Real-world assets don’t need new gatekeepers

Permissioned blockchains and centralized layer 2s rebuild intermediaries for tokenized assets. Based rollups inherit Ethereum security while enabling compliance.

Opinion by: Joaquin Mendes, chief operating officer of Taiko

​For centuries, value moved between hands: gold for grain, livestock for land. No intermediary decided on arbitrary values; the price was determined directly between the parties. No intermediary decided how much a cow was worth, whether the deal was fair or whether someone was qualified to make the trade or not. The exchange was simple: One party had something the other wanted, they agreed on terms, and the transaction was concluded.

​These exchanges have grown more complex. Banks hold funds, brokers trade assets, and custodians verify ownership. This has erased the relationship between buyer and seller, and diminished agency. Today, institutions set asset values, control access and define conditions.

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