Simplechain raises $15 million to build RWA first layer 1 and dataipo protocol, expanding ex-jd.com and antgroup execs’ efforts toward compliant asset tokenization.
Real-world asset (RWA) startup SimpleChain has raised $15 million in seed funding to build a dedicated Layer 1 blockchain aimed at tokenizing assets such as credit, energy infrastructure and other off-chain collateral at scale. The company said the new capital will go towards engineering, compliance and ecosystem incentives as it races to position its infrastructure as a base layer for regulated RWA issuance. The round comes amid a broader rush by Chinese and Asian fintech players to move the tokenization of assets on-chain, with Hong Kong emerging as a key testing ground.
According to Chinese outlet PANews, SimpleChain’s founding team includes former executives from Shuqin Technology, JD.com and Ant Group, who previously helped build compliant fintech and supply chain financing platforms for traditional markets. Their new blockchain is presented as a continuation of that work, but with the settlement and asset logic moving completely on-chain. “The launch of SimpleChain and the DataIPO protocol is an extension of the years spent building compatible infrastructure for real-world assets,” the team said in comments reported by industry media, describing the project as a way to “bridge institutional capital with public blockchains without sacrificing regulatory standards.”
In addition to the base layer 1, SimpleChain is developing an ecological protocol called DataIPO, designed to standardize how real-world asset transactions are originated, tokenized, and distributed to investors. In promotional materials shared on This approach reflects the broader RWA trends tracked by analytics platform RWA.xyz, where tokenized treasuries, private credit and infrastructure have grown into a multi-billion dollar segment over the past two years.chain+4
The increase underlines how competition over RWA infrastructure is increasing, especially in Greater China. Ant Group’s digital arm has already led pilots representing up to $8.4 billion in renewable energy assets, including electric vehicle charging networks and solar power plants, while specific chains such as the Jovay and Pharos projects are being explored, according to Bloomberg. As regulators in Hong Kong and other hubs refine rules for tokenized securities, projects like SimpleChain are betting that purpose-built Layer 1 chains, rather than generalized smart contract chains, will win a growing share of institutional RWA flows.