Global Settlement Network to push tokenization of Southeast Asian water infrastructure…worth $200 million

Global Settlement Network is accelerating efforts to expand the real-world asset (RWA) tokenization market by launching a project to tokenize Southeast Asian water infrastructure on blockchain.

According to Cointelegraph on the 15th (local time), blockchain infrastructure firm Global Settlement Network said it will pursue a water infrastructure tokenization initiative worth up to $200 million across Southeast Asia over the next 12 months, starting with water treatment facilities in Jakarta, Indonesia.

In the initial phase, the company will tokenize eight water treatment facilities in Jakarta that are under contract with the government, aiming to raise up to $35 million to upgrade equipment and expand the water network. The project will be scaled in stages, with plans to first pilot a payment structure using a rupiah-denominated stablecoin in a limited area before expanding it into foreign-exchange payment corridors.

Mas Witjaksono, board chair of the Globalasia Infrastructure Fund, which is participating in the project, said, "Indonesia has abundant large-scale infrastructure and natural assets that can be tokenized," adding that "this initiative could present a new turning point for infrastructure investment and capital-raising methods."

Southeast Asia is widely seen as a region with a structural shortfall in water infrastructure investment. Industry sources say more than $4 trillion in long-term water investment will be needed across Southeast Asia by 2040, but current investment levels fall far short. Global Settlement Network’s plan is to use tokenization to broaden channels for private capital inflows and close the funding gap.

Some in the market also predict that real-world asset tokenization, led by emerging economies, could become a key growth driver for the crypto market in 2026. The amount of real-world assets tokenized on blockchain is estimated at about $21 billion, with the number of holders reaching 629,528.