Nouriel Roubini Launches USAFi Tokenized Fund on June 23, Backed by U.S. Treasuries and Real Assets

According to Securitize and official announcements, on June 23, Economist Nouriel Roubini entered blockchain finance through USAFi, a tokenized investment product co-authored with Atlas Capital Team. USAFi mirrors the performance of the Atlas America Fund (USAF), a Nasdaq-listed exchange-traded fund overseen by Roubini, and will launch in the third quarter under Dubai's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) regulatory framework.

Unlike cryptocurrencies, USAFi is backed by a diversified portfolio including U.S. Treasuries, real estate, gold, and agricultural commodities, positioned as a capital preservation vehicle. Securitize was selected to provide the tokenization infrastructure. Roubini, known for criticizing speculative digital assets, distinguished USAFi from traditional stablecoins, arguing that blockchain-based investment products offer exposure to productive financial assets rather than merely facilitating token transfers.