AI and blockchain are converging to build more secure, transparent, and autonomous digital systems. Blockchain provides a tamper-proof record of data, while AI adds intelligence for prediction, automation, and decision-making, helping reduce issues like fake or manipulated data.
Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), through its Registration Authority, and Hashed Open Research have released a joint policy report following discussions at the Web3 Leaders Roundtable during Abu Dhabi Finance Week 2025. The session brought together regulators, financial institutions, and infrastructure providers to assess how blockchain and artificial intelligence are reshaping global capital markets.
The roundtable included senior representatives from institutions such as BlackRock, DTCC, Franklin Templeton, Circle, ConsenSys, and the Solana Foundation, as well as regulators and sovereign investment bodies. Discussions centred on the rapid integration of AI-driven systems into financial infrastructure and the increasing role of blockchain in supporting institutional-grade settlement.
AI agents, tokenized markets, and digital settlement are no longer parallel conversations.@hashed_official and @ADGlobalMarket – ADGM, Abu Dhabi’s leading, award-winning, International Financial Centre – have published a joint policy report synthesizing discussions from the… pic.twitter.com/3pxWjChev3
— #Hashed (@hashed_official) April 28, 2026
AI-Driven Markets Push Demand for Blockchain Settlement Infrastructure
Participants noted that autonomous AI agents are beginning to execute financial operations at a scale that exceeds legacy systems designed for human participation. This shift is driving demand for verifiable, transparent, and programmable settlement layers, with blockchain networks increasingly positioned as foundational infrastructure.
The report highlighted that tokenization is moving beyond digitization of assets toward restructuring issuance, distribution, and settlement processes. Institutional use cases cited include tokenized commodities and early-stage capital market experiments, with growing attention on how digital settlement systems could reshape liquidity flows.
Stablecoins were identified as one of the most established applications, particularly in enabling real-time settlement and cross-border value transfer. However, the report emphasized that secondary market liquidity and reliable redemption frameworks remain critical for scaling tokenized financial products effectively.
Regulation and Market Structure Remain Key Constraints
Despite accelerating adoption, regulatory uncertainty continues to be the primary barrier to institutional participation. Issues such as capital treatment under Basel frameworks, overlapping compliance requirements, and unresolved accounting standards were flagged as key friction points.
The report concludes that while infrastructure readiness is improving, the next phase of adoption will depend on clearer regulatory frameworks that balance innovation with systemic risk controls, particularly as AI and blockchain systems begin to operate more closely within global financial markets.
Meanwhile, Plume Network secured a commercial license from ADGM. The license covers activities like asset tokenization platforms and blockchain-based financial products, aligning with ADGM’s push for digital asset innovation.
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