On Thursday, in a press release shared with CoinDesk, Securitize stated that they are launching a new product called “Securitize Stocks”, which will initially cover 12 companies, including Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, Meta, Netflix, Circle, Strategy, and Palantir.

The transaction will first be launched on the existing platform based on Solana at Securitize. Jump Trading will provide liquidity, and the transactions will be settled in USDC stablecoins. RQD will support clearing, custody, and settlement.

These stocks are also expected to be traded in the New York Stock Exchange's planned 24/7 digital trading platform in the future, as well as on the upcoming OKXICE Tokenized Securities Venue. The latter is a joint venture between NYSE's parent company, Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), and the cryptocurrency exchange OKX. However, both of these expansions still depend on the official launch of the respective trading venues and their compliance with regulatory requirements.

Tokenization of stocks advances

This move comes at a time when Wall Street firms are pushing to introduce stocks into the blockchain market. Such arrangements can enable 24/7 trading, faster settlement, and may also allow stocks to be used as collateral in on-chain lending markets.

U.S. regulatory agencies are also evaluating how to accommodate such products. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) introduced an "innovation exemption" last month, paving the way for the establishment of new tokenized securities trading venues based on blockchain infrastructure.

Securitize Chairman and CEO Carlos Domingo stated: "The opportunity lies in bringing stocks onto the blockchain without sacrificing ownership, investor protection, or the market infrastructure that supports the operation of the U.S. capital market. Securitize Stocks is designed around this principle, while also building a bridge for the future – by then, issuers will also be able to directly participate in tokenization themselves."

Eligible investors from the United States, Europe, and other approved markets will be able to trade the Securitize stock tokens. The initial trading hours will cover extended trading periods, with plans to later expand to 24-hour trading seven days a week.

The joint venture project between OKX and ICE has submitted its application this week, with plans to launch tokenized stock trading under the framework of SEC. This is also another sign of growing interest among established exchanges in blockchain-based securities markets.

Solana Foundation General Manager of Institutional Business, Nick Ducoff, stated: "Tokenized stocks enable global investors to access investments they might otherwise never have had the opportunity to participate in, and do so on an internet-scale."