ADI Chain and Shipfinex partner to tokenize maritime assets

ADI Chain and Shipfinex have announced an exclusive partnership to establish a regulated, institutional-grade tokenized maritime asset class. The collaboration aims to create an on-chain market for vessel-backed finance, charter-linked income, and economic interests in ships, providing a digital route into a sector that supports over 80 percent of international trade by volume.

The commercial fleet is estimated to be worth approximately $2.17 trillion by the end of 2025, with global ship finance standing at roughly $680 billion. Currently, investment in this sector is largely concentrated among shipowners, banks, and specialist financial institutions. The new infrastructure intends to bridge this gap by allowing qualified institutional participants to access primary distributions of Maritime Asset Tokens via the ADI Chain blockchain.

Shipfinex will be responsible for originating, issuing, and structuring eligible maritime assets, with an initial pipeline of approximately 35 vessels valued at $500 million. Each vessel will be held within a legally distinct special-purpose vehicle to allow for independent assessment of value, liabilities, and income. The project is currently in the pilot and operational-readiness stage, utilizing Shipfinex’s preliminary regulatory approval from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA).