MANTRA, a blockchain startup with headquarters in Dubai and Hong Kong, has introduced upgrades to its mainnet that could strengthen its appeal to institutional investors exploring digital assets.
The company said its Layer 1 blockchain now supports both Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) and CosmWasm contracts, a move designed to simplify development while expanding potential liquidity for real-world assets (RWAs).
The change coincides with rising institutional interest in tokenization, with forecasts suggesting as much as $16 trillion in assets could move on-chain by 2030. BlackRock, JPMorgan and other financial groups have already launched pilot projects, underscoring the growing focus on blockchain-based infrastructure.
Unlike many platforms that address compliance through additional tools, MANTRA has integrated regulatory requirements into its protocol. The chain is supported by a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) license from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), covering exchange, broker-dealer and investment services. The move reflects Dubai’s wider ambitions to attract financial institutions through clear digital asset rules, competing with hubs such as Singapore, Hong Kong and London.
Earlier this year, MANTRA partnered with U.S. data and valuation firm Inveniam to create an institutional RWA ecosystem spanning the UAE and United States. Inveniam invested $20 million into the initiative, which coincided with a buyback program for MANTRA’s OM token. That program committed at least $25 million for repurchases, with tokens migrated to MANTRA’s mainnet and staked with external validators to bolster the network’s governance structure.
Governance changes have continued, with validators such as Binance and Nansen added to the network while internally controlled validators were phased out. The company said this shift is intended to broaden participation and improve transparency for institutions considering tokenization.
For investors, the MultiVM framework offers a potential bridge between Ethereum-based infrastructure and Cosmos-linked applications, two ecosystems that have attracted distinct user bases. For regulators, it signals an attempt to address compliance concerns that have slowed institutional adoption in other jurisdictions.
The question for MANTRA, and for the broader sector, is whether such initiatives can move beyond pilots into large-scale adoption.
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