Bybit Launches Tokenized Bond Funds via RWA Earn, Partnering with PIMCO and China Merchants Bank
The offering features two funds: the PIMCO Dynamic Income Opportunities Fund (PDO) and the CMBI Investment Grade Bond Fund (CMIGB). PDO is overseen by PIMCO, which manages more than $2.26 trillion in assets, while CMIGB is run by China Merchants Bank International Asset Management. Both can be subscribed to with USDC stablecoins, and Bybit has pledged that eligible users will not incur subscription, redemption, or blockchain transaction fees.
"Crypto traders have never had a straightforward way to access institutional bond markets," said Jerry Li, head of financial products and wealth management at Bybit, in a statement. He noted that the exchange has already broadened its reach into equities, commodities, and other traditional securities.
Tokenized real‑world assets (RWAs) are gaining traction across both traditional and decentralized finance. Bybit’s RWA Earn platform leverages DigiFT’s regulated tokenization framework and Plume’s vault system to enable on‑chain subscriptions and fund allocations. The underlying bond holdings are held in institutional custody: State Street Bank for the PIMCO fund and CMB Wing Lung Trustee for the CMBI fund.
The launch reflects a wider industry trend in which blockchain technology enhances accessibility, settlement speed, and transparency for investment products that were previously confined to conventional intermediaries. By allowing users to remain within the crypto ecosystem while accessing institutional fixed‑income strategies, Bybit is positioning itself at the crossroads of traditional finance and Web3.
The partnership with PIMCO and CMBI also signals growing confidence among established asset managers in tokenized products. Both firms bring deep expertise in fixed‑income markets, and their involvement indicates that tokenized bond funds can meet the regulatory and operational standards demanded by institutional investors.
Bybit’s announcement comes amid a wave of exchanges and asset managers exploring tokenized securities. Platforms such as Kraken and Bybit have recently launched tokenized stocks and ETFs, while Plume has expanded its institutional vaults to include fixed‑income assets, underscoring the digital asset market’s increasing integration with traditional capital markets.
The RWA Earn platform is currently available to users who meet Bybit’s eligibility criteria. The exchange has not set a specific launch window beyond the announcement date, and, as stated, no subscription or redemption fees and no gas costs apply.
In short, Bybit’s entry into tokenized bond funds marks its first foray into institutional fixed‑income investments through its RWA strategy. The collaboration with PIMCO and China Merchants Bank International, combined with Plume and DigiFT infrastructure, demonstrates a tangible step toward bridging traditional finance with the expanding world of digital assets, and it underscores the growing legitimacy of tokenized real‑world assets as a vehicle for broader investment access.