Clearstream receives major recognition at GC Awards

Clearstream has won the "Digital Asset/DLT initiative of the Year" award for its tokenized securities platform at the Global Custodian (GC) Leaders in Custody Awards, a key industry event recognizing excellence in financial services.

Phil Brown, CEO of Clearstream Banking SA and Global Head of Sales & Relationship Management has been honored as “Industry Person of the Year” reflecting the impact of his strong leadership in navigating an increasingly complex financial landscape.

The Leaders in Custody Awards recognize excellence across the financial services industry. The awards are dedicated to acknowledging firms that have made significant contributions to the industry through innovation, efficiency and exceptional client service.

Driving Digital Transformation and Innovation

At the core of Clearstream’s success is its D7 platform, a cutting-edge digital and distributed ledger technology (DLT) solution that is transforming securities issuance and lifecycle management. The platform was recognized for its ability to combine traditional financial market infrastructure with next-generation digital capabilities, enabling clients to issue and manage securities both digitally and in tokenized form.

A defining milestone for the platform is its remarkable scale. In 2026, Clearstream surpassed 4 million digital issuances on its D7 digital CSD platform, demonstrating both strong client adoption and operational resilience.

D7’s architecture leverages DLT to facilitate seamless tokenization of securities, offering clients enhanced flexibility, efficiency, and transparency. By providing a hybrid model - where clients can choose between conventional digital issuance and blockchain-based tokenization - Clearstream supports institutions at different stages of their digital transformation journey.

Leadership Recognized Across the Industry

Phil Brown has been honored as “Industry Person of the Year” celebrating his remarkable achievements in Europe’s securities services landscape. He has played a key role in driving Clearstream’s strategic initiatives, including the development and expansion of the D7 platform and the continued digitization of the Eurobond market.

His leadership has not only delivered innovation but was also critical in migrating major global broker-dealer and neo-broker clients to Clearstream’s European platform. These migrations not only improved operational efficiency but also delivered significant cost savings for clients, reinforcing Clearstream’s value proposition.

Industry Discussion Future of Custody Industry Panel

The “Future of Custody” industry panel highlighted the increasing complexity in financial markets, driven by the rise of digital assets, regulatory change, and evolving client expectations.

Clearstream’s contribution to the panel focused on the development of a digital asset eco-system and the Pan-European CSD solution supporting the Savings and Investment Union (SIU) agenda and highlighting Clearstream’s role in strengthening European capital markets and facilitating cross-border investment.

From l. to r.: Philip Brown, Clearstream, Sam Cauvain-Welsh, JP Morgan, Sinead McIntosh, BBH, Chris Rowland, State Street, Chris Lemmon GC