Irish Funds CEO Pat Lardner Highlights Tokenisation Shift in Interview with Irish Independent

Ireland’s funds and asset management sector is facing a significant technological shift, with tokenisation poised to reshape how financial assets are issued, recorded and owned.

In an interview with the Irish Independent, Pat Lardner, CEO of Irish Funds, said the country’s response to this transformation will be critical to maintaining its position as a leading global hub. He emphasised that the evolution is already underway and should not be viewed as a speculative development.

Tokenisation involves representing traditional financial assets—such as funds, bonds or equities—on digital ledgers. While the underlying assets remain unchanged, the infrastructure supporting them is advancing rapidly, offering potential gains in efficiency, transparency and accessibility.

Pat noted that for firms to operate with confidence in this emerging landscape, clear legal and regulatory frameworks are essential. Without such clarity, jurisdictions risk falling behind as investment and innovation gravitate towards markets with more defined rules.

The stakes are particularly high for Ireland, where the funds and asset management industry employs more than 20,000 people. Maintaining competitiveness will depend on the country’s ability to keep pace with global developments and provide a supportive environment for innovation.

By acting early, Ireland can strengthen its position and emerge as a leading hub for well-governed, tokenised funds - underpinned by strong investor protection and operational resilience.

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