CIP-0113, now recognized by CMTA, lets issuers of stablecoins, funds and other regulated assets build KYC, sanctions and transfer rules directly into native Cardano tokens
ZUG, Switzerland & SINGAPORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--$ADA #cardano--The Cardano Foundation, the independent, Swiss-based, not-for-profit organisation dedicated to advancing Cardano as a public digital infrastructure, today at TOKEN2049 announced that Cardano’s new programmable token standard, CIP-0113, is live on Cardano mainnet following extensive joint development efforts with Cardano community experts and completion of multiple independent security audits. Issuers of stablecoins, tokenised funds, bonds and other regulated assets can now use it to build compliance rules such as KYC and AML checks, sanctions screening, freeze and seize, and transfer restrictions directly into their tokens. The Cardano ledger enforces those rules every time a token is transferred, minted or burned.
Tokens issued under the programmable token standard remain native Cardano assets. Built on Cardano’s extended UTXO (EUTXO) ledger model, the standard attaches compliance logic to the token itself, ensuring it remains on Cardano. Once integrated, wallets, explorers and applications handle these tokens like any other Cardano asset, and execution costs stay predictable regardless of how many inputs a transaction contains. The standard required no hard fork. Issuers select modular rule sets, known as modules, or write their own, and can update them as regulation evolves without changing the core standard.
Frederik Gregaard, CEO of the Cardano Foundation, said: “Regulators have been clear about what tokenised financial assets need. The rules have to travel with the asset and be enforced every time it moves. Cardano can now do that natively, and we believe the way we do it is unique. Programmable tokens on Cardano remain native assets on the ledger, with compliance enforced by the network itself rather than by a wrapper or a closed system. For banks, fund managers and stablecoin issuers deciding where to tokenise, that moves the conversation from what Cardano could do to what it does.”
International standard-setters, including the Bank for International Settlements and the International Monetary Fund, have identified programmability – the ability to hard-code compliance conditions into an asset itself – as central to the next generation of tokenised financial markets. CIP-0113 gives issuers a way to meet that requirement on a public blockchain.
The programmable tokens standard launches with support from across the Cardano ecosystem, including by Eternl, GeroWallet, CardanoScan, and BloxBean. This allows issuers and holders to use and verify programmable tokens through tools they already know. Giovanni Gargiulo, Senior Blockchain Architect at the Cardano Foundation, said: “On Cardano, a programmable token is still a native asset, so the whole ecosystem can work with it, while the issuer’s rules are checked by the ledger on every transaction. That keeps costs predictable and lets issuers add new rules as regulations change, without touching the core protocol.”
Phil di Sarro, Community Expert and CEO of Anastasia Labs, said: “When designing the original programmable tokens protocol, the goal was tokens with customized logic tailored to the needs of applications while retaining interoperability with Cardano’s existing ecosystem. The Cardano Foundation’s team has brought rigour to the Aiken implementation, and our collaboration has made the standard stronger. I’m proud to see it reach mainnet.”
Additionally today, the Swiss Capital Markets and Technology Association (CMTA) and the Cardano Foundation announced that Cardano’s CIP-113 Programmable Asset Tokens have been recognized as a smart contract equivalent to the CMTAT for the purpose of CMTA's certification scheme. The CIP-113 Programmable Asset Tokens include the mandatory functions listed in the CMTAT framework and may be used for certifying compliance of ledger-based equity securities under CMTA's standards. This recognition supports the adoption of Swiss ledger-based securities while reducing the due diligence burden and preserving a chain-agnostic approach.
The Cardano Foundation will continue to work directly with projects and institutions building on the standard, including further development of a securities module for regulated financial instruments.
About Cardano Foundation
The Cardano Foundation is an independent, Swiss-based, not-for-profit organisation dedicated to advancing Cardano as a public digital infrastructure across industries. The Foundation develops infrastructure tooling, strengthens operational resilience, and drives real-world use cases and sound governance. For more information, visit https://cardanofoundation.org
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