The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) parent company ICE officially announced today (24th) that it is fully developing a dedicated “Tokenized Securities Platform.” This strategic move aims to tokenize traditional securities such as U.S. bonds and stocks using blockchain technology to enable 24/7 trading and real-time settlement.
(Background: BlackRock plans to launch “Tokenized Funds” BUIDL! Seizing the RWA real-world asset opportunity)
(Additional context: Will smart contracts replace ETFs? The rise and concerns of tokenized stocks)
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As asset tokenization (RWA) moves from concept to practice, the world’s most influential trading venue — the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) — is finally entering the space. Its parent company, Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), announced on March 24th a partnership with tokenization platform Securitize to develop a tokenized securities trading platform, with the key selling point of breaking through traditional market time and efficiency limitations.
The new platform is expected to offer 24/7 trading, unaffected by weekends or holidays. Settlement mechanisms will be shortened from traditional T+1 to near-instant, with delivery occurring immediately upon trade completion. Additionally, investors can place orders based on dollar amounts (rather than whole shares), and support stablecoin deposits and withdrawals, bypassing banking processing times.
Technologically, the new platform combines NYSE’s existing Pillar matching engine with on-chain blockchain settlement. The front end will continue to use NYSE’s mature matching technology, while the backend handles delivery and custody via blockchain, supporting multi-chain settlement.
On the clearing side, ICE is collaborating with BNY Mellon and Citi to introduce tokenized deposit mechanisms, allowing clearing members to transfer funds and pay margins outside banking hours, eliminating traditional time zone limitations.
Securitize is a key technical partner in this collaboration. The platform has received SEC approval to act as a transfer agent and has partnered with BlackRock to launch the tokenized fund BUIDL. Currently, Securitize is preparing for an IPO through a merger with Cantor Equity Partners II, with a valuation of $1.25 billion.
According to ICE’s development plan, NYSE’s tokenized platform will feature the following three core functions, aimed at solving pain points in traditional finance (TradFi):
| Feature | Traditional NYSE System | New Tokenized Platform |
|---|---|---|
| Trading Hours | Weekdays 9:30 – 16:00 (Eastern Time) | 24/7 Around the Clock |
| Settlement Cycle | T+1 / T+2 (next-day settlement) | T+0 (instant settlement) |
| Asset Threshold | Usually per share/unit | Support for fractional ownership |
| Underlying Technology | Centralized database / traditional clearinghouse | Blockchain ledger (smart contract-driven) |
This announcement follows BlackRock CEO Larry Fink’s statement calling tokenization the “Wall Street email moment.” NYSE President stated that blockchain technology can not only reduce operational costs but also provide flexibility that existing exchanges cannot:
“We are building the infrastructure for the capital markets of the next century. Through tokenization, we can make asset transfers as fast as sending a message, while maintaining NYSE’s renowned regulatory and security standards.”