Securitize Acquires River One, Enters $6 Trillion Loan Market with Stablecoin Funding

[By Myungjeong Seon, Block Media] Securitize, a company specializing in the tokenization of real-world assets (RWA), is acquiring River One, a U.S. asset-backed financing platform. This move aims to expand its existing business, which supports trading financial assets like stocks and bonds on the blockchain, into the loan market. In particular, Securitize plans to connect stablecoin funding to corporate loans and receivables, targeting the global asset-backed financing market, which is approximately $6 trillion in size.

On the 9th (local time), the Financial Times reported that Securitize announced it had signed a final agreement to acquire River One, an asset-backed financing platform for institutional investors. The acquisition amount has not been disclosed, and the transaction is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of this year, pending the usual closing conditions.

The key aspect of this acquisition is securing a loan function that allows funding to be raised against tokenized financial assets. Securitize has focused on issuing and managing funds and securities from asset management companies as blockchain-based digital tokens. By combining this with River One's lending technology, the plan is to handle everything from asset issuance to collateralized loans and funding on a single platform.

$321 Billion in Stablecoins Connected to the Real Loan Market

River One, established in 2025 in New York, is pursuing a business that supplies funds to financial institutions using cash-flow-generating assets like small business loans and receivables as collateral.

The core technology is 'Warehouse Financing.' This structure allows financial companies to secure funds in advance using loan receivables or receivables as collateral, which they then use to supply new loans. This is a traditional funding method used by banks, private credit funds, and specialized lending institutions.

River One has integrated artificial intelligence (AI)-based credit assessments and blockchain technology into this process. It is designed to handle everything from loan assessments to collateral valuation, fund execution, and repayment status management within an integrated system. Financial institutions can check collateral assets and loan balances in real-time.

Securitize plans to leverage this to connect stablecoin market funds with traditional financial loan demand.

According to the company, the global stablecoin market is estimated to be around $321 billion. While stablecoins have primarily been used for digital asset trading and payments, their application is expected to expand as a funding source for the real economy, including corporate loans and receivables financing.

However, the acquisition itself does not mean that stablecoin funds will flow into the loan market. River One is building partnerships with related fund providers, and actual loan expansion depends on securing investors, credit assessments, and meeting regulatory requirements.

Targeting a $6 Trillion Market, Expected to Grow to $9.2 Trillion by 2029

The market Securitize is targeting is the global private asset-backed financing market. This financial sector supplies funds to companies using income-generating assets like loan receivables and receivables as collateral.

Global investment firm KKR estimates the size of this market to be around $6 trillion and projects it will expand to $9.2 trillion by 2029. The analysis indicates that as the role of private credit funds and non-bank financial institutions increases in corporate finance, the demand for asset-backed loans is also rising.

Carlos Domingo, Chairman and CEO of Securitize, stated, "The credit market is one of the most notable new asset classes in blockchain-based finance," adding, "The acquisition of River One is an important step in expanding our business into asset issuance and the loan market."

He expressed hope that through this acquisition, Securitize could directly participate in the process of discovering loan assets and supplying funds, securing new revenue sources beyond its existing tokenization business.

River One was established with the support of digital asset venture capital Framework Ventures and has received investments from Framework Ventures and decentralized credit market platform Maple Finance.

Brahm Meta, co-founder and CEO of River One, explained, "The traditional asset-backed financing market is an important financial infrastructure, but there is significant room for technological improvement," stating that the goal is to maintain existing credit assessment standards and investor protection mechanisms while utilizing AI and blockchain technology.

Collaborating with BlackRock and Apollo to Expand Beyond Tokenization into Lending

Securitize is collaborating with global financial companies such as BlackRock, Apollo, BNY, Hamilton Lane, and KKR to advance its tokenization business for funds and financial assets.

As of September this year, the company reported that its assets under management are approximately $5 billion. It operates a regulated digital securities infrastructure in the U.S. and the European Union and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol SECZ.

Once the acquisition of River One is completed, the existing tokenization infrastructure will be enhanced with loan receivable management and collateralized loan functions. River One is also developing a structure to hold loan receivables in a separate special purpose vehicle (SPV) to isolate assets from the bankruptcy risk of related companies, along with a collateral management system.

Through this acquisition, Securitize plans to expand from issuing financial assets as tokens to providing financial services that supply funds against those assets. The acquisition transaction is targeted for completion in the fourth quarter of 2026, and specific acquisition amounts and future loan product launch schedules have not been disclosed.

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