Cork raises $5.5 million with support from a16z to transform risk management in RWA

Source: CritpoTendencia Original Title: Cork raises $5.5 million with support from a16z to transform risk management in RWA Original Link: The real-world assets industry (RWA) is moving into a new phase of innovation following Cork’s seed funding round of $5.5 million, a startup backed by Andreessen Horowitz CSX, Road Capital, and other key industry players.

With this boost, the company aims to turn the inherent risk exposure of RWAs into tradable, measurable, and transparent instruments through tokenization and programmable infrastructure applied to the on-chain ecosystem.

Cork’s new approach to risk and liquidity

In this context, Cork positions itself at the center of an emerging trend related to the standardization and tokenization of risk within the crypto ecosystem. Its value proposition involves developing a layer of programmable risk that allows asset managers, issuers, and other participants to launch customized swap markets.

Based on this architecture, the platform offers tools to measure, compare, and hedge the risk associated with products such as yield-bearing stablecoins, vault tokens, and liquid staking assets, contributing to improved liquidity and increased confidence in on-chain markets.

Additionally, by integrating its solutions with ERC-4626 vault tokens, ERC-20 tokens, and on-chain credit structures, Cork enables a programmable performance infrastructure designed for both financial institutions and retail users.

Innovation and market expansion in DeFi

Historically, one of the main challenges in decentralized finance has been the lack of effective mechanisms to actively manage stress scenarios, such as stablecoin depegging events.

In response to this gap, Cork’s developed infrastructure aims to anticipate and hedge these risks, reducing the likelihood of mass withdrawals and liquidity crises within the on-chain ecosystem.

In this context, Phil Fogel, co-founder of Cork, stated that tokenized risk has been a neglected aspect within the industry for years, a situation that is beginning to change as larger institutions enter and the market matures.

In line with this evolution, the company plans to launch its first risk markets in production in the coming months, along with expanding its integrations and partnerships with asset issuers and on-chain vaults.

The future of RWAs and risk infrastructure

The entry of specialized capital reinforces this thesis. The participation of firms like BitGo Ventures, IDEO Ventures, PEER VC, and WAGMI Ventures in the round led by a16z CSX and Road Capital marks a turning point in the development of tools aimed at actively and strategically managing risk within the crypto ecosystem.

Under this dynamic, standardization and trading of risk are beginning to emerge as fundamental pillars for the expansion of tokenized real-world assets, opening new avenues for hedging, improving liquidity, and strengthening resilience against episodes of high volatility.

As the startup itself explained in its official funding announcement, Cork’s progress aims to establish a programmable risk infrastructure that will be central to the next generation of users and institutions, raising standards of transparency, efficiency, and security in RWA tokenization.