TL;DR
- Cardano launched CIP-0113 on mainnet, allowing issuers of regulated tokens to embed KYC, AML, sanctions, freeze, seize and transfer restrictions directly into assets.
- Programmable tokens remain native Cardano assets, with compliance rules enforced by the ledger whenever they are transferred, minted or burned.
- The standard required no hard fork, supports modular issuer-defined rules, and received CMTA recognition for use with regulated tokenized securities under its Swiss certification framework for issuers.
Cardano has launched CIP-0113 on mainnet, giving issuers of regulated assets a way to attach compliance rules directly to native tokens. In the official announcement, the Cardano Foundation said issuers can implement KYC and AML checks, sanctions screening, freezes, seizures and transfer restrictions. Cardano keeps these programmable tokens as native ledger assets rather than wrappers. The standard gives issuers programmable control over selected tokens, but it does not grant those powers over every asset already circulating on Cardano. That distinction is important for users concerned about issuer control over ordinary Cardano assets.
Cardano Brings Issuer-Level Compliance to Native Tokens
CIP-0113 works by attaching modular compliance logic to the token itself, with the ledger checking those conditions whenever a token is transferred, minted or burned. Issuers can select existing modules or create their own, then update rules as regulatory requirements evolve without changing the core standard. Compliance therefore travels with the asset and is enforced at ledger level rather than depending entirely on an external application, extending Cardano’s earlier work on programmable tokenization.
The architecture is designed for stablecoins, tokenized funds, bonds, securities and other regulated assets that may need restrictions around who can hold or transfer them. Because tokens remain native Cardano assets, wallets, explorers and applications can handle them through existing infrastructure once integrations support the standard. Freeze, seize and restriction functions are optional issuer-defined capabilities for programmable assets, not network-wide controls automatically applied to ADA or ordinary native tokens.
CIP-0113 is built on Cardano’s extended UTXO model and required no hard fork to reach mainnet. The Foundation says execution costs remain predictable regardless of how many inputs a transaction contains. Ecosystem support at launch includes Eternl, GeroWallet, CardanoScan and BloxBean. The mainnet release turns the framework from a preview-stage standard into production infrastructure for regulated token issuers, complementing Fireblocks support for Cardano Native Tokens.
The Swiss Capital Markets and Technology Association also recognized CIP-113 Programmable Asset Tokens as a smart-contract equivalent to CMTAT for its certification scheme. The standard includes mandatory functions used in that framework and can support certification of ledger-based equity securities under CMTA standards. The Foundation plans further development of a securities module for regulated financial instruments. Cardano is positioning programmability as a bridge between public-blockchain infrastructure and institutional compliance requirements, placing the launch within the broader shift toward regulated tokenized assets.
