UBS AG launches the world’s first digital bond that is publicly traded and settled on both blockchain-based and traditional exchanges

Zurich03 Nov 2022, 04:45 CETMedia Releases SwitzerlandMedia Releases APACMedia releases EuropeInvestor Releases

UBS AG today priced its inaugural senior unsecured digital bond, a 375 million Swiss franc-denominated three-year bond with 2.33% coupon (ISIN: CH1228837865). 

  • The CHF 375 million bond is digital only, and will be issued on the blockchain-based platform of SIX Digital Exchange (SDX) while being dual listed and traded on SDX and SIX Swiss Exchange (SIX)
  • World’s first public benchmark bond that investors can access in both digital and traditional markets
  • First digital bond issued by a banking institution globally to be listed, traded and settled on a regulated digital exchange
     

Zurich/Basel, November 3, 2022 – UBS AG today priced its inaugural senior unsecured digital bond, a 375 million Swiss franc-denominated three-year bond with 2.33% coupon (ISIN: CH1228837865).

The digital bond has the same instrument structure, legal status and rating as a traditional UBS AG senior unsecured note but is the first ever digital bond by a banking institution globally that will be listed, traded and settled on a regulated digital exchange.

Through this bond, UBS enables investors, regardless of whether they have the blockchain infrastructure, to invest in a digital bond. This removes a hurdle on the way to adopt new disruptive technology that can make issuing bonds faster, more efficient and simpler.

Beatriz Martin, UBS Group Treasurer, said: “We are proud to leverage distributed ledger technology to launch the inaugural UBS digital bond. This shows our commitment to support the development of new financial market infrastructure. UBS is committed to using technology not just as an enabler, but to making it a true differentiator for UBS.”

The digital bond settles via SIX Digital Exchange (SDX) distributed ledger-based central securities depository (CSD) network through atomic settlement technology. Settlement via SDX CSD is instant and automatic and does not require a central clearing counterparty. Investors will have the ability to automatically settle and clear the UBS digital bond on either SDX CSD directly or on SIX SIS via the operational link which was formally announced on 3rd October 2022.

The digital bond will be dual listed at SDX Trading and SIX Swiss Exchange and will be eligible for the Swiss Bond Index (SBI) alongside all other UBS AG senior unsecured notes which are listed on SIX.


UBS AG

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The above is provided for information purposes only. It is not an offer to buy or sell securities or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any securities or other financial instruments in any jurisdiction. No investment decision relating to securities should be made on the basis of this document. The securities have not been and will not be registered in the United States.

This media release constitutes neither an offer prospectus nor a prospectus for admission to trading under the terms of article 35 of the Swiss Financial Services Act (FinSA). This media release is intended solely for information purposes and does not constitute or form part of, and may not be construed as, an offer or invitation to sell securities, the solicitation of an offer to underwrite, subscribe for or otherwise acquire securities or a recommendation regarding any securities. The publication of this media release as well as the offer and sale of securities may be subject to restrictions in certain jurisdictions. Persons who might come into possession of this media release must inform themselves about and comply with any applicable legal or regulatory restrictions.

The media release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements,” including, but not limited to, statements relating to our future business development. While these forward-looking statements represent our judgments and future expectations concerning the development of UBS Group’s or any of its member’s business, a number of risks, uncertainties and other important factors could cause actual developments and results to differ materially from our expectations. For a discussion of the risks and uncertainties that may affect UBS please refer to the "Risk Factors" and other sections of UBS’s most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F, quarterly reports and other information furnished to or filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission on Form 6-K. UBS is not under any obligation to (and expressly disclaims any obligation to) update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
 

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