layer 2 network that’s as ambitious as it is confusing. 🚀

With dreams of tokenizing over $1 billion in U.S. equities—because why not?—Fasset is targeting investors in emerging markets who’ve been left out of the Wall Street party. Think Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia, but with a sprinkle of blockchain magic. 🪄

In this Q&A, I sat down with Raafi Hossain, Fasset’s CEO and co-founder, to unravel the mysteries of Own, regulatory gymnastics, and how tokenized stocks might just save the world—or at least your portfolio. 🌍

  1. How is Own, your Ethereum Layer 2 built for real-world assets, technically structured to support the tokenization and distribution of $1 billion in U.S. equities? Does it build on existing rollups or use a proprietary design?

OWN is built on Arbitrum’s Layer 2 technology because, well, reinventing the wheel is overrated. We’ve added some fancy tools for handling real-world assets, like token standards with optional compliance features and modules for dividends and ownership verification. Because nothing says “innovation” like making sure you actually own what you bought. 🛠️

  1. What made 2025 the right moment for Fasset to enter the tokenized equities market at this scale, especially given the current global RWA market size and rising competition?

Three things: regulators finally stopped scratching their heads, the technology caught up with our ambitions, and, most importantly, people actually want this. Especially in emerging markets where buying U.S. stocks is about as easy as finding a unicorn. 🦄

  1. Why were MSTR, TSLA, NVDA, SPY, META, AAPL, GOOGL, MSFT, and AMZN selected as part of the initial set of tokenized equities? Was the selection based on liquidity, investor demand, market cap size, or another metric?

We didn’t just pick these stocks out of a hat. They’re globally recognized, liquid, and represent strong long-term fundamentals. Plus, we’ve thrown in some Shariah-compliant options and commodity ETFs because diversity is the spice of life—and investing. 🌶️

  1. Can you walk us through how Dinari’s dShares will be distributed and traded across the jurisdictions where Fasset holds regulatory licenses, particularly in the UAE, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Pakistan?

In each market, we’ve built regulatory-compliant pathways because nothing says “fun” like navigating local laws. The UAE is our regional hub, Indonesia gets rupiah on/off ramps, and Malaysia and Pakistan have their own compliance requirements. It’s like a global game of regulatory Twister. 🎲

  1. Will token holders of dividend-paying stocks like MSFT, AAPL, or AMZN receive real-time or periodic payouts? How will those dividends be distributed technically and legally?

Yes, token holders will receive dividends in stablecoins. For Fasset app users, it’s automatic. For DeFi users, it’s manual—because nothing says “decentralized” like having to click a button. All stocks are backed 1:1 by real shares, so you’re not just buying digital air. 💸

  1. What does the typical user journey look like for accessing and trading tokenized equities on Fasset, especially for users in high-growth markets? How are fiat on/off-ramps and local banking integrations being handled?

It’s simple: complete KYC, deposit local currency, buy tokenized equities starting from $10, manage your holdings, and sell whenever you want. It’s like a financial app, but with more blockchain buzzwords. Our banking integrations are secured through regulated payment corridors, so your money is safe—probably. 🏦

  1. Given MSTR’s strong correlation to Bitcoin and META’s focus on AI and metaverse, how are you preparing for tokenized equity demand that overlaps with key crypto and tech narratives?

Stocks like MSTR and META are gateways to tech trends. We’re tokenizing a wide range of assets to let users build portfolios that reflect both technology conviction and long-term value. Because why choose between Bitcoin and AI when you can have both? 🤖

  1. Are there plans to enable these tokenized equities to interact with the DeFi ecosystem—for example, being used as collateral, earning yield, or integrated into staking or lending protocols?

Absolutely. By bringing real U.S. equities on-chain, we’re opening up new possibilities. Developers can integrate these tokenized stocks into DeFi applications, creating themed investment bundles or using them as collateral. But don’t worry, all DeFi interactions are optional. Because sometimes, you just want to hold your stocks and not think about yield farming. 🌾

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2025-04-11 22:16