Coinbase joins tokenized stock race with onchain shares and dividend payments

Coinbase has announced plans to launch tokenized stocks backed one-for-one by underlying U.S. equities, marking its entry into the competitive onchain securities market. CEO Brian Armstrong emphasized that these assets represent direct ownership rather than the derivative or synthetic structures often found in existing offerings. By moving traditional securities onto blockchain rails, the platform aims to provide investors with benefits such as automated dividend payments and 24/7 trading capabilities. This initiative targets international users in eligible jurisdictions, offering them streamlined access to U.S. capital markets without the need for traditional foreign brokerage accounts. The move intensifies competition in the RWA sector, where firms like Kraken and Robinhood are also expanding their tokenized equity footprints. As major institutions like Citi, BlackRock, and JPMorgan continue to explore tokenization, this development underscores the industry's broader shift toward digitizing traditional financial assets. While no specific launch date was provided, the announcement signals a significant push by Coinbase to capture market share in the rapidly growing tokenized securities space.