Crypto Journalist
Amin Ayan
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Doha Bank has completed its first digitally native US dollar bond, issuing $150 million in floating-rate notes that settled instantly using distributed ledger technology.
Key Takeaways:
- Doha Bank completed a $150 million digital bond with instant T+0 settlement.
- Standard Chartered led the deal using Euroclear’s regulated DLT platform.
- The issuance highlights growing adoption of digital bonds in the Gulf.
The notes were listed on the London Stock Exchange’s International Securities Market and achieved same-day, or T+0, settlement through Euroclear’s Digital Financial Market Infrastructure (D-FMI), according to a Monday announcement.
The transaction marks one of Qatar’s earliest digitally native US dollar bond issuances and reflects a growing push across the Gulf region to modernize capital markets infrastructure.
Standard Chartered Leads Doha Bank’s Digital Bond Issuance
Standard Chartered acted as sole global coordinator and sole arranger, overseeing the structuring, execution, and distribution of the bond.
Unlike traditional securities, which typically settle one or two days after trading, Doha Bank’s digital notes were issued, allocated, and settled in real time.
Euroclear’s D-FMI platform, a permissioned distributed ledger operated by a central securities depository, handled issuance and settlement while remaining fully integrated with existing market standards and post-trade systems. Citi served as issuing and paying agent on the transaction.
Doha Bank said the issuance supports its broader funding strategy by diversifying sources of capital and expanding its investor base.
Sheikh Abdulrahman Bin Fahad Al-Thani, the bank’s group chief executive, said the transaction demonstrates how digital infrastructure can improve efficiency and market access while reinforcing Qatar’s position as a regional financial hub.
He added that the deal aligns with Qatar Central Bank initiatives aimed at strengthening the resilience and competitiveness of the country’s capital markets.
Standard Chartered said the bond highlights rising institutional demand for digital issuance that delivers measurable operational gains.
Salman Ansari, the bank’s global head of capital markets, said the deal shows how regulated digital infrastructure is moving beyond pilot projects and into live market activity.
The issuance also reflects a broader industry trend favoring permissioned distributed ledger systems over public blockchains for tokenized debt.
Regulated platforms such as Euroclear’s D-FMI allow issuers to benefit from features like instant settlement and automated recordkeeping while preserving legal finality, controlled access, and compatibility with custody and clearing frameworks used by institutional investors.
Same-Day Settlement Works Within Existing Market Structures
Euroclear said the transaction demonstrates that same-day settlement can be achieved without disrupting existing market structures.
“Equally important, integration with traditional secondary-market services and trading venues ensures that investors retain access to liquidity,” Sebastien Danloy, Chief Business Officer at Euroclear, said.
As reported, Mastercard is in late-stage talks to acquire crypto infrastructure firm Zerohash for between $1.5 billion and $2 billion, a deal that would deepen the payments giant’s push into stablecoins and on-chain settlement.
If completed, the acquisition would give Mastercard greater control over how fiat and digital assets settle across its network as payments firms move toward always-on, 24/7 money.
The talks come amid intensifying competition, with Stripe’s recent purchase of stablecoin firm Bridge and Coinbase’s reported interest in BVNK highlighting a broader race among payment providers to secure the infrastructure needed as stablecoins shift from trading platforms into everyday payments.
