Apex Group and ZIGChain Forge Strategic Alliance to Launch Tokenized Fund Infrastructure
Unveiled at an exclusive gathering in Dubai, the alliance brings together industry leaders in fund administration, tokenization compliance, asset management, and regulatory design. Its goal is to deliver a modular, Shariah-compliant infrastructure for launching and managing trillions in tokenized funds — deployed natively on ZIGChain and built to meet institutional standards.
This marks a major turning point in the institutional adoption of tokenized finance. By tokenizing entire fund structures rather than individual assets, blockchain integration becomes more operationally viable for large financial institutions. For Apex Group, this move reflects a clear strategic trajectory in Web3 infrastructure, following its acquisition of Tokeny and now expanding into fully on-chain fund ecosystems, where permitted in terms of the applicable regulatory frameworks.
'This is the institutional blueprint for unlocking the global fund market,' said Abdul Rafay Gadit, co-founder of ZIGChain. 'Apex Group's reach, Tokeny's compliance architecture, and Truleum's regulatory expertise — tied together on ZIGChain — form an institutional-grade foundation for a new era of on-chain capital markets. It's not every day that a pre-launch chain partners with one of the biggest financial institutions in the world. This is how tokenization goes mainstream, and we are honoured to help make it happen.'
Apex Group is a leading provider of fund administration, financial infrastructure, and regulatory services, with operations in over 50 countries and $3.4 trillion in assets under administration. Its subsidiary Tokeny — recently acquired by Apex Group — is the creator of ERC-3643, the leading global standard for permissioned digital securities.
'This alliance is a natural extension of Apex Group's mission to modernize fund infrastructure globally,' said Christiane El Habre, managing director at Apex Group – Middle East. 'We're proud to support this first-of-its-kind initiative and help drive compliant tokenization across new markets and asset classes.'
The alliance represents a long-term commitment to embedding tokenization into the global fund ecosystem. By enabling programmable, compliant fund structures with built-in regulatory guardrails, asset managers gain the tools to operate more efficiently, scale globally, and access new distribution channels in accordance with regulatory frameworks.
'Tokenization introduces a structural shift in fund management by enabling programmability, transparency, and near-instant settlement without compromising regulatory oversight. When implemented within a robust regulatory framework, it allows asset managers to launch compliant, modular funds with greater operational efficiency and global distribution potential. This alliance is a decisive step toward embedding these capabilities at an infrastructure level.' said Dr. Bhaskar Dasgupta, chairman of the Middle East Stablecoin Association (MESA) and member of the UAE Securities & Commodities Authority's Asset Management Industry Panel.
The alliance reflects a broader shift underway in institutional finance, where traditional asset managers are increasingly exploring blockchain-native infrastructure to modernize fund operations. With the global asset management industry reaching $128 trillion in assets under management, opens new tab in 2024, the opportunity for tokenized, programmable fund structures is significant, and rapidly gaining traction.
Zamanat, a founding member and native ZIGChain dApp, is currently pursuing over $3 billion in tokenized fund strategies to be executed through this framework. Additional institutions and service providers are in active discussions to join the alliance, signaling accelerating interest across the Middle East and beyond.
As momentum builds, ZIGChain is positioning itself as the default programmable settlement layer for compliant, institution-ready fund infrastructure, anchoring the next phase of growth in on-chain asset management.
About ZIGChain
ZIGChain is a purpose-built Layer 1 blockchain designed to democratize access to investment opportunities, facilitate financial inclusion regardless of income level, technical skill, or geographic location. ZIGChain enables developers and institutions to launch scalable, compliant protocols for profit-sharing, fund tokenization, and real-world asset management.
Its ecosystem includes Zignaly,, opens new tab a licensed social investment platform connecting over 600,000 users with more than 150 professional portfolio managers. ZIGChain also supports Zamanat, the world's first Shariah-compliant real-world asset (RWA) tokenization platform, combining ethical finance with programmable blockchain infrastructure.
For more information, visit zigchain.com, opens new tab.
About Apex Group
Apex Group is dedicated to driving positive change in financial services while supporting the growth and ambitions of asset managers, allocators, financial institutions, and family offices. Established in Bermuda in 2003, the Group has continually disrupted the industry through its investment in innovation and talent. Today, Apex Group sets the pace in fund and asset servicing and stands out for its unique single-source solution and unified cross asset-class platform which supports the entire value chain, harnesses leading innovative technology, and benefits from cross-jurisdictional expertise delivered by a long-standing management team and over 13,000 highly integrated professionals.
Apex Group leads the industry with a broad and unmatched range of services, including capital raising, business and corporate management, fund and investor administration, portfolio and investment administration, ESG, capital markets and transactions support. These services are tailored to each client and are delivered both at the Group level and via specialist subsidiary brands.
The Apex Foundation, a not-for-profit entity, is the Group's passionate commitment to empower sustainable change.
To learn more, visit www.apexgroup.com, opens new tab.
Media Contact
Isabel G., Luna PRisabel@lunapr.io
###
SOURCE: ZIGChain
Copyright 2025 EZ Newswire
See release on EZ Newswire
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
a day ago
- Reuters
BlackWood Ventures Announces Final Close of Debut Fund at More Than $25 Million to Back Europe's Next Generation of Founders
COPENHAGEN, Denmark, July 28, 2025 (EZ Newswire) -- BlackWood Ventures, opens new tab, a network- and technology-driven early-stage fund focused on European founders, announces today the final close of its debut $25 million (USD) fund. Since its first close in April 2023, BlackWood has made 19 investments spanning nine countries, with a plan to build a portfolio of around 30 fintech, cleantech, and Web3 companies. 'Europe is not short on talent; it's short on conviction capital. That's the gap we're here to fill,' said Bastian Larsen, founder and CEO of BlackWood Ventures. 'We built BlackWood to be truly European in scope and disciplined in approach, seeing hundreds of opportunities each month and backing founders whose ambition and focus stand out.' Investments include: Matthew Ford, founder and CEO of Sidekick: "BlackWood backed us early last year and has been fantastic to work with. They invest with conviction and it's refreshing how fast and efficient they were throughout. Their fintech-experienced team has been hands-on at every turn and supported us throughout. Whether that's in fundraising processes, helping with sales, or general support and guidance. It's been a great partnership!" BlackWood's sourcing model combines a network of over 1,000 angel investors with systematic screening of hundreds of opportunities each month, increasingly supported by tech-enabled sourcing platforms. Frequent co-investments with leading firms such as LocalGlobe, Y Combinator, Seedcamp, Northzone, Octopus Ventures, Firstminute Capital, RTP Global, Giant Ventures, Norrsken and others demonstrate the fund's ability to identify and back high-quality opportunities. 'I continue to be impressed by the clarity of the strategy and intensity of execution this team has demonstrated,' said Steffen Saltofte, a limited partner and board member at BlackWood, and CEO of Zentiva, a multinational pharmaceutical company with more than 5,000 employees. 'BlackWood has built a strong European footprint, moves quickly, and is backing companies many Nordic VCs overlook due to geographic constraints. This ambition and focused execution is exactly what we aimed for with Fund I, and I'm excited to see it continue.' About BlackWood Ventures BlackWood Ventures is a network- and technology-driven early-stage venture capital firm headquartered in Copenhagen with team members across Europe. The firm backs visionary fintech, cleantech, and Web3 founders from pre-seed to seed with a disciplined, pan-European approach. For more information, visit opens new tab. Media Contact Rasmus Holtrh@ ### SOURCE: BlackWood Ventures Copyright 2025 EZ Newswire See release on EZ Newswire
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Barcelona 'hostile city' for visitors as tourist tax doubles to 15 Euros a night
Barcelona has voted to double the tourist tax to €8 by 2029, and the surcharge, added to the Catalan tourist tax, means some tourists will have to pay up to €15 a night Tourists visiting Barcelona are facing paying up to €15 (£13) a night for overnight stays in a shock new move. The Spanish city has voted to double the controversial tourist tax to €8 (£7) by 2029. The decision was taken yesterday by Barcelona council, with officials agreeing: "The more tourists pay, the less residents will have to." The tourist tax will rise by €1 (£0.87) each year from now on until it reaches the historic high of €8 in 2029. The measure approved will see the surcharge rise to €5 (£4.3) in 2026, €6 (£5.2) in 2027, €7 (£6.1) in 2028, and finally €8 in 2029 - double Barcelona city's current tourist tax surcharge of €4 (£3.50). The surcharge is in addition to the Catalan tourist tax, which varies according to the type of accommodation and stay. The Catalan tourist tax is expected to increase later this year, up to €7 per night for five-star hotels, meaning some tourists could face a total charge of €15 in 2029. "The more tourists pay, the less residents will have to," said Esquerra Republicana (ERC) leader Elisenda Alamany after Friday's council session. Her party proposed the surcharge increase, and the measure passed with support from the ruling Socialists, and Barcelona en Comú. Junts abstained while the People's Party (PP) and Vox voted against. "Managing tourism is common sense in this city," she said ahead of the vote, stressing that the debate wasn't about being for or against tourism, but about shifting perspective: "Recovering that income allows us to ensure balance and build a successful city." Speaking to reporters after the vote, she welcomed the "solid majority" backing the measure, saying the aim was for tourists to contribute more. Deputy Mayor for Economy and Tourism, Jordi Valls, expressed the city government's support for the measure, noting that the tourist surcharge already helps fund key areas such as public transport, safety, and climate initiatives. He said they welcomed the phased approach in ERC's proposal, allowing the sector to adapt gradually as the tax increases. "The city recognises that tourism is a key part of our economy, but there is consensus that it must be properly managed, and that includes the sector itself," he said. The political parties PP and Vox have rejected the increase in the amount of the surcharge and claim tourism is "criminalised". The PP says it will turn Barcelona "into a city hostile to visitors". The measure is conditional on the Parliament approving, foreseeably in October, a modification of the current limit of this rate. Only with that approval, the city council will be able to include the new calendar of increases in the tax ordinances that must be approved before the end of the year. Elisenda Alamany said: "Governing tourism is no longer to be on the right or the left, it is common sense. If we do not govern tourism, the city changes and will change and it will be even more difficult to continue living."
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Major update on new £18m train station near Glasgow
The new stop will be a great addition for residents and for visitors to the area FULL STEAM AHEAD Major update on new £18m train station near Glasgow Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WORK has officially started on a brand new £18.3 million train station. The new rail link at Balgray will serve Barrhead, on the south-west edge of Glasgow, and its growing communities. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 The new station near Barrhead will be on the line from Glasgow Central It will make it easier for people to travel to and from the city for work, education and leisure, while also improving access to local destinations and attractions. Once complete, the station will feature two platforms connected by a footbridge with lifts, along with waiting shelters, ticket machines and secure cycle storage. Margaret Gibb, commercial director at Network Rail Scotland, said: 'Breaking ground at Balgray is a major step forward in improving transport for the Barrhead area. 'The new station will make it easier for people to travel to and from Glasgow, and for locals and visitors to connect with places like Dams to Darnley Country Park. 'It's exciting to see work begin on a project that also supports active travel, encouraging more walking and cycling too. 'We're proud to be part of a partnership delivering real change and long-term benefits for people in Barrhead and the surrounding area.' An 80-space car park at the station will include electric vehicle charging points, with new walkways linking the platforms directly to nearby housing developments and reservoir paths. A new bus turning circle and stop have already been delivered on Springfield Road by East Renfrewshire Council (ERC). The Balgray Station project, which is part of the wider Glasgow City Region City Deal, is being delivered by Network Rail in partnership with ERC, Transport Scotland, ScotRail and Story Contracting. Preparatory work and planning for the station began in October 2023, with the final proposal approved by the Glasgow City Region City Deal panel in September 2024. Laughing gas 'epidemic' sweeping party island with tourists left foaming at mouth, having seizures & permanently scarred Construction will continue into next year, with the station expected to open to passengers in Autumn 2026. Councillor Owen O'Donnell, leader of East Renfrewshire Council, said: 'I'm delighted to see work start on the new Balgray station which will greatly improve transport links between Barrhead and other parts of East Renfrewshire with stations on the Neilston line - Williamwood, Whitecraigs and Patterton. 'Like many of our communities, Barrhead is growing, and this new station will also provide another route from the town into Glasgow. 'We're proud to be working with our partners on delivering this new station which is one of our biggest City Deal projects.'
