THE Financial Securities Exchange (Finsec) has secured regulatory approval to pilot Zimbabwe’s first asset tokenisation market, marking a significant shift toward unlocking digital capital from traditionally illiquid assets such as property under close regulatory supervision.
The approval allows Finsec to convert ownership interests in real-world assets into digital tokens that can be issued, traded, and settled on a supervised platform, enabling fractional ownership and widening investor access while keeping tokens backed and protected.
TN CyberTech Investments Holdings Limited chief executive officer Tawanda Nyambirai had already outlined how tokenised, fractional ownership models in property and other assets could broaden financial inclusion, unlock value from illiquid assets, and integrate informal participants into regulated investment systems.
As such, Nyambirai’s company was in the process of rolling out tokenised, fractional ownership models across property and other real assets, announced last November.
“The Financial Securities Exchange (FINSEC) has been granted regulatory approval by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Zimbabwe (SECZim) to operate an Asset Tokenisation Market under the Commission’s regulatory sandbox framework, marking a major milestone in the modernisation of Zimbabwe’s capital markets,” Finsec said in a statement.
“The approval positions FINSEC as the first regulated market operator in Zimbabwe to offer a formal, supervised platform for the tokenisation of real-world assets, beginning with property and potentially expanding into other productive asset classes over time.”
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According to Finsec, asset tokenisation is the process of converting rights or economic interests in physical assets into digital tokens that can be issued, held, traded, and settled on a regulated digital market infrastructure.
“Unlike cryptocurrencies, asset tokens are fully backed by identifiable underlying assets and are issued within established legal, custodial, and regulatory frameworks,” Finsec said.
“According to Finsec, the newly approved Tokenised Asset Market Infrastructure is designed to unlock liquidity from traditionally illiquid assets, lower barriers to investment through fractional ownership, and broaden participation in capital markets for both local and diaspora investors.”
Under the approved framework, NewsDay Business understands that Finsec will operate a regulated platform that supports the full lifecycle of tokenised assets, including origination, due diligence, issuance, trading, settlement, custody, and reporting.
“Finsec will utilise a secure, blockchain-enabled platform to record all token issuances and transactions, providing immutable audit trails, integrated compliance checks, and robust custodial controls,” Finsec said.
“The platform will leverage smart contracts and programmable compliance to automate regulatory requirements while preserving strong investor protections and regulatory supervision.
“This approach enables real-time oversight by the regulator and allows market participants to operate with confidence in a transparent, tamper-resistant digital infrastructure.”
The first asset classes approved for tokenisation include income-generating and development property.
Each tokenised offering will be backed by verifiable assets, independent valuations, insurance coverage where applicable, and trustee or custodian oversight, according to Finsec.
Key features of the Finsec tokenisation model include:
“Fractional ownership, allowing investors to participate with lower minimum investment amounts; Transparent disclosures and regular performance reporting; Regulated secondary trading to provide liquidity; Escrow-based settlement and segregation of investor funds; Full KYC, AML, and investor suitability controls.”
SecZim’s sandbox approval enables Finsec to pilot these innovations under close regulatory supervision, ensuring that risks are identified and mitigated before broader market rollout.
“For asset owners and issuers — such as property developers, farmers, and agribusiness operators — the platform offers an alternative capital-raising channel that complements traditional bank financing,” Finsec said.
For investors, Finsec said it provided access to asset-backed investment opportunities that were previously out of reach due to high capital requirements or illiquidity.
“Market analysts view the approval as a significant step toward deepening Zimbabwe’s capital markets and channeling savings into productive sectors of the economy,” Finsec said.