Securitize unveils ‘real’ tokenized stocks with 24/7 onchain trading and DeFi integration

Securitize has announced plans to launch what it calls the first fully compliant, natively tokenized public stocks that represent real equity ownership and can trade 24/7 entirely onchain. The move is already drawing attention in crypto news and among crypto pur builders focused on how blockchain technology can modernize traditional capital markets.

Natively tokenized stocks with real share ownership

Securitize, a specialist in tokenizing securities, says its new product will debut in the first quarter of 2026 and will offer tokens that are legally recognized as actual shares, not synthetic price trackers or derivatives. Instead of using structures that simply mirror stock prices, the firm emphasizes that these tokens will be “real, regulated shares” issued directly onchain and recorded on the issuer’s cap table.

Trading will be offered through a swap‑style interface designed to feel familiar to decentralized finance (DeFi) users, allowing investors to buy and sell tokenized stocks in real time even when traditional equity markets are closed. Securitize argues that, until now, most tokenized stocks have been held onchain but still settled and managed via legacy offchain infrastructure, limiting the benefits of full blockchain rails.

Compliance-first tokenized stock ecosystem

In its launch messaging, Securitize criticizes many existing tokenized stock offerings for providing “exposure, not ownership,” often by routing investments through offshore entities or special-purpose vehicles that can add counterparty and legal risk. It also points out that many of these products are effectively noncompliant, issued as permissionless tokens without robust Know Your Customer (KYC) or Anti‑Money Laundering (AML) safeguards.

By contrast, Securitize positions its model as a compliance‑anchored upgrade to outdated stock plumbing. It notes that in legacy systems, investors rarely hold shares directly in their own name, and settlement can still take a full day or more. To address this, the firm will enforce transfer controls so that only pre‑approved, whitelisted wallets can hold or receive the tokenized shares, aiming to preserve investor protections while leveraging blockchain efficiency.

Regulated, onchain shares designed for DeFi

Securitize plans to serve as the official transfer agent for these tokenized equities, a role that involves maintaining shareholder records and processing ownership changes. Because the company is registered in this capacity, the onchain tokens are meant to be treated as legally valid shares under securities law rather than informal claims or wrapped representations.

Interestingly, Securitize downplays faster settlement as the main selling point. Instead, it focuses on programmability the ability for tokenized securities to interact with smart contracts, onchain lending, collateral systems, automated market makers, and other DeFi applications. The company says its framework is designed so that these regulated tokens can plug into DeFi without compromising compliance, KYC/AML, or user protections.

From a blockchain technology perspective, that means:

• Tokenized stocks could be used as collateral in lending protocols.
• Dividends and corporate actions could be automated via smart contracts.
• Access controls and investor restrictions can be enforced at the protocol level.

Upgrading, not replacing, traditional finance

Securitize stresses that its aim is not to dismantle traditional finance but to upgrade it using blockchain rails. By bringing “real” stocks onchain with clear regulatory status, the company hopes to bridge institutional capital markets and DeFi while maintaining the safeguards regulators expect.

For the crypto pur community and market participants tracking crypto news, this initiative is a significant step toward a world where equities, bonds, and other assets live as programmable tokens tradable 24/7, integrated into onchain ecosystems, and governed by both code and compliance. If successful, Securitize’s approach could become a template for how public markets migrate onto blockchain infrastructure without sacrificing investor protection or regulatory clarity.