South Africa“One of the pioneering firms in web3 solutions, digital assets and tokenization, recognized for its innovation and solid reputation across Spain and Latin America.”
Jorge CorredorLawyer, Rincón Cuéllar & Asociados
Asset tokenization in South Africa
We build the platform to tokenize debt, shares and revenue rights in South Africa: investor onboarding, ERC-3643 tokens and a link to the issuer's securities register, coordinated with the law firm that structures the issuance under the Companies Act 2008 and FAIS.
Tokenize your asset
They trust Metlabs to tokenize their assets
Why South Africa
Why tokenize assets in South Africa?
South Africa has no dedicated regime for DLT securities, but it has clear rules for each piece: a tokenized bond or share follows the Companies Act, and since 2022 crypto assets have been financial products under FAIS, with 310 providers already authorized by the FSCA. The decision is which right to issue, through which company and by which offer route.
310
crypto asset service provider licenses approved by the FSCA as of March 31, 2026
FSCA · Apr 15, 2026R1M
investment per addressee from which an offer is no longer public and needs no prospectus
Companies Regulations · reg. 452022
year the FSCA declared crypto assets financial products for the purposes of FAIS
FSCA · Declaration 1350What gets tokenized
Debt, equity and revenue: what gets tokenized in South Africa
Almost every tokenized issuance represents one of these three rights against the issuer. The right determines the type of company, the applicable law and who keeps the register, and it is settled before the network or the token standard.
| Right | Debt | Equity | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is issued | Bonds, notes and debentures | Shares | Revenue rights |
| The investor receives | The investor lends to the issuer and receives interest and, at maturity, the principal. | The investor joins the share capital: dividends, voting rights and a share of any sale or liquidation. | The investor receives a share of the income from an asset: rents, energy sold, sales or royalties. |
| The token enforces |
|
|
|
| Issuer | Ltd, or (Pty) Ltd with no public offer | Ltd for a public offer | Ltd or (Pty) Ltd |
| Register | Company register or CSD | Securities register (s. 50) | Company register if a security |
| Law | Companies Act 2008, s. 43 | Companies Act 2008 | FAIS or Companies Act |
| How it is issued | The board authorizes the issuance and decides whether it is secured. There is no DLT securities regime: uncertificated securities can only be transferred by a participant or central securities depository; for certificated securities, the company's securities register governs and the token mirrors it. | A (Pty) Ltd's MOI must prohibit it from offering securities to the public and restrict their transfer, so its tokenized shares can only be placed privately. An open offer requires a Ltd and a prospectus filed with the CIPC, unless one of the section 96 cases applies. | Classification is decided case by case. If the token meets the crypto asset definition in Declaration 1350, it is a financial product and anyone advising on it or acting as intermediary needs an FSP license; if the right is structured as a debt instrument, the Companies Act applies. |
Regulation
Regulation guide for South AfricaWhich regulation applies to tokenization in South Africa?
It depends on the right and on who provides each service. Bonds and shares follow the Companies Act 2008: a public offer requires a public company and a prospectus, with some exceptions. If the token is a crypto asset, anyone advising on it or intermediating as a business needs an FSP license from the FSCA under FAIS.
No law recognizes a distributed ledger as the legal register of securities. Securities are either certificated, with the register kept by the company itself, or uncertificated, in which case only a participant or a central securities depository can transfer them. A provider's license does not approve the issuance, nor does it amount to transferring registered ownership of the underlying asset.
Anti-money laundering falls to the FIC: since April 30, 2025, Directive 9 has required originator and beneficiary data on crypto asset transfers. Cross-border flows go through SARB exchange controls, whose crypto asset manual is still a draft. We work alongside the law firm that structures the issuance, and licensed providers deliver the regulated services.
South Africa
FavourableScore78
- Authorities
- Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA); Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC); South African Reserve Bank (SARB)
- Latest regulatory change
- Mar 2026
Key authorisations
- FAIS FSP authorisation covering the specific financial services
- FIC registration and accountable-institution obligations
- Additional securities, payment or exchange-control permissions according to activity
Our legal partners
Methodology
How we tokenize an asset in South Africa, step by step
The four phases of our methodology, with the parties involved in South Africa. The law firm and our engineering team work in parallel from the asset review to investor acquisition.
We review the asset's title, encumbrances and cash flows, and decide with the issuer whether the token will be debt, shares or a revenue right. That sets the vehicle, a Ltd or a (Pty) Ltd, the amount and the rules of the issuance.
The law firm classifies the token, drafts the issuance document and chooses the route: a prospectus filed with the CIPC or an offer that section 96 does not treat as public. If a third party will advise or intermediate, it checks that their FSP license covers that product.
We configure the white label platform with your brand: investor onboarding with KYC, signature, payment and ERC-3643 tokens carrying the offer's rules. Reconciliation with the company's securities register and the originator and beneficiary data for each transfer are custom development.
With the issuer and, where there is one, the licensed provider placing the issuance, we prepare the offer page and measure the journey to a paid subscription. After the issuance, the platform handles distributions, transfers between verified investors and reporting.
Reviews in South Africa
What do our clients think of Metlabs?
“We structured the tokenization of real estate projects with them, and I value the team's ability to understand our corporate needs and genuinely solve them.”
Joan MejíaManager, GLOBYNE
“They advised us on the feasibility of tokenizing real estate assets in Uruguay with direct, cordial treatment. A professional team, responsive and always available.”
Álvaro Silva SantamaríaCEO, Sp Inmuebles
“Great professionals at structuring tokenized projects, with technical command and attention to detail that inspire full confidence at every stage of the work.”
Francisco BetancourtVerified Google review
“As a blockchain lawyer, I value their experience and professionalism in consulting and executing tokenization projects. Technology partners you can fully trust.”
Vanessa RivasBlockchain lawyer, El Salvador
“Great professionals, very attentive to their clients and always mindful of every detail. Working with their team has been a genuine pleasure from start to finish.”
CriptorentVerified Google review
“A very professional yet approachable company that empathizes with your doubts and needs. Highly recommended for entrepreneurs with a tokenization project.”
Javier EspasaTokenization entrepreneur
“Exceptional in every sense. From legal support I value their rigor and transparency: working with Metlabs means professionalism, innovation and security.”
Pedro A. Agúndez MéndezGoogle Local Guide
“Excellent service across blockchain development, asset tokenization and consulting. A very professional team that I recommend wholeheartedly, without reservation.”
José Luis DíazVerified Google review
“I have worked with them on several projects and they are very professional. A guarantee that everything turns out perfectly. Without a doubt, 100% recommended.”
Ignacio Fernández JiménezVerified Google review
“One of the pioneering firms in web3 solutions, digital assets and tokenization, recognized for its innovation and solid reputation across Spain and Latin America.”
Jorge CorredorLawyer, Rincón Cuéllar & Asociados
“Great professionals at structuring tokenized projects, with technical command and attention to detail that inspire full confidence at every stage of the work.”
Francisco BetancourtVerified Google review
“A very professional yet approachable company that empathizes with your doubts and needs. Highly recommended for entrepreneurs with a tokenization project.”
Javier EspasaTokenization entrepreneur
“I have worked with them on several projects and they are very professional. A guarantee that everything turns out perfectly. Without a doubt, 100% recommended.”
Ignacio Fernández JiménezVerified Google review
“We structured the tokenization of real estate projects with them, and I value the team's ability to understand our corporate needs and genuinely solve them.”
Joan MejíaManager, GLOBYNE
“As a blockchain lawyer, I value their experience and professionalism in consulting and executing tokenization projects. Technology partners you can fully trust.”
Vanessa RivasBlockchain lawyer, El Salvador
“Exceptional in every sense. From legal support I value their rigor and transparency: working with Metlabs means professionalism, innovation and security.”
Pedro A. Agúndez MéndezGoogle Local Guide
“They advised us on the feasibility of tokenizing real estate assets in Uruguay with direct, cordial treatment. A professional team, responsive and always available.”
Álvaro Silva SantamaríaCEO, Sp Inmuebles
“Great professionals, very attentive to their clients and always mindful of every detail. Working with their team has been a genuine pleasure from start to finish.”
CriptorentVerified Google review
“Excellent service across blockchain development, asset tokenization and consulting. A very professional team that I recommend wholeheartedly, without reservation.”
José Luis DíazVerified Google review
Platform
What does our white label tokenization platform include in South Africa?
The investor portal, ERC-3643 tokens and issuer console, under your brand. Out of the box it handles onboarding, signing, payment and distributions; anything else your issuance needs, such as a local payment method or a connection to your bank or custodian, we build on the same platform.
Request a demo
- Your brand and domainYour visual identity and legal notices across the investor portal.
- Investor onboardingSign-up, KYC with Smart ID card or passport, KYB, FICA checks and a custodial wallet.
- End-to-end investmentE-signature and payment by bank transfer in rand or with stablecoin (USDT/USDC).
- ERC-3643 tokensEvery subscription is issued under the rules of a non-public offer under s. 96.
- Issuer consoleProjects, investors, rand reconciliation, distributions and reporting.
- Compliance and audit trailKYC and FICA file per investor, and an exportable audit log.
Institutional custody, integrated
We integrate custody and key management providers through their APIs, including Fireblocks, BitGo, Coinbase Prime, Anchorage Digital, Copper and Ledger Enterprise. Depending on the provider and model, keys are managed with MPC or multisig so that none depends on a single device. If the token is a security, custody on behalf of clients is provided by an authorized entity.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about tokenization in South Africa
What we are asked before a project starts.
Talk to our teamIs asset tokenization legal in South Africa?
Yes. A tokenized bond or share is still a security under the Companies Act, and since Declaration 1350 of 2022 crypto assets have been financial products under FAIS. What requires authorization is the activity: advice or intermediary services need an FSP license from the FSCA, and transfers are subject to FIC obligations.
Can a (Pty) Ltd issue tokens?
It can issue tokenized shares or debt instruments, but its MOI must prohibit it from offering securities to the public and restrict their transfer. That limits the issuance to a private placement among selected investors. For an open offer, the company would have to become a public company, a Ltd, and comply with the prospectus regime.
How much can be raised without a prospectus in South Africa?
The law sets no general cap, only cases in which an offer is not public: offers to regulated financial institutions, an investment of at least R1 million per addressee, or a series of offers without advertising accepted by no more than 50 people and not exceeding R1 million in total. The law firm confirms it for each offer.
Does the token give ownership of the property?
Not by itself. The token represents a right against the issuer: a debt instrument, a share in the owning company or a right to its rents. The FAIS declaration regulates services and does not equate transferring a token with transferring registered ownership; the property stays in its owner's name, usually the issuing company.
Asset tokenization
Assets we tokenize in South Africa.
Asset tokenization
Articles on tokenization
Real Asset Tokenization: How RWA Tokenization Works
How to structure an RWA project: holder rights, issuance, recordkeeping, payments and recovery. What blockchain adds and what depends on the legal arrangement.
What are the differences between security tokens and utility tokens?
How to distinguish financial rights from service access, what legal classification examines and why a token’s name does not determine its regulation.
OpenZeppelin and ERC-3643: how a security token is built
What OpenZeppelin libraries and ERC-3643 controls provide, and what a securities issuance also requires: rights, permissions, operations and review.
Tokenize your asset in South Africa
Tell us which right you want to issue and we will propose the technical structure, timeline and phased budget.
Where we are
We're your tokenization company in:
Metlabs Offices
Av. García Sabell, 1, Edificio Proa 15009 A Coruña, Spain
We tokenize assets in
SpainUnited StatesUAEUnited KingdomMexicoSingaporeAustraliaSwitzerlandColombiaArgentinaChilePeruPortugalGermanyHong KongBrazilEcuadorFranceIndiaPanamaAndorraAustriaBahrainBelgiumBoliviaCanadaCosta RicaCubaCyprusCzechiaDenmarkDominican RepublicEl SalvadorEstoniaFinlandGreeceGuatemalaHondurasHungaryIrelandIsraelItalyJapanKuwaitLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMaltaMonacoMoroccoNetherlandsNew ZealandNicaraguaNigeriaNorwayOmanParaguayPolandPuerto RicoQatarRomaniaSan MarinoSaudi ArabiaSeychellesSouth KoreaSwedenTurkeyUruguayVenezuela
