There is no single price to tokenise an asset. A simple pilot might land in the low tens of thousands of euro, a production-ready platform in the mid five figures to low six figures, and a fully regulated institutional build higher again. The biggest cost is rarely the code, it is the legal structuring and compliance around it.
What actually drives the number is scope: how regulated the asset is, how much you build versus reuse, and how much ongoing operation you need. Here is the honest breakdown.
The first thing to say is that anyone who quotes you a flat price to tokenise an asset without asking questions is guessing. The cost depends far more on the nature of the asset and its regulatory context than on the blockchain itself. Tokenising a collectible for a small community is a very different job to launching a compliant tokenised fund for European investors, even though both are technically tokenisation. So rather than a single figure, it helps to understand what you are actually paying for.
Where the money goes
Legal and structuring. This is the part people underestimate, and it is often the largest line. You are creating an enforceable link between a token and a real ownership right, which usually means a company or special purpose vehicle, proper documentation, and a regulatory analysis of which regime applies. For anything that touches securities, this is substantial and unavoidable.
Smart contract development and audit. Writing the contracts that issue and manage the tokens, and then paying for an independent security audit, which is essential for anything holding real value. Reusing a proven token standard keeps this down, custom logic pushes it up.
Compliance integration. Identity and anti-money-laundering checks, rules on who can hold and transfer tokens, and reporting. The more regulated the asset, the more this costs, and it is not optional for a serious product.
The platform itself. The interface where investors buy, hold and manage tokens, plus any integrations with custody, warehouses, registries or payment rails. This scales with how polished and full-featured you want it.
Blockchain and running costs. On-chain fees, which are tiny and predictable on some networks and variable on others, plus hosting and ongoing maintenance. Choosing the right chain matters here, which we cover in Hedera vs Ethereum for tokenisation.
Rough tiers to set expectations
These are broad, indicative ranges to give you a sense of scale, not a quote. Every project is different.
Pilot or proof of concept. A limited tokenisation to test an idea, with a light structure and a basic interface, can sit in the low tens of thousands of euro. Good for validating demand before committing.
Production platform. A real, sellable product with proper contracts, an audit, compliance controls and a solid platform typically runs from the mid five figures into the low six figures, depending on how regulated the asset is and how much is bespoke.
Regulated institutional build. A fully compliant offering for a regulated asset and institutional investors, with the legal and reporting machinery that implies, is a larger investment again, and here the legal side often outweighs the technology.
How to keep the cost sensible
Start with the asset and the goal, not the technology. Reuse proven token standards rather than reinventing them. Pick a chain with low, predictable fees if your model involves many transactions. Do not over-build the platform before you have proven demand, a pilot first is often the cheapest path to knowing whether the full build is worth it. And get the regulatory question answered early, because discovering it late is the most expensive mistake of all.
Want a real number for your project?
The only way to a real figure is a short conversation about your asset, your buyers and your regulatory context. We will tell you honestly what it takes and where the costs sit, and whether a pilot or a full build makes more sense for you. See the wider picture in what can be tokenised, explore our asset tokenisation service, or talk to us.