Tether has backed UAE-based KAIO in an $8M funding round to support tokenization and bring Emirati funds onchain. It highlights the growing adoption of blockchain and the UAE’s focus on digital asset innovation in financial services.
Abu Dhabi-regulated tokenization firm KAIO said Monday (April 20, 2026) it had raised $8 million in a strategic funding round backed by Tether and several other crypto and institutional investors. The company aims to build infrastructure to bring traditional funds onto blockchain rails.
The round brings KAIO’s total funding to $19 million. New investors include Systemic Ventures, while Further Ventures and Laser Digital joined again alongside earlier backers such as Brevan Howard Digital.
"KAIO’s unique position unlocks new pathways for capital formation and investment by bringing institutional-grade assets onchain and making them more broadly accessible, helping expand participation in global financial markets," Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino said in a statement.
KAIO said it develops infrastructure that allows asset managers to distribute on-chain. It created tokens of products from firms like BlackRock, Brevan Howard and Hamilton Lane, then made them accessible through blockchain-based systems.
With the investment, KAIO plans to expand into other products such as credit, structured investments and exchange-traded funds. The firm said it plans to launch an on-chain fund with Mubadala Capital, the Emirati private equity firm with $385 billion in assets under management.
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Tether’s $8 million strategic investment in Kaio represents a milestone for the real-world asset ecosystem. This move underscores a strategic pivot by one of crypto’s most influential entities towards building the foundational infrastructure for a tokenized economy. The participation of elite institutional investors further validates the sector’s potential.
Tether's involvement ties the model to stablecoin flows. USDT is the most popular stablecoin, boasting a $185 billion supply, and is often used to move money across borders, especially in emerging markets. KAIO aims to channel that liquidity into regulated investment products.
The real-world asset sector has evolved from a niche concept into a foundational pillar of decentralized finance (DeFi). This growth is driven by several compelling advantages that blockchain technology offers traditional finance.