If you’ve ever wondered why your money sits idle on weekends, why payments take days to settle, or why your checking account yields nothing, you’re not alone.
The traditional financial system wasn’t built for the 24/7 digital world we now live in.
But a growing number of institutions are trying to change that, not with speculation, but with practical, compliant infrastructure that brings everyday money management into the blockchain era.
To understand how tokenization is quietly reshaping finance, CCN spoke to Maredith Hannon, Head of Business Development for Digital Assets at WisdomTree, a $94B asset manager best known for its Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) and now, for its bold push into blockchain-native finance.
“By becoming our own blockchain-enabled transfer agent, it was really a strategic decision to deepen the integration between our asset issuance and our investor experience,” Maredith stated at the outset.
From instant-settlement money market funds to gold you can spend, WisdomTree is betting on a financial future that is programmable, portable, and always on.
From Friction to Flow: Solving the Hidden Inefficiencies in Personal Finance
Even the most tech-savvy investors still deal with fragmented systems: bank accounts that pay no yield, investment platforms that delay access to funds, and payment networks that shut down on weekends.
WisdomTree wants to erase that friction.
“What if I could buy a cup of coffee with gold? What if I could pay for my friend’s birthday with a money market fund?” Maredith asked. “Now, all of those ‘what ifs’ are possible.”
At the core of this shift is WisdomTree Prime, the company’s mobile app for U.S. retail users.
It enables people to hold and spend tokenized assets, like gold, Bitcoin, or a money market fund, directly from their smartphone.
“It looks and feels like any other financial app you have,” said Maredith.
“But what’s different is that you’re consistently earning yield up until the moment of that transaction.”
Spend Yield, Not Cash: What Makes WisdomTree Prime Different
The headline feature? You can invest in a tokenized money market fund earning roughly 4% annual yield and spend from it with a Visa card.
“You’re not having any cash sitting in a checking account not earning interest,” said Maredith.
“It really offers another savings account, one that actually works for you.”
It’s one of the few real-world examples where traditional financial products (like mutual funds) are wrapped in a blockchain-based structure, unlocking new capabilities without compromising compliance.
Building Infrastructure, Not Hype
WisdomTree’s push into blockchain isn’t just retail-facing. On the institutional side, the company offers WisdomTree Connect, an API-driven platform that enables funds, foundations, and fintechs to access and use tokenized financial products.
“Think of stablecoin issuers or blockchain foundations,” said Maredith. “They’re coming to us via their self-custodial wallets.”
Transactions on WisdomTree Connect require a soulbound NFT, a non-transferable token used to verify a customer’s identity on-chain.
“If you didn’t have that soulbound NFT, you would not be able to place a trade with us,” she explained.
“The smart contract is actually looking for that NFT to be held in your wallet.”
That verification process builds a layer of permissioning into public blockchains, a key step toward secure, compliant Decentralized Finance (DeFi) activity.
Why Avalanche (and Others) Matter: Strategic Chain Selection
With support for six public blockchains, Ethereum, Stellar, Avalanche, Arbitrum, Base, and Optimism, WisdomTree chooses ecosystems carefully.
“We want to build where people are building and users are using,” Maredith said.
“Public blockchains allow our products to integrate with other DeFi applications and wallets.”
Avalanche, in particular, stands out for its subnet architecture, which allows for fast, permissioned trading environments while still settling on a public chain.
“We did a proof of concept using Avalanche subnets,” said Maredith.
“It was really useful for executing counterparty trades within a known environment.”
What WisdomTree Has Tokenized (So Far)
WisdomTree has already tokenized a suite of traditional financial products, including:
- 13 SEC-registered mutual funds (equities, fixed income, asset allocation)
- A tokenized money market fund (WTGXX)
- A stablecoin
- A physically-backed gold token
“We have stablecoin issuers and CFOs managing treasuries coming to us,” said Maredith. “They used to sell stablecoins, convert to fiat, wire it to a bank, then to a brokerage just to buy U.S. Treasuries. Now they can go directly on-chain.”
She added that WTGXX, the tokenized money market fund, has been particularly popular, representing a majority of WisdomTree’s $350 million in tokenized AUM as of mid-2025.
No Advisors, Just Access—But With Guardrails
WisdomTree’s platform doesn’t provide investment advice. Instead, it focuses on self-directed investing supported by educational content.
“Each client can select what makes sense for them and their own asset allocation and risk tolerance,” said Maredith. “It’s all self-directed.”
But that doesn’t mean it’s a free-for-all. All products go through smart contract audits (which are publicly available), and all user interactions are designed with security in mind, especially regarding permissioned environments and smart contract conditions.
A Regulatory First Approach: “Front Door Only”
In an industry often criticized for playing fast and loose with compliance, WisdomTree’s regulatory approach is deliberate and conservative.
“We’ve always gone through the regulatory front door,” said Maredith. “We have 13 SEC-effective funds, a stablecoin, a physically backed gold token, and a New York Trust charter.”
She believes the recent shift toward regulatory clarity, especially around stablecoins, is a long-awaited step in the right direction.
“We’re encouraged by the growing clarity. And we’ve already exceeded a lot of the expectations for reserve management and transparency within our tokenized money market fund.”
DeFi, but with Guardrails: Rethinking Centralization
When asked how she reconciles WisdomTree’s centralized structure with the decentralization ethos of blockchain, Maredith pushed back.
“Centralization in traditional finance is very different than what it could mean in DeFi,” she said. “Our API-based platform allows others to plug in—it’s about access.”
In other words, it’s not about being the only gateway. It’s about being a gateway, one that meets compliance standards and supports both retail and institutional users responsibly.
What’s Next: Growth, DeFi Integrations & More Use Cases
With regulatory progress and market demand on their side, WisdomTree is planning major moves for the second half of 2025.
“We’re going to be doing a lot more in terms of DeFi,” said Maredith. “A lot of those foundational blocks have been built. Now it’s really about user engagement.”
From expanding real-time use cases to bringing more assets on-chain, WisdomTree is building a future where your money works as hard as you do—all day, every day.
Dr. Lorena Nessi is an award-winning journalist and media technology expert with 15 years of experience in digital culture and communication. Based in Oxfordshire, UK, she combines academic insight with hands-on media practice.
She holds a PhD in Communication, Sociology, and Digital Cultures, and an MA in Globalization, Identity, and Technology.
Lorena has taught at Fairleigh Dickinson University, Nottingham Trent University, and the University of Oxford. She is a former producer for the BBC in London, with additional experience creating television content in Mexico and Japan.
Her research focuses on digital cultures, social media, technology, capitalism, and the societal impact of blockchain innovation.
She has written extensively on digital media and emerging technologies, with her work featured in both academic and media platforms. Her Web3 expertise explores how blockchain technologies shape culture, economics, and decentralized systems.
Outside of work, Lorena enjoys reading science fiction, playing strategic board games, traveling, and chasing adventures that get her heart racing. A perfect day ends with a relaxing spa and a good family meal.
Easy 
