Dubai: ADI Chain and Shipfinex have announced an exclusive partnership aimed at establishing the first regulated, institutional-grade tokenised maritime asset class. This collaboration seeks to create a novel on-chain market for vessel-backed finance, charter-linked income, and economic interests in ships.
According to Emirates News Agency, Maritime Asset Tokens developed under this partnership will be issued through a regulated route and made available exclusively on ADI Chain. While maritime transport accounts for over 80 percent of international trade in goods by volume, investment in these vessels remains highly concentrated among shipowners, banks, and specialist financial institutions, presenting a significant financing opportunity.
As of the end of 2025, the commercial fleet's estimated value is projected to reach approximately $2.17 trillion. Meanwhile, total global ship finance, encompassing bank lending, leasing, export credit, and alternative providers, is estimated at around US$680 billion. Despite this, ownership remains fragmented across numerous small and mid-sized operators with limited access to new capital sources.
The partnership aims to introduce a regulated digital route into the maritime market. Shipfinex will be responsible for originating, issuing, and structuring eligible maritime assets, while ADI Chain will provide the blockchain, distribution, and settlement infrastructure to connect these instruments with the digital-asset economy. This will introduce qualified institutional participants to the primary distributions of Maritime Asset Tokens as the regulated issuance route is finalized.
Shipfinex has an initial pipeline of approximately 35 vessels valued at around US$500 million. The Maritime Asset Token architecture and per-vessel legal structure have been designed, with the project now advancing through the pilot and operational-readiness stage.
Each eligible vessel will be held within a legally distinct special-purpose vehicle, allowing for independent assessment of its value, liabilities, income, and investor rights. Depending on the final product structure, the instruments could represent vessel-backed credit, charter-linked income, or economic interests.
Ramana Kumar, President of Stablecoin Ecosystem at ADI Foundation, commented on the partnership's potential to transform maritime finance into a major new real-world asset category. He emphasized the role of trusted infrastructure in connecting individual vessels with regulated issuance and onshore digital settlement, thereby providing maritime assets a clear entry into digital markets through the UAE.
The model will maintain existing legal and operational frameworks governing commercial ships, such as ownership, flagging, insurance, and maritime protections. Tokenisation will digitally represent the economic rights linked to each vessel, without altering the structures through which the asset is owned and operated.
Capt. Vikas Pandey, Founder and CEO of Shipfinex, highlighted the narrow and fragmented access to maritime investment. He stated that combining Shipfinex's maritime origination and asset structuring with ADI Chain's infrastructure will create a regulated digital route into the market, with each instrument tied to a real vessel and its economic and legal structure.
Shipfinex has received In-Principle Approval from Dubai's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority for broker-dealer services and is preparing for operational launch, although no Maritime Asset Tokens have been issued publicly yet. The initial phase of the partnership will focus on finalizing the regulated issuance route, confirming the initial product structure, and preparing vessels for tokenisation.