The Forbes Assetization Leaders List Provides an Invaluable Snapshot of Assetization in Action

This newsletter is part of The Assetizer, GenTwo's thought leadership platform. Photo: GenTwo CEO Philippe A. Naegeli (left) and Klaus Fiala, editor-in-chief of Forbes Switzerland, presenting the inaugural Forbes Assetization Leaders List at the GenTwo offices in Zurich. Photo: Claudio Zingarella, Forbes Switzerland. 

When The Assetizer launched in February, we set out to chronicle the evolution of assetization through three distinct lenses: asset evolution, where we look at innovative products and examine new use cases and scenarios; innovation lab, where we take a look under the hood at the new technologies and tools driving innovation in asset management; and democratization of finance, for more big picture discussions.

It's been a fascinating journey so far, and one I hope readers have enjoyed. But the scope is much broader than what can be covered in one blog. And so in the spring we also partnered with Forbes at the start of the year to create a new Assetization Leaders List. As I discussed with Klaus Fiala, editor-in-chief of Forbes Switzerland, in this podcast and wrote about in this article, the idea was to shine a light on the individuals and organizations driving this transformation—specifically, innovators focused on democratizing financial product creation and redefining what constitutes an asset.

Last week, on November 6, we finally revealed the first Assetization Leaders List. At an event hosted at the GenTwo offices in Zurich, we introduced the 30 individuals who made the cut out of more than 200 applications.

What stood out for me from the evening was the ways in which the list reflected The Assetizer’s three pillars. This list feels like a snapshot of assetization in action along the lines that we have been showcasing.

Here is a quick recap of what I mean. You can find out more about the event, as well as see the full list, on the Forbes website.

From collectibles to clubs

Take asset evolution, for example. Among the list makers is a company fractionalizing collectibles, offering investors exposure to watches, whisky and art that would otherwise be out of reach. Another firm has structured museum-quality art portfolios, lowering the threshold for entry into a market once reserved for the wealthy.

Other list makers are transforming football clubs into investable vehicles, giving backers the chance to participate in club performance and fan engagement. Others are tokenizing agricultural revenues, enabling global investors to share in the yields from cattle ranching. Some are even packaging employee health and public-sector debt as assets, further expanding the definition of what can be bought and sold in financial markets.  

What all these have in common is the transformation of unconventional assets into regulated, accessible investment products.  

New rails for new assets

Or look at infrastructure. Behind each new asset class is a network of firms building the systems that make innovation possible. These operators provide the rails for custody, exchange, compliance and banking—functions critical to taking products from concept to market.

One runs a blockchain-agnostic platform that enables banks to issue and manage digital assets securely. Another operates a regulated exchange, opening the door for alternative assets to be traded alongside more established instruments. One is streamlining banking infrastructure, allowing issuers to deploy new products at scale, while another uses artificial intelligence to automate onboarding and compliance. Others make it possible for small firms to issue and trade equity directly, or provide the digital wallets and contract systems needed for investment flows to move on-chain. Their work forms the connective tissue without which assetization could not advance.

An incumbent embrace

The most notable trend may very well be the involvement of established financial institutions. Rather than being sidelined, incumbents are embracing assetization, bridging the gap between traditional markets and new digital products.

One is offering a regulated investment vehicle that connects mainstream investors to digital assets. Another is opening access to private markets for a wider audience, while a third automates the issuance of structured products. Some are integrating crypto into private portfolios, and others are expanding the distribution of exchange-traded funds by blending conventional and digital offerings. The scale of these efforts varies widely, but the direction is clear: the evolution of assetization is being shaped as much by the industry establishment as by startups.

All in all, it was genuinely satisfying to see just how much is happening in this space. We’ve always argued that assetization is basically inevitable—the history of finance is one of expanding access, shaped by technology and market demand. This first list, I think, makes a pretty convincing case for that view. 

Tom Lyons, GenTwo