CME Group announced plans to implement real-world asset (RWA) tokenization to enhance capital market efficiency, leveraging Google Cloud’s new universal DLT network.

As North America’s largest financial derivatives marketplace, CME Group partnered with Google Cloud to test a range of solutions for seamless and secure wholesale payments using asset tokenization technology.
During the initial testing phase, CME Group successfully integrated and tested Google Cloud Universal Ledger (GCUL), a new distributed ledger from Google Cloud designed for secure and scalable management of tokenized assets.
GCUL is a programmable DLT network built for seamless integration with financial institutions within the traditional financial system. The solution optimizes account and asset management while enabling private, permissioned blockchain-based transfers.
According to Terry Duffy, CEO of CME Group, tokenization technology will help improve liquidity, transparency, and cost efficiency in capital markets. Rohit Bhat, General Manager for Financial Services at Google Cloud, emphasized that integrating GCUL will enable CME Group to effectively manage tokenized assets while ensuring regulatory compliance.
The joint testing initiative will continue throughout 2025, with CME Group planning to begin direct market participant trials based on GCUL. The company aims to launch its new tokenization services by 2026.
Google previously partnered with the Tezos Foundation in 2023 to integrate Web3 innovations into Google Cloud.