Ant Group Links Over $8 Billion of Energy Assets to Blockchain for Investment and Monitoring
Ant Digital Technologies, the enterprise division of Jack Ma-backed Ant Group, has connected more than 60 billion yuan ($8.4 billion) of energy infrastructure, including wind turbines and solar panels, to its proprietary AntChain blockchain, according to Bloomberg.
The network tracks output and monitors outages from 15 million energy devices across China, creating a transparent and immutable record of energy production.
Tokenization Raises Capital for Clean Energy Projects
The firm has already used tokenization to secure financing for three renewable energy projects, raising around 300 million yuan ($42 million) in total.
In August 2024, Ant Digital helped Longshine Technology Group raise 100 million yuan ($14 million), linking 9,000 electric charging units to AntChain.
Later, it facilitated 200 million yuan ($28 million) in funding for GCL Energy Technology through tokenized photovoltaic assets.
Each token represents a fractional claim on the asset’s cash flows, distributing returns as electricity is sold and costs settled.
Institutional Investors Lead Early Interest
Musheer Ahmed, Founder and MD of Finstep Asia, told Decrypt that retail interest in energy infrastructure tokenization is likely to be limited at this stage.
"It tends to be more of an alternative investment, hence we will likely see more professional investors or institutional investors being the ones who show a key interest in these projects."
Ahmed highlighted the role of IoT devices in relaying energy output and infrastructure status, feeding accurate data to the blockchain.
Rishabh Gupta, Director at TD Group, explained,
"Each solar panel or turbine acts as a data node, producing meter readings that oracles relay on-chain. A validator set permissioned or open verifies those readings before they are written to the blockchain. Once recorded, the data is immutable and transparent, giving auditors, regulators, and investors a clear, tamper-proof view of production and payouts."
Exploring Offshore Liquidity While Awaiting Regulatory Approval
Ant Digital is considering listing tokens on offshore decentralized exchanges to increase liquidity, although such moves depend on regulatory clearance.
Beyond financing, tokenization allows projects to bypass traditional intermediaries, streamline investment management with smart contracts, and improve data tracking.
Real-World Asset Tokenization Reaches New Heights
The push aligns with a global trend in tokenizing real-world assets, which has seen on-chain value nearly double this year to $28.4 billion, according to RWA.xyz.
Private credit makes up over half of this total, with tokenized US Treasurys accounting for around a quarter.
Ethereum continues to dominate the sector with a 57% market share.
Ant Group Eyes Stablecoins and Cross-Border Financial Services
Ant Group is also exploring stablecoin integration and cross-border payment solutions.
Reports suggest collaboration with USDC issuer Circle and applications for stablecoin-related licenses in Singapore and Hong Kong.
The firm has shifted focus from domestic lending to enterprise services and cross-border financial infrastructure following regulatory constraints in China.
By linking real-world energy infrastructure to blockchain, Ant Group is opening new financing avenues and aiming to attract institutional investment, while positioning itself at the forefront of China’s renewable energy and tokenization efforts.