BeInCrypto has released the long list for its new Institutional 100 program, naming 15 digital asset products that made the cut from an initial pool of more than 30 firms. The program aims to recognize institutional excellence across 26 categories and six pillars, with the winner to be crowned at Proof of Talk in Paris on June 2–3.
Who made the list
The 15 products span spot crypto ETFs, tokenized money market funds, tokenized treasuries, private credit and PE funds, tokenized equities, bonds, and regional product stacks. Notable names include BlackRock’s IBIT — the fastest ETF to cross $80 billion in AUM — and BUIDL, which has expanded across eight chains. Hashnote/Circle’s USYC, the largest tokenized MMF globally at over $3 billion in AUM, also qualified; it overtook BlackRock BUIDL back in January. Franklin Templeton’s FOBXX/BENJI, the first U.S.-registered fund to use public blockchain record-keeping, is on the list too. Hamilton Lane’s Secondary Fund VI feeder made it after reducing minimums from $5 million to $20,000 via tokenization. OpenEden’s TBILL — the first tokenized T-bill product with dual Moody’s and S&P investment-grade ratings and BNY as investment manager and custodian — is also in the running.
How the scoring works
The evaluation is split 50-50 between quantitative data and an Expert Council. Criteria include AUM, net flows, product structure, regulatory licensure, multi-jurisdiction footprint, on-chain reach, fee structure, distribution, institutional holders, and innovation signal. That’s a broader set of metrics than most industry awards use, and the weighting leans heavily on real-world adoption rather than just hype. The shortlist will be named later this month, in May 2026.
Some context on the contenders
A few of these products have already had their moments in the spotlight. Ondo Finance, for instance, saw an SEC investigation close without charges in late 2025 — a clean regulatory slate that likely helped its standing. OpenEden’s dual credit ratings give it a rare institutional seal of approval. And Hamilton Lane’s feeder shows how tokenization can crack open private markets for smaller investors. The timing of the award — just as tokenized treasuries and MMFs are gaining real traction — isn’t accidental.
What happens next
The shortlist comes out this month. Then the final winner will be announced at Proof of Talk in Paris on June 2–3. For the firms that didn’t make the initial 15, the detailed scoring criteria at least gives them a roadmap for what matters to institutional buyers — and what they might need to improve for next year.
