Infrastructure News

ARK Venture Fund Gets SEC Nod for Tokenized Fund Shares

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has granted ARK Venture Fund approval to issue a tokenized class of shares, marking a significant regulatory milestone for secondary market trading of fund interests. Under the Sept. 21 order, these shares will be recorded on a distributed ledger and can be traded on alternative trading systems or via peer-to-peer transfers between approved wallets. To ensure compliance, the fund must conduct rigorous anti-money-laundering and know-your-customer checks on all participating wallets. The approval requires daily disclosure of the net asset value on the fund's website, while acknowledging that secondary market prices may deviate from this value. This development allows ARK Investment Management to move beyond its previous 2025 structure, which lacked provisions for secondary market liquidity. By enabling tokenized shares for an interval fund focused on disruptive innovation, the SEC is establishing a clearer pathway for the integration of blockchain technology into traditional investment vehicles. This move reflects a broader regulatory trend, as the commission simultaneously explores frameworks for tokenized NMS stocks and other digital securities venues.

cryptotimes.io·Sep 23, 20268.5

BitGo says asset servicing is the real barrier to tokenized securities

BitGo executive Eugene Hahr argues that the primary hurdle for institutional-scale tokenized securities has shifted from basic custody to complex asset servicing. While holding digital tokens is a solved technical challenge, the industry now faces difficulties in managing the rights, obligations, and corporate actions attached to these assets. Hahr highlights that institutional adoption requires seamless integration of dividends, proxy voting, and daily reconciliation within existing risk and compliance frameworks. He notes that the U.S. and U.K. are approaching this evolution from different directions, with the U.K. focusing on infrastructure via the Digital Securities Sandbox and the U.S. prioritizing trading-led regulatory exemptions. The SEC's September 17 order serves as a critical milestone by allowing onchain venues to operate under conditional exemptions if tokens mirror underlying share rights. Currently, much of the equity tokenization market remains a wrapper for conventional assets, whereas money market funds and private credit have seen more mature production. Ultimately, banks and asset managers are demanding unified operating models that allow them to handle crypto, stablecoins, and tokenized securities without siloed infrastructure. This transition marks a shift toward practical, operational readiness as institutions seek to align onchain assets with traditional financial standards.

au.investing.com·Sep 23, 20267.5

Fidelity Launches Tokenized Funds in Production

Fidelity has officially transitioned its tokenized funds from pilot programs to live production environments in collaboration with EY. This operational milestone signifies a major shift for traditional financial institutions moving toward blockchain-based issuance, trading, and settlement. By leveraging blockchain technology, the initiative aims to enhance transparency and efficiency within financial transactions. While the current market for tokenized assets faces low trading volumes, the entry of a major player like Fidelity is expected to catalyze broader institutional and retail adoption. The partnership utilizes infrastructure supported by Fireblocks to facilitate these operational capabilities. This development underscores a growing trend of legacy financial firms integrating distributed ledger technology into their core service offerings. As these funds become operational, the focus shifts toward regulatory clarity and the potential for increased market liquidity in the tokenized asset space.

coinfomania.com·Sep 23, 20267.5

Plume Network Asks SEC Not To Regulate Crypto Vault Protocols

Plume Network met with the SEC’s Crypto Task Force on September 22 to propose a function-based regulatory framework for onchain vault protocols. The proposal argues that U.S. securities laws should apply based on specific activities—such as investment discretion and asset selection—rather than the underlying blockchain technology or the vault label itself. Plume suggests dividing the vault ecosystem into four distinct roles: protocol developer, curator, administrator, and token issuer. Under this model, immutable smart-contract developers providing infrastructure without custody or discretion would face different regulatory requirements than curators who actively manage strategies. Additionally, Plume advocated for SEC guidance on using distributed-ledger wallets for securityholder registration and embedding anti-money-laundering controls directly into tokenized fund interests. The company also requested rules to support hybrid fund structures that issue both conventional and tokenized share classes. While the SEC has not adopted these recommendations, the submission highlights a growing industry effort to define clear compliance pathways for RWA-focused Ethereum Layer 2 networks. This dialogue is critical for the RWA market as it seeks to reconcile decentralized vault mechanics with existing federal securities and investment-company regulations.

cryptotimes.io·Sep 23, 20267.5

Blockchain.com and NYSE Explore 24/7 Tokenized Securities

Blockchain.com and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to explore the distribution of tokenized U.S. equities and ETFs. The partnership aims to leverage the NYSE’s proposed digital Alternative Trading System (ATS) to provide Blockchain.com’s global user base with 24/7 access to traditional securities. By integrating tokenized assets, the initiative seeks to enable fractional ownership, continuous trading, and faster on-chain settlement for retail investors. Additionally, the agreement includes a bidirectional data-sharing arrangement where ICE Data Services will distribute crypto market analytics to institutional clients, while Blockchain.com will incorporate NYSE data feeds into its platform. This collaboration highlights the growing institutional interest in bridging traditional finance with blockchain infrastructure, aligning with broader industry forecasts that project a $5.5 trillion market for tokenized assets by 2030. While the project remains in the planning phase and is subject to regulatory approval, it represents a significant effort to modernize market access. The move underscores a strategic shift toward merging crypto-native distribution channels with regulated exchange-listed products.

coinpedia.org·Sep 23, 20268.0

Zoomex Deepens Its Real-World Asset Strategy

beincrypto.com·Sep 23, 20265.5

ESMA to prioritize EU

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has designated tokenization and artificial intelligence as its primary supervisory priorities for the European Union starting in 2027. This Union Strategic Supervisory Priority (USSP) aims to harmonize oversight across national regulators as financial firms increasingly integrate digital assets and AI into investor-facing products. ESMA plans to map the adoption of these technologies, conduct targeted checks on affected firms, and develop common regulatory approaches to mitigate risks. Key concerns identified by the authority include the potential for misleading AI outputs, product complexity, and over-reliance on a small number of third-party service providers. By establishing these priorities every three years, ESMA seeks to build institutional expertise and ensure consistent investor protection across the bloc. This initiative signals a shift toward proactive, centralized monitoring of how tokenized assets are marketed and managed within the EU financial ecosystem. The move underscores the growing institutional recognition of tokenization as a core component of future financial infrastructure that requires standardized regulatory scrutiny.

Cointelegraph — Tokenization·Sep 23, 20267.5

HKMA and SFC unveil digital-asset plans for stablecoins and tokenized gold

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) have unveiled comprehensive plans to integrate blockchain technology into core financial market infrastructure. By the end of 2026, the HKMA will upgrade its Central Moneymarkets Unit to support 24/7 real-time on-chain settlement for digital Hong Kong dollars and CBDCs. Simultaneously, the SFC is developing a new licensing regime and a long-term regulatory framework specifically for tokenized investment products, including gold and other real-world assets. These initiatives aim to deepen financial connectivity between mainland China and global markets while enhancing oversight through AI-driven surveillance tools like CrypTech. The region has already begun issuing stablecoin licenses, with HSBC and Anchorpoint Financial leading early adoption. Furthermore, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) is expanding its commodities offerings by introducing yuan-denominated gold futures. These coordinated regulatory and infrastructure efforts signal a major shift toward institutionalizing digital asset markets in Hong Kong. This development is critical for the RWA sector as it provides a clear legal pathway for tokenizing traditional assets within a major global financial hub.

cryptopolitan.com·Sep 23, 20269.0

MoonPay eyes tokenized securities push with $60 million acquisition of brokerage firm North Capital

MoonPay has acquired North Capital Investment Technology for over $60 million in an all-stock deal to accelerate its entry into the tokenized securities market. This strategic acquisition provides MoonPay with essential SEC-registered brokerage licenses, including broker-dealer, transfer agent, and alternative trading system (ATS) capabilities. North Capital previously collaborated with tZero to facilitate the trading of tokenized assets, establishing a foundation for compliant digital securities. By integrating these back-end services, MoonPay aims to build the regulatory infrastructure necessary for the mass adoption of tokenized debt and equity. The move follows a broader industry trend where major firms like Robinhood and Kraken are expanding their tokenized asset offerings. This development is further supported by a recent SEC "innovators exemption" that provides a clearer regulatory pathway for companies to offer tokenized stocks. The acquisition underscores the growing institutional focus on programmable financial infrastructure to bridge traditional equities with blockchain technology.

fortune.com·Sep 23, 20268.0

NYSE and Blockchain.com to explore selling tokenised stocks

reuters.com·Sep 23, 20268.5

SEC Opens Door to Tokenized Equities, DeFi Market Cap Hits $80 Billion — Bitwise CIO Draws Parallels to Early AI Era

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has introduced a temporary five-year exemption allowing for the conditional on-chain trading of tokenized U.S. listed equities, provided issuers are notified and shareholder rights are maintained. Simultaneously, S&P Global announced the acquisition of OpenZeppelin, a smart contract security firm whose technology has secured over $37 trillion in value transfers. These developments signal a significant institutional push toward the on-chain migration of financial markets, with regulators and ratings agencies building the necessary infrastructure for tokenized assets. Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan highlighted these events as evidence of a structural shift in financial mechanics, comparing the current trajectory of tokenization to the early growth phase of artificial intelligence. While the current market for tokenized equities remains at approximately $2.9 billion, the potential for integration into DeFi protocols for lending and yield generation is substantial. Traditional exchanges are also responding to this shift, with Nasdaq planning to launch 23-hour trading by December 2026 to compete with the always-on nature of crypto markets. These combined regulatory and infrastructure milestones suggest that tokenization is moving beyond speculative interest into a phase of institutional legitimacy.

finance.biggo.com·Sep 23, 20269.0

Tokenized Deposits vs Payment Stablecoins: The Two-Track Race for Institutional Money

The digital asset market is bifurcating due to the GENIUS Act, which prohibits stablecoins from paying interest while allowing bank-issued tokenized deposits to do so. With a January 2027 enforcement deadline approaching, institutions are choosing between bank-native liabilities and yield-optimized stablecoin wrappers. The Clearing House, representing 25 major banks including JPMorgan and Citigroup, is developing a shared tokenized deposit network to launch in early 2027. While tokenized deposits offer FDIC insurance and interest-bearing capabilities, stablecoin issuers are pivoting to tokenized money market funds like BlackRock’s BUIDL to bypass yield restrictions. JPMorgan analysts estimate that tokenized MMFs could eventually capture 50% of the stablecoin market cap as issuers navigate regulatory scrutiny from the OCC. The market for tokenized deposits is projected to grow from $6 billion in 2026 to $38.6 billion by 2034. This institutional shift highlights a fundamental race between legacy banking infrastructure and the maturing stablecoin ecosystem.

forkast.news·Sep 23, 20268.5

Bluwhale Delivers Always-On AI Agents for Tokenized Stock Trading

Bluwhale has launched AI-powered trading agents designed to autonomously manage tokenized stocks and commodities, including gold, silver, and oil, on blockchain networks. These agents allow users to define specific investment strategies and operating boundaries, enabling 24/7 market monitoring and execution without manual intervention. By integrating AI with on-chain financial infrastructure, Bluwhale aims to streamline the transition from market analysis to transaction execution for retail users. This development arrives as the tokenized stock market continues to grow, with RWA.xyz reporting $3.06 billion in distributed value as of September 2026. The platform leverages a decentralized intelligence network supported by 120,000 user-run nodes to verify transactions across more than 80 blockchains. This move aligns with broader industry trends, such as the NYSE Arca's push toward 23-hour trading sessions and increasing regulatory interest in on-chain equity markets. By providing a no-code environment for agent creation, Bluwhale seeks to lower the barrier for individuals to participate in emerging tokenized asset classes. The integration of AI agents into RWA trading represents a significant step toward automating complex financial workflows within the decentralized finance ecosystem.

benzinga.com·Sep 23, 20267.0

Binance Research: The Fifth Crypto Cycle Driven by RWA

Binance Research identifies the fifth crypto market cycle, beginning in 2026, as the era of RWA and DeFi 3.0, marking a shift from speculative narratives to verifiable cash flows. As of September 15, 2026, the tokenized RWA market reached $34.18 billion, representing an 85.2% year-to-date increase. Bonds and money market funds dominate this sector with $18.29 billion, while tokenized stocks emerged as the fastest-growing category with a 390.4% annual surge. This transition signifies a fundamental transfer of pricing power, where on-chain yields are increasingly anchored to Federal Reserve interest rates and traditional credit markets rather than protocol-driven token inflation. The report highlights that while current penetration remains low at approximately 0.01% of traditional markets, institutional adoption is accelerating through products like BlackRock’s BUIDL and Franklin Templeton’s BENJI. By integrating real-world assets, the industry aims to provide stable, compliant returns that can withstand macro-economic volatility. This evolution suggests that future crypto cycles will be more closely aligned with global interest rate environments than historical halving-driven patterns.

ababnews.com·Sep 23, 20268.0

Here Are The Top 10 Best Asset Tokenization Companies In America 2026:

The American asset tokenization landscape has matured significantly by 2026, shifting from experimental pilots to a core component of institutional capital markets. Leading firms like Securitize have established dominance by securing dual registration as both an SEC-registered transfer agent and a broker-dealer, enabling full-lifecycle management for major clients like BlackRock and KKR. Meanwhile, Ondo Finance has successfully bridged decentralized finance with traditional yield by capturing over $600 million in TVL through tokenized U.S. Treasuries and money market instruments. Infrastructure providers such as tZERO, Polymath, and Tokeny are addressing critical challenges in secondary market liquidity, protocol-level compliance, and standardized token frameworks like ERC-3643. Bitbond has simplified the issuance of tokenized debt, while Consensys provides the essential underlying infrastructure, including custody and node services, that supports the broader ecosystem. This consolidation of regulatory-compliant platforms and robust technical standards signals that the sector is moving toward a more professionalized, institutional-grade future. The focus on verifiable assets and SEC-compliant architecture is now the primary differentiator for companies seeking to scale within the U.S. financial system.

nubiapage.com·Sep 23, 20267.5

Arch Lending to lend against tokenized equities

Arch Lending is preparing to expand its collateral offerings to include tokenized equities, signaling a shift toward broader financial utility for onchain assets. Co-founder Himanshu Sahay confirmed the upcoming integration as the market for tokenized stocks has surged to $3.15 billion, up from $630 million just one year ago. While Bitcoin currently comprises over 80% of Arch’s loan book, the firm is actively diversifying into real-world assets, including recent additions like Paxos Gold and Tether Gold. This move aligns with broader industry trends where platforms like Kraken and Coinbase are increasingly integrating tokenized stocks into margin and futures trading. By enabling credit against these assets, Arch aims to provide liquidity to investors without requiring them to liquidate their onchain equity positions. The expansion reflects a growing institutional appetite for using tokenized securities as productive collateral within decentralized finance ecosystems. As more lenders enter the space, increased competition is expected to drive further adoption and utility for tokenized equities across the blockchain landscape.

altcoinbuzz.io·Sep 23, 20267.5

Is it time for corporate treasurers to lean into tokenization? AFME and EACT say yes

A joint report by the Association for Financial Markets in Europe (AFME) and the European Association of Corporate Treasurers (EACT) signals that distributed ledger technology has transitioned from experimental to practical for corporate treasury operations. The paper identifies cross-border payments, collateral management, and tokenized fixed income as the most immediate areas for operational efficiency. Large financial institutions, including BlackRock, JPMorgan, State Street, and BNP Paribas, have launched tokenized money market funds that allow for intraday, programmable liquidity management. This shift enables corporate treasurers to move surplus cash into yield-bearing assets without the traditional overnight lock-up periods. The report highlights that global issuance of DLT-based instruments reached EUR 1.69 billion by the end of 2025, representing a 629% increase since 2021. Siemens is cited as a leading corporate issuer, having successfully placed both digital bonds and commercial paper on-chain. Ultimately, the report advocates for treasurers to adopt tokenization as a core operational capability to optimize liquidity and capital mobility.

ledgerinsights.com·Sep 23, 20267.5

BlackRock Claims AI Computing Power May Be Tokenized in the Future

BlackRock has published a research report titled "Machine Native Economy," which explores the potential for computing power to evolve into a standardized, investable asset class. The report suggests that digital contracts could represent rights to computing resources, enabling them to be traded, financed, or used as collateral on programmable infrastructure. By integrating AI with digital assets, BlackRock envisions a future where computing power futures allow for automated hedging and settlement based on performance and hardware availability. The firm estimates that cloud revenue from major providers like AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud will reach $1.1 trillion by 2030. Furthermore, BlackRock highlights existing collaborations with firms like NVIDIA, Blackstone, and Apollo to treat AI factory-level computing as a long-term financeable asset with potential capital exceeding $500 billion. While emphasizing that compliance and KYC remain mandatory, the report signals a strategic shift toward treating machine hours as securitized, tradable commodities. This outlook underscores the growing convergence between institutional finance and the physical infrastructure required to power the artificial intelligence revolution.

ababnews.com·Sep 23, 20267.5