Planning an Asset Tokenization Platform in 2026? Here's What I'd Consider First

Over the past year, I've noticed that discussions around asset tokenization have shifted away from "Will this technology work?" to "How do we build something that's production-ready?"

The technical side of tokenization is only one piece of the puzzle. Once you start planning a platform, you quickly run into questions like:

• How much should an MVP actually cost?

• Which features are essential for a first release versus later iterations?

• Is a permissioned blockchain a better choice than a public network?

• How much effort should be allocated to KYC/AML, custody, and compliance from day one?

• At what point does it make sense to invest in custom development instead of adapting existing infrastructure?

It also seems that development timelines vary widely depending on the asset class. A platform for tokenized real estate often has different requirements than one built for private equity, commodities, or fixed-income assets.

For those who have worked on tokenization projects—or are currently evaluating one—I'm curious:

• What has been the biggest factor affecting development cost in your experience?

• Which platform feature turned out to be more complex than you initially expected?

• If you were starting a tokenization platform today, what would you prioritize in the first version, and what would you intentionally leave for later?

I'd love to hear perspectives from founders, developers, product managers, and anyone working in the RWA space.