OpenWorld, a blockchain infrastructure firm focused on digital asset tokenization, is positioning itself to enter public markets through a planned merger with VerifyMe, aiming to become a compliance-first platform for institutional adoption of real-world asset (RWA) tokenization. The deal marks a strategic shift as the blockchain sector matures and financial institutions grow more interested in regulated digital asset infrastructure.

Matthew Shaw, OpenWorld’s co-founder and CEO, explained the company’s origins in traditional finance before its pivot to blockchain. His early career centered on investment banking, where he traded and structured complex products in emerging markets. In 2017, Shaw founded Protos Asset Management, a Swiss-based cryptocurrency fund that issued the third-ever security token, giving him early exposure to digital asset infrastructure and blockchain opportunity.

From those roots, Shaw said the founding thesis for OpenWorld was straightforward: “Digital assets and blockchain technology were going to take an increasingly central role in the global economy, from payments and tokenization to neobanks.” The company launched to address what Shaw identified as a critical gap in the Web3 ecosystem, the absence of trusted advisors with experience in token design, launch strategy, and commercialization.

From Advisory To Infrastructure

OpenWorld began as a strategic advisory firm helping venture-backed blockchain projects structure and launch tokens. The company has since evolved into a three-vertical organization serving projects, enterprises, and sovereigns at different stages of blockchain adoption.

The company’s Digital Assets and Capital Markets practice works with blockchain projects and institutions on token model design, launch strategy, tokenomics, governance structure, and exchange placement. Its OpenWorld Enterprise vertical focuses on supporting organizations and sovereign nations exploring RWA tokenization, stablecoins, and digital asset strategies that bridge blockchain with traditional finance. A third vertical, OpenWorld Labs, serves as an innovation hub where early-stage ideas are tested and developed toward commercialization.

Shaw pointed to scale achieved through the company’s advisory work. “We’ve helped launch some of the most significant token projects in the industry,” he said. “When you add up the scale of our launch practice, we’ve partnered on over $66 billion in total network value from tier-one projects.”

One recent milestone involved a transaction between Heritage Distilling Company, listed on Nasdaq under the symbol IPST, and the Story Foundation to create a $360 million IP token reserve strategy. OpenWorld served as the Web3 advisor, guiding the structure and coordinating stakeholders across traditional finance, crypto exchanges, banks, and regulatory frameworks.

The Institutional Adoption Challenge

While interest from financial institutions in blockchain has grown, Shaw identified specific barriers preventing faster adoption. Regulatory clarity remains incomplete in many jurisdictions, forcing institutions to wait for clear frameworks around compliance, custody, and reporting before deploying infrastructure at scale. Operational integration also poses challenges, financial institutions need blockchain solutions that mesh with existing systems while meeting their security, transparency, and risk management standards.

Shaw said OpenWorld addresses these gaps by building infrastructure specifically designed for institutional use and focusing on applications with clear value propositions. Stablecoins and tokenized RWAs are particularly compelling because they can improve payment efficiency and unlock new investment opportunities. As regulatory environments mature and these use cases prove their worth, Shaw believes OpenWorld will play a significant role in driving broader institutional adoption.

Saudi Arabia And Real-World Asset Tokenization

OpenWorld launched Saudi Arabia’s first RWA Tokenization Center of Excellence in Al Khobar, targeting a region with growing interest in blockchain but limited local infrastructure and expertise. The center brings together developers, policymakers, and industry leaders to advance tokenization across sectors including energy infrastructure, real estate, and carbon markets.

Shaw said Saudi Arabia offered natural advantages for this initiative. The Kingdom holds a significant base of assets suited to tokenization and seeks more efficient global distribution methods. Tokenization can unlock new liquidity and investment opportunities across sectors, aligning with the country’s broader economic goals.

The initiative closely supports Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 program, which aims to diversify the economy beyond natural resources, attract foreign direct investment, and build financial infrastructure for long-term growth. By enabling global investors to access tokenized assets from the Kingdom, the Center of Excellence facilitates international capital flows while supporting modernization of Saudi financial markets.

The Public Markets Path

OpenWorld’s merger agreement with VerifyMe represents the company’s shift from private Cayman-based operations to a U.S. publicly listed entity. Shaw described the strategic rationale: the combined company can pursue a Nasdaq listing as a compliance-first digital asset and RWA tokenization platform at a time when investor appetite is increasingly turning toward regulated, revenue-generating digital asset infrastructure.

The merger brings OpenWorld’s expertise in token ecosystem design and launch strategy together with VerifyMe’s capabilities in authentication technologies, compliance systems, and enterprise-grade logistics infrastructure. The resulting platform aims to support regulated token listings, enterprise adoption, and RWA tokenization across multiple jurisdictions.

Shaw positioned the deal as reflective of the industry’s next phase. “As institutional adoption accelerates, there is growing demand for platforms that combine blockchain innovation with strong governance, transparency, and compliance frameworks,” he said. The public listing will allow the combined company to establish new standards for how RWAs move on-chain and integrate into global financial markets.

Completing the merger and transitioning to public company status remains a top priority for OpenWorld this year. Shaw emphasized that transparency, governance, and strong financial standards will be central to the transition. The company also continues to pursue customers in areas where blockchain adoption is accelerating fastest, including neobanks, token generation events, stablecoins, and RWAs, with several significant RWA initiatives currently in the pipeline.