IBM takes a significant step towards on-chain finance with the launch of Digital Asset Haven, a new platform designed for banks, governments, and large enterprises looking to manage their digital assets across multiple blockchains, according to TBW. The American giant now aims to become a cornerstone in the global crypto infrastructure, alongside the sector’s historical players.
Direct Response to the Tokenization Rush
The strategy of IBM comes at a crucial moment. Over the past two years, the tokenization of real assets and the use of stablecoins have surged in the institutional world. Companies seek to transfer their funds and securities globally faster, at a lower cost, and without relying on traditional banking rails.
IBM captures the essence of the challenge perfectly:
With the rise of tokenized assets and stablecoins, institutions must evolve. The digital asset sector represents a critical opportunity to modernize their product portfolios.
The goal is clear: enable financial institutions to navigate the transition to Web3 without compromising the security and governance standards inherited from traditional finance.
Hardware Security and Institutional Custody
To bring Digital Asset Haven to life, IBM partnered with Dfns, a company specializing in institutional wallet infrastructure. Together, they combined IBM’s hardware security with Dfns’ multi-signature custody technology, already proven with over 15 million wallets created for institutional clients.
The result: a platform capable of managing over 40 public and private blockchains, with advanced features like multi-party approvals, programmable access controls, and hybrid deployment options (cloud, on-premises servers, or cold storage).
A Bridge Between Traditional Finance and Blockchain
For Clarisse Hagège, CEO of Dfns, this development marks a turning point:
To integrate digital assets into banking and capital market systems, the infrastructure must meet the same standards as traditional financial rails.
With IBM, she claims to have created a solution that goes beyond asset custody: a true digital ecosystem orchestrator, capable of driving pilot projects towards global mainstream adoption.
The full version, scheduled for the second quarter of 2026, will offer expanded support and new features geared towards capital markets. IBM reaffirms its ambition: to make digital asset management a strategic pillar of its transformation, in a world where the boundary between traditional finance and blockchain continues to blur each day.
