Leadership in the tokenized real-world assets (RWA) segment could add up to £33 billion ($44 billion) annually to the British economy by 2035. This forecast is contained in a strategic plan for the development of digital markets, prepared by the kingdom's appointed representative for this area, Chris Woolard.

The presented roadmap is designed for one year. Its main goal is to transition from fragmented experiments to the large-scale implementation of blockchain technologies in the country's financial system.

Key Stages of the Strategy

The plan includes several critically important milestones:

  • Launch of pilot repo operations using digital securities;
  • Issuance of the first tokenized government bond by the end of the first quarter of 2027;
  • Establishment of clear rules for the secondary trading of digital assets;
  • Recognition of tokens as acceptable collateral by the Bank of England.

The working group for implementing the plan includes over 50 companies, including giants such as JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, BlackRock, and Ripple.

Representatives from Ripple have already expressed support for the initiative, emphasizing that on-chain funds and bonds are not experiments but genuinely working instruments that operate "cheaper, better, and faster" than their traditional counterparts.

The authors of the document note: by 2035, tokenization of real-world assets could account for up to 16% of all global investments. To maintain its status as a global financial center, London must integrate the technology into its legal and tax system within the next two years. Woolard emphasizes that the UK must "move at the speed of the most agile players," otherwise it risks losing the global race for digital markets.

My analysis: This plan is not just an ambitious declaration but a clear signal to the market. Setting strict deadlines (especially for the issuance of a government bond in 2027) and attracting players like BlackRock indicates the seriousness of London's intentions. If the regulator manages to create a balanced legal environment, the UK could not only maintain but also significantly strengthen its position, seizing the initiative from other jurisdictions that are still stuck in the discussion stage.