Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) has launched SSDS+, a new platform for issuing, recording and safeguarding tokenised bonds and sukuk.
By representing securities digitally, the platform aims to simplify transactions, support more flexible financial instruments and widen access to investment opportunities.
BNM developed SSDS+ in-house using cloud and distributed ledger technology, which allows multiple parties to maintain shared transaction records.
The platform builds on the existing Scripless Securities Depository System (SSDS), Malaysia’s central securities depository for the wholesale financial market.
Beyond wholesale issuances, SSDS+ is also ready to support the issuance of tokenised government and retail bonds.
How BNM’s SSDS+ works with RENTAS+
SSDS+ is integrated with RENTAS+, an enhancement to Malaysia’s real-time gross settlement (RTGS) system, enabling payment and settlement services around the clock.
SSDS+ manages the transfer and ownership records of tokenised securities, while RENTAS+ handles the corresponding payments for bond purchases using central bank money.
This refers to funds held by participating financial institutions at BNM, rather than money held at commercial banks.
“The launch of SSDS+ marks a major milestone in modernising Malaysia’s financial market infrastructure,”
said Dato’ Sri Abdul Rasheed Ghaffour, Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia.
“Together, SSDS+ and RENTAS+ provide a secure, faster, more flexible and digitally-enabled foundation for new use cases in securities and payments. These platforms will support innovation and contribute to more efficient and responsive financial markets,”
he added.
The launch follows BNM’s broader efforts to advance asset tokenisation in Malaysia’s financial sector, including a three-year roadmap introduced in 2025.
Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Malaysia, based on image by kues1 via Magnific
