Schroders picks Singapore for global digital assets hub

International investment manager Schroders has chosen Singapore as the base for its new Global Digital Assets Centre of Excellence.

The centre will focus on applying tokenisation – which is the process of representing assets digitally – to the firm’s existing business operations, with the aim to improve client outcomes and enhance operational efficiency, it said on Wednesday (Jul 2).

Led by Schroders’ global head of digital asset strategy, Marita McGinley, the centre will also explore use cases that complement active asset management. These include tokenised investment products, digital collateral management, and modern treasury solutions.

The move accelerates Schroders’ shift towards tokenised investments and composable finance – underscoring its commitment to modernising portfolio construction and expanding its digital infrastructure worldwide.

For instance, the Singapore-based centre will build simplified, scalable digital infrastructure through the development of reusable tools such as smart contracts, data modules and integration frameworks that can support future growth across multiple platforms.

Gopi Mirchandani, Schroders’ Asia client group head, said the launch of the centre “marks a pivotal milestone in our journey to drive the evolution of asset management through digital innovation”.

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“As Asia continues to accelerate its leadership in digital asset innovation, Singapore’s dynamic fintech ecosystem provides the ideal platform for us to reimagine how digital assets can unlock personalised, agile investment solutions at scale,” she added.

To balance innovation with compliance, the centre intends to engage with regulators and policymakers, the asset manager said.

It will also participate in industry groups to support the creation of standards and best practices for digital assets, and collaborate with academic institutions to promote research and knowledge sharing.

Listed on the London Stock Exchange, Schroders has £778.7 billion (S$1.4 trillion) in assets under management.