In an exclusive interview with BitcoinWorld, We got a chance to interact with Chris Yin, CEO of Plume Network , In this interview we discuss how Plume Network is giving birth to Real World Asset Finance,
In simple terms what is Plume is all about?
Plume was founded on the belief that the future of finance lies in the seamless integration of real world assets (RWAs) into decentralized finance, giving birth to Real World Asset Finance (RWAfi). We’re building a comprehensive, end-to-end platform that redefines what’s possible with asset tokenization.
RWAfi reimagines real world assets in a way that feels truly native to the crypto world. It’s not just about tokenizing traditional finance products and putting them on-chain—that’s the old way of thinking. Instead, RWAfi is about making these assets inherently useful, open, and composable within DeFi. It’s about creating real-world assets that are designed for crypto natives: assets that can be staked, traded, and integrated seamlessly into the on-chain economy. This approach unlocks new opportunities, allowing us to engage with real-world value in a way that’s dynamic, exciting, and tailored for the future of decentralized finance.
Our mission is to remove the barriers that have historically made deploying RWAs complex and inaccessible, creating a dynamic ecosystem where investors and institutions can effortlessly bring tangible assets on-chain. It’s about simplifying the convoluted, enabling composability, and unlocking a new wave of financial opportunities.
Plume was founded with the mission of simplifying RWA deployment. Can you explain how Plume makes it easier for investors and institutions to bring assets on-chain?
Deploying RWAs shouldn’t feel like navigating a maze of regulatory and operational headaches. At Plume, we’ve built a platform that takes care of the heavy lifting by integrating compliance, custody, and tokenization services directly into the blockchain. Our modular architecture simplifies the entire process—whether it’s managing KYC/AML checks, securing asset custody, or handling complex regulatory requirements, everything is baked into the chain at the protocol level.
We’ve designed Plume with a stack that allows asset issuers to plug into our ecosystem without the traditional setup pain points. Our Plume Arc engine streamlines the tokenization workflow, connecting issuers to pre-integrated service providers, from oracles to custodians, via a no-code interface. Asset issuers can deploy their projects using our customizable templates, where every component—from smart contract deployment to compliance verification—is automated and handled through our native infrastructure. This approach not only slashes the time and resources required to bring assets on-chain but also ensures that issuers can focus on their core business while we handle the operational complexities of RWA deployment.
You’ve expanded the definition of RWAs to include collectibles and alternative assets. How does this diversification benefit investors, and what new opportunities does it create within the blockchain ecosystem?
The traditional RWA market has been narrowly focused, often excluding innovative or culturally significant assets like collectibles, luxury goods, and alternative investments. By broadening the scope of what constitutes an RWA, we’re offering investors access to new asset classes that go beyond typical financial instruments. This diversification not only strengthens portfolios but also opens up unique opportunities for yield and speculation within the blockchain ecosystem.
For example, instead of just investing in tokenized real estate or bonds, imagine being able to trade an index of rare sneakers, speculate on the future value of sports memorabilia, or earn yield from fractionalized art pieces. These aren’t just investments; they’re culturally relevant assets that resonate with today’s market. Investors can long or short luxury watches, speculate on the price of collectible Pokémon cards, or even trade against economic indicators in specific regions. This expanded approach allows for greater engagement, new hedging strategies, and a broader spectrum of financial innovation that simply isn’t possible with traditional RWAs alone. It’s about bringing the market to life and letting investors tap into assets that reflect real-world interests and trends.
The concept of “RWAfi” is central to your work. How does Plume aim to rebuild traditional finance using crypto-native technologies, and what makes this approach unique?
We’re reimagining RWAfi through the lens of crypto-native principles. Plume’s approach with RWAfi focuses on building a dynamic ecosystem where real world assets are not just passive investments but actively participate in DeFi. By integrating crypto-native functionalities like staking, lending, and composability directly into RWAs, we enable these assets to be used in yield farming, leveraged trading, and automated strategies. Our native account abstraction (Smart Wallet) makes every user account inherently a smart account, allowing seamless interactions with various protocols without needing separate smart contract layers. This approach makes RWAs dynamic and versatile, reflecting the true potential of decentralized finance. By embedding these advanced crypto-native technologies, Plume transforms RWAs into active components of the DeFi ecosystem, setting a new standard for how traditional finance can evolve on-chain.
With 170+ projects building on Plume, how do you manage the growth and ensure that the ecosystem meets the complex demands of institutions looking to tokenize assets?
Scaling an ecosystem of over 170 projects is no small feat, but our success lies in our integrated and collaborative approach. Plume is an ecosystem built around our RWAfi partners and community, where liquidity providers, trading platforms, compliance experts, and developers all contribute to a cohesive environment. Our team, with backgrounds from leading institutions like Coinbase, Robinhood, Binance, JP Morgan, and Galaxy Digital, brings a unique blend of expertise across both traditional finance and RWAfi blockchain technology. This blend of experiences allows us to actively engage with each project, deeply understand their needs, and ensure that our infrastructure evolves in sync with the complex demands of institutional finance.
We take a hands-on approach, leveraging our team’s deep knowledge in compliance, asset management, and blockchain engineering to offer tailored support to our ecosystem partners. From advising on regulatory navigation to integrating advanced tokenization models, we provide the tools and guidance needed to scale projects effectively within Plume. Our team’s diverse background equips us with the insights necessary to build a robust, secure, and scalable platform, creating a thriving network where each participant plays a vital role in collective growth. It’s this commitment to collaboration and understanding the nuanced requirements of every stakeholder that empowers us to scale successfully, turning complex institutional demands into opportunities for innovation within the Plume ecosystem.
Institutional adoption is key to scaling the RWA ecosystem. What challenges do you see in bringing large financial institutions into the space, and how is Plume positioning itself to be their premier partner?
Financial institutions are understandably cautious; they require robust compliance, secure custody, and clear regulatory frameworks before entering the blockchain space. Plume’s advantage lies in our ability to offer these solutions natively within our platform, reducing friction and ensuring a secure environment for institutional engagement. We’re positioning ourselves as the go-to partner for these institutions by building an ecosystem that not only speaks their language but showcases the nature of DeFi.
As Plume continues to expand, what role do you envision for tokenized alternative assets, like collectibles, in shaping new economies and financial systems?
Tokenized alternative assets are game-changers; they democratize access to markets that were traditionally closed off to everyday investors. By bringing collectibles, luxury goods, and other alternative investments on-chain, we’re adding new asset classes and creating entirely new economic models. These assets, once fractionalized and made liquid, have the potential to drive new forms of economic participation and reshape how value is perceived and traded in our financial systems.
How do RWAs allow investors to hedge or even bet against current events in innovative ways, and how does Plume facilitate this new form of investment strategy?
RWAs offer investors a unique way to engage with real-world events, allowing them to hedge or speculate on everything from economic indicators to luxury goods prices. Plume’s integrated Data Highway plays a crucial role in this process by seamlessly bringing verified, real-world data onto the blockchain. Our system leverages advanced data verification technologies like TLSNotary, ensuring that the data used in these transactions is authentic and reliable. This allows investors to make strategic decisions based on real-time information, such as betting on the GDP growth of a specific region, taking leveraged positions on collectible indices, or trading against inflation metrics—all directly within the DeFi ecosystem.
Plume brings real-world data into the blockchain, where it’s verified and used to create various financial products like prediction markets and asset funds. This system allows investors to easily access and interact with these products through their smart wallets, offering new ways to diversify, speculate, and manage risk in the market. Plume makes participating in financial markets linked to real-world data simple and accessible.
Looking ahead, what are the next milestones for Plume, and how do you see the RWA ecosystem evolving in the coming years?
Looking ahead, our focus is on deepening integrations, expanding our project ecosystem, and continuing to drive the RWAfi narrative forward. We see a future where every asset—be it traditional, alternative, or entirely new—is tokenized, composable, and accessible within a single ecosystem. As we scale, the RWA ecosystem will move from niche to mainstream, unlocking new financial instruments and use cases that blend the best of both worlds: real-world stability and crypto-native innovation. Plume is at the forefront of RWAfi transformation, and we’re excited to lead the charge.
