Key Takeaways:
Tether led an $8M round for KAIO on April 20, 2026, bringing the Abu Dhabi tokenization firm’s total raised to $19M. KAIO has processed over $500M in transactions and manages ~$100M in AUM. The firm works with Blackrock, Nomura, First Abu Dhabi Bank, Brevan Howard, Chainlink Labs, and Hamilton Lane funds. KAIO plans to launch an onchain fund with Mubadala Capital, Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth arm managing ~$385B in assets. Tether Invests in UAE Tokenization Startup KAIO to Channel USDT Into Regulated Fund ProductsOne of KAIO’s stated goals is lowering the entry bar for institutional-grade products. Qualified investors can access some tokenized funds with as little as $100, compared to the substantially higher minimums typical in traditional institutional fund structures.
KAIO’s onchain fund distribution model gives traditional asset managers a path to reach qualified investors who hold digital assets but lack access to institutional-grade fund products through conventional channels.
