
Dubai-based crypto exchange Bybit has expanded the utility of its tokenized stock offerings by allowing six specific equities to serve as collateral for margin trading and lending products. Users can now utilize tokenized shares of Nvidia, Apple, Tesla, Alphabet, Robinhood, and Circle within the platform's Unified Trading Account and loan services. These assets, branded as xStocks, were launched in June through a partnership with the tokenization platform Backed and are backed 1:1 by underlying securities held by a regulated custodian. This move reflects a broader industry trend toward integrating traditional financial assets into decentralized finance workflows to improve capital efficiency. Bybit joins other major exchanges like Kraken and Bitget in adopting tokenized equities as margin collateral, signaling increased institutional comfort with blockchain-based representations of traditional stocks. The expansion highlights the growing maturity of the RWA sector, where tokenized assets are transitioning from simple spot-trading instruments to functional components of complex financial infrastructure. As exchanges continue to integrate these assets, the liquidity and utility of tokenized securities are expected to rise, bridging the gap between legacy equity markets and crypto-native trading environments.
Tokenized stocks are blockchain-based digital representations of traditional equity shares, typically maintained through a 1:1 reserve ratio with the underlying asset. These tokens allow investors to gain exposure to traditional markets on-chain, often enabling 24/7 trading and increased interoperability with decentralized finance protocols. By using regulated custodians to hold the physical securities, issuers ensure that the digital tokens remain legally tethered to the value of the original equity.