ArbitrumDAO Selects Franklin Templeton, Spiko, And WisdomTree For STEP 2 To Expand On-Chain Adoption Of Real-World Assets
In Brief
ArbitrumDAO has approved the next phase of its Stable Treasury Endowment Program, allocating 35 million ARB to tokenized US Treasury assets managed by Franklin Templeton, Spiko, and WisdomTree.
Organization responsible for supporting the advancement and oversight of technology related to the Arbitrum Layer 2 scaling solution for Ethereum, the Arbitrum Foundation, announced that ArbitrumDAO has approved the continuation of its Stable Treasury Endowment Program. In this next phase, 35 million ARB tokens will be allocated to tokenized US Treasury assets, managed by established institutional providers including Franklin Templeton, Spiko, and WisdomTree.
“Having organizations like BlackRock, Franklin Templeton, Spiko, and WisdomTree interacting with a DAO publicly in a forum is an unbelievable accomplishment for the whole crypto space,” said Matthew Fiebach, Co-Founder of Entropy Advisors, in a written statement. “Since day one, Arbitrum has been strategically positioned at the heart of crypto’s convergence with TradFi, and STEP is a great example of the DAO’s steadfast push to continue bringing institutions onchain,” he added.
Established in July 2024, the Stable Treasury Endowment Program (STEP) marked the first large-scale initiative by ArbitrumDAO to allocate treasury capital into tokenized real-world assets. The initial deployment, exceeding $30 million, has produced close to $700,000 in passive returns for the DAO and contributed to broader adoption of institutional-grade on-chain assets, including products like BlackRock’s BUIDL, Ondo’s USDY, and Mountain Protocol’s USDM.
Following a request for proposals that drew over 50 submissions, the DAO approved the next round of allocations under STEP, distributing 35% to Franklin Templeton’s FOBXX (tokenized as BENJI), 35% to Spiko’s USTBL, and 30% to WisdomTree’s WTGXX. Each of these providers offers tokenized exposure to short-term US Treasury securities within a regulated framework, supporting both compliance and on-chain liquidity for Arbitrum’s treasury assets.
This most recent allocation aligns with STEP’s objective to establish a sustainable, composable, and yield-generating treasury framework. ArbitrumDAO currently plays a prominent role in the integration of real-world assets into blockchain systems, with over $45 million deployed through eight different issuers and more than $240 million in real-world assets now held on Arbitrum-based platforms—representing a more than fiftyfold increase over the past year.
ArbitrumDAO’s STEP 2 Expansion Highlights Rising Demand For Institutional-Grade Digital Assets
“We are thrilled to be selected as a manager for the STEP 2 program, deepening our already strong connection with the Arbitrum user base,” said Roger Bayston, Head of Digital Assets at Franklin Templeton, in a written statement. “By leveraging Arbitrum’s leading Layer 2 technology, we are able to deliver faster, more scalable, and cost-efficient solutions to our clients. This collaboration not only strengthens our commitment to innovation but also positions us at the forefront of the next generation of financial services infrastructure,” he added.
“Being selected by the STEP 2 committee is a powerful endorsement of our mission: to deliver secure, regulated, on-chain treasury solutions that are accessible to all,” added Paul Adrien, CEO of Spiko, in a written statement. “Since launching the first tokenized UCITS funds on public blockchains in mid-2024, Spiko has rapidly become Europe’s leading tokenization platform, with over $260 million in assets under management. Our ambition is to build the leading treasury management fintech on Arbitrum,” he added.
“We are honored to be selected as part of Arbitrum’s Treasury Diversification initiative,” said Maredith Hannon, Head of Business Development, Digital Assets at WisdomTree, in a written statement. “Expanding access to tokenized RWAs is central to our mission, and this opportunity with Arbitrum highlights the growing demand for institutional-grade digital assets. Through WisdomTree Connect, we are bringing trusted, institutional-grade solutions to onchain entities, supporting the next generation of treasury operations built on digital asset infrastructure,” she added.
The STEP initiative on Arbitrum aims to improve capital efficiency by reducing idle treasury holdings, while also establishing a framework that could support broader diversification into additional asset categories such as early-stage investments, credit-based instruments, and commodities in the future.
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Alisa, a dedicated journalist at the MPost, specializes in cryptocurrency, zero-knowledge proofs, investments, and the expansive realm of Web3. With a keen eye for emerging trends and technologies, she delivers comprehensive coverage to inform and engage readers in the ever-evolving landscape of digital finance.
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Alisa, a dedicated journalist at the MPost, specializes in cryptocurrency, zero-knowledge proofs, investments, and the expansive realm of Web3. With a keen eye for emerging trends and technologies, she delivers comprehensive coverage to inform and engage readers in the ever-evolving landscape of digital finance.
