CIMB Group Holdings Berhad has received approval from Bank Negara Malaysia to participate in the central bank’s Digital Asset Innovation Hub (DAIH). This move allows CIMB to test digital asset payment and settlement use cases within a regulated environment.
The DAIH is designed as a platform for financial institutions to evaluate digital asset applications under clear governance, risk management, and regulatory compliance standards. CIMB’s involvement is part of its ongoing collaboration with Bank Negara Malaysia to develop resilient financial market infrastructure and advance next-generation payment systems in the country.
As part of its activities within the DAIH, CIMB will focus on exploring tokenisation for its own sukuk issuance and using tokenised deposit representations to support end-to-end payment and settlement workflows. Tokenised deposits are expected to serve as a foundational layer for issuing, transferring, and settling tokenised instruments in an integrated way. These efforts follow previous announcements by CIMB about its strategy to use tokenisation for greater efficiency, transparency, and accessibility in capital markets while remaining within regulatory frameworks.
CIMB sees tokenisation as key for the future of payment infrastructure, enabling secure interaction between various forms of regulated digital value. The group plans to modernise payments by including digital value representations such as tokenised deposits and stablecoins when aligned with regulations and risk assessments.
Through participation in the DAIH, CIMB will assess bank-grade tokenisation across different processes—issuance, payment, and settlement—with attention on operational readiness, controls, and infrastructure design. The programme aims to produce insights into operating models and risk management that could help prepare the broader ecosystem for adopting regulated digital assets.
Novan Amirudin, Group Chief Executive Officer of CIMB Group said: “Participation in BNM’s Digital Asset Innovation Hub allows us to examine how tokenisation can support the next phase of payment and settlement infrastructure in a safe and regulated manner. Our focus is on building robust capabilities, controls, and operating readiness so that new forms of digital value can be integrated into the financial system responsibly. This is a foundational step in providing clients with trusted access to digital capital markets and settlement networks, consistent with our Forward30 strategy, translating innovation into real market outcomes that advance customers and society.”
CIMB’s work at the DAIH will prioritise operational readiness while developing practical insights needed for establishing common standards and practices. By collaborating closely with regulators and industry participants, CIMB seeks to contribute toward evolving Malaysia’s capital market and payments landscape.
