The Rajya Sabha, Govt. of India on March 13, 2026, issued the Asset Tokenisation (Regulation) Bill, 2026.
The following has been stated:
• The Bill seeks to establish a comprehensive legal framework for the issuance, trading, custody, and regulation of tokenised real-world assets in India. It provides legal recognition to asset tokens as digital representations of rights or economic interests in underlying assets such as real estate, commodities, securities, and intellectual property, though token issuance does not automatically transfer ownership unless specifically provided.
• The Bill empowers the Central Government to designate financial sector regulators, such as the Securities and Exchange Board of India and the Reserve Bank of India, as regulatory authorities depending on the nature of the asset.
• It lays down conditions for issuance, including legal ownership of the underlying asset, proper valuation, full disclosure to investors, and compliance with KYC and anti-money laundering norms, while trading is permitted only on registered platforms with assets held by registered custodians.
• The Bill also introduces investor protection mechanisms, grievance redressal systems, audit requirements, and strict penalties, including imprisonment up to 10 years or heavy fines for fraud or violations, with appeals allowed before the Securities Appellate Tribunal.
[Bill No. XXX of 2026]
