Abstract
This paper presents a thorough examination of centralized use of a decentralized technology (blockchain) in monetary and financial systems at the national level. A comparative study is conducted to summarize the regulatory and legislative frameworks of currency/asset tokenization in seven major economies (US, EU, UK, Switzerland, Australia, Japan, and South Korea). China is then used as a case study to explore how blockchain technology is adopted to enable central bank digital currency, bond tokenization, and “currency bridge”. Based on various contexts analyzed, we develop a conceptual Technology Acceptance Model which highlights the roles of trust and collaborative leadership. Policymakers and practitioners are recommended to follow a gradual, eclectic approach to tokenization.