Securitize, a company specializing in securities tokenization, has outlined plans to launch what it describes as a fully compliant, on-chain trading experience for publicly issued equities that provide genuine ownership rights. The company indicated that the new tokenized equity product is scheduled to go live in the first quarter of 2026. The initiative is positioned as a departure from existing tokenized stock models that only mirror share prices without granting investors legal ownership.
According to Securitize, the forthcoming product will be structured so that tokenized equities represent regulated shares issued directly on-chain and recorded on the issuer’s official shareholder registry. This design is intended to ensure that token holders are recognized as actual shareholders rather than holders of derivative or synthetic instruments. By embedding ownership directly into the blockchain-based issuance process, the company aims to align tokenized equities with established securities law frameworks.
Real-Time Trading Beyond Market Hours
One of the central advantages highlighted by Securitize is the ability to support real-time trading. The company expects the platform to allow equity transactions to occur continuously, including outside the operating hours of traditional stock exchanges. This capability is intended to address long-standing inefficiencies in legacy market infrastructure, where settlement delays and restricted trading windows are common.
Trading is expected to take place through a swap-style interface similar to those used in decentralized finance applications. By adopting a familiar DeFi-style user experience, Securitize aims to make on-chain equity trading more intuitive for users already accustomed to blockchain-based financial tools, while still operating within a regulated framework.
Critique of Existing Tokenized Stock Models
Alongside the announcement, Securitize raised concerns about many of the tokenized equity offerings currently available in the market. The company argued that a significant number of these products provide exposure to share price movements without conveying actual ownership of the underlying securities. In its assessment, such structures often rely on special-purpose vehicles or offshore arrangements, which can introduce additional counterparty risk and lead to price discrepancies between tokens and the underlying shares.
Securitize also pointed to regulatory shortcomings in parts of the tokenized equity market. The company noted that some offerings are issued as permissionless assets without sufficient Know Your Customer and Anti-Money Laundering safeguards. This lack of compliance, it suggested, poses risks to investors and creates uncertainty around the legal standing of the assets.
Modernizing Equity Market Infrastructure
The company further emphasized that traditional equity infrastructure remains outdated and in need of fundamental redesign. In conventional markets, most investors do not hold shares directly in their own names, as intermediaries such as brokers and custodians stand between issuers and shareholders. As a result, settlement typically takes at least one business day, limiting capital efficiency and increasing operational complexity.
Introducing: Stocks on Securitize
Real Stocks. Real Ownership.
Trading onchain. For the first time ever. pic.twitter.com/ZpwL42usug
— Securitize (@Securitize) December 16, 2025
Securitize has framed tokenization as an opportunity to streamline this process by reducing the number of intermediaries involved. Through blockchain-based issuance and settlement, ownership records can be updated in near real time, potentially enabling faster settlement and greater transparency.
Compliance-Centered Design
Securitize stated that its approach is grounded in regulatory compliance and investor protection. The company plans to implement controls that restrict token transfers to approved or whitelisted wallets, ensuring that only verified participants can hold and trade the tokenized equities. These measures are designed to meet securities law requirements while preserving the benefits of blockchain-based trading.
The company also highlighted its role as a registered transfer agent with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. By acting as the share registrar while issuing equities on-chain, Securitize aims to ensure that the tokens are legally recognized shares rather than contractual claims or price-tracking instruments.
Implications for Public Markets
By combining regulated securities issuance with blockchain infrastructure, Securitize is seeking to demonstrate that tokenization can operate at public market scale without sacrificing compliance or investor protections. The planned launch signals a broader effort to move beyond experimental tokenized assets and toward a model where blockchain-based equities function as fully recognized components of the financial system.
