Dubai-based maritime asset tokenization platform Shipfinex partnered with ADI Chain to tokenize a pipeline of around 35 vessels worth $500 million, as it looks to open new financing channels for shipowners.

According to the company, the vessels will be placed in separate special-purpose vehicles, with the resulting tokens potentially representing vessel-backed credit, charter-linked income or other economic interests in individual ships.

ADI Chain, an Abu Dhabi-based blockchain focused on stablecoins and real-world assets, will provide the distribution and settlement infrastructure. Primary allocations and distributions are expected to use UAE dirham-, US dollar- and other currency-denominated stablecoins.

The planned tokenization represents a small share of the broader shipping market. The world fleet and orderbook were valued at about $2.1 trillion at the start of 2026, according to Clarksons Research data.

The partnership is still in the pilot and operational-readiness stage, with no Maritime Asset Tokens publicly issued and the regulated issuance route still being finalized.

The deal comes as the market for tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) continues to grow. Assets tracked by RWA.xyz totaled about $38.1 billion as of Aug. 9, led by $16.2 billion in US Treasury debt and $4.9 billion in commodities.

In a report released Monday, Standard Chartered forecast that tokenized RWAs could reach $4 trillion by the end of 2028, according to Geoff Kendrick, the bank’s global head of digital asset research.

Magazine: 10 weirdest things ever tokenized… including farts