Centrifuge, Janus Henderson, and S&P DJI Unveil First Tokenized S&P 500 Index Fund

Quick Breakdown 

• First of its kind: SPXA is the first licensed tokenized S&P 500 index fund, launched by Centrifuge, Janus Henderson, and S&P DJI.
• On-chain access: The fund gives investors transparent, programmable exposure to the S&P 500 across DeFi and blockchain ecosystems.
• Institutional weight: Janus Henderson manages the fund, while S&P DJI provides the index license, ensuring credibility.

Centrifuge, in partnership with Janus Henderson and S&P Dow Jones Indices (S&P DJI), has launched the Janus Henderson Anemoy S&P 500 Fund (SPXA), the first-ever tokenized index fund licensed by S&P DJI. Announced on September 25, the move marks a major breakthrough in bridging traditional finance and DeFi.

Source: Centrifuge

“Launching SPXA with Centrifuge is a natural progression of our blockchain strategy, bringing the world’s most important equity index to a new generation of investors,”

said Nick Cherney, Head of Innovation at Janus Henderson.

A new era for on-chain index funds

SPXA introduces the S&P 500 to blockchain-based markets, enabling exposure to the benchmark index across on-chain finance, DeFi platforms, and DAOs. Investors will benefit from transparent holdings, programmability, and the composability of DeFi protocols.

Bhaji Illuminati, CEO of Centrifuge, emphasized that indices provide a straightforward and liquidity-ready route to bringing equities on-chain. He noted that SPXA represents the next step in making traditional financial assets globally accessible around the clock.

Janus Henderson’s role in scaling tokenization

Janus Henderson, which manages $457 billion in assets under management (AUM), will serve as sub-investment manager for the fund. According to Nick Cherney, Head of Innovation at the firm, the SPXA launch is part of a broader strategy to expand tokenization capabilities and open global markets to new forms of participation.

Institutional backing from S&P DJI

The collaboration also has the stamp of legitimacy from S&P DJI, the official administrator of the S&P 500 index. Cameron Drinkwater, Chief Product Officer at S&P DJI, said the partnership reflects a shared vision of blockchain as a transformative force in index-linked financial products, offering liquidity, transparency, and interoperability.

Meanwhile, Coinbase officially joined the S&P 500 index on May 19, becoming the first cryptocurrency-focused company to secure a spot in the prestigious benchmark.

 

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