Morning Minute: Coinbase Puts Tokenized Stocks on Base

Coinbase has launched tokenized fractional shares of Apple and Nvidia on the Base blockchain, allowing eligible non-U.S. users to hold direct claims on real equity. These tokens are backed by shares held by the regulated broker Alpaca and utilize the B20 token standard, which is specifically designed to manage dividends and stock splits without disrupting liquidity pools or lending positions. Users can trade these assets on the Aerodrome decentralized exchange or utilize them as collateral within the Aave lending protocol. This development marks a significant expansion of real-world assets on-chain, though the product remains unavailable to U.S. residents due to the current regulatory environment. The move follows similar international-only tokenized stock launches by firms like Robinhood, highlighting a growing trend of U.S. companies deploying infrastructure offshore while awaiting domestic policy clarity. Coinbase has indicated that additional tokenized stocks and real-world assets are planned for release on Base in the coming weeks. This shift underscores the increasing competition to establish global standards for equity tokenization despite the lack of a clear SEC framework for such products.