Nasdaq becomes Canton super validator, Wall Street institutions race for RWA infrastructure

Nasdaq officially joins Canton Network as a Super Validator, with the highest potential to earn 10 Super Validator weights. This is not just a simple technical integration, but a formal recognition from the world’s largest stock exchange of this “privacy highway.”

Why Nasdaq Chose Canton

The True Meaning of a Super Validator

Super Validators on Canton Network differ from traditional blockchain nodes. According to the latest news, this role is overseen by the Canton Token Economy and Accountability Committee. The maximum of 10 weights assigned to Nasdaq signifies that the institution holds significant influence in network governance and transaction validation.

For traditional financial giants like Nasdaq, participating in validation means two things:

• Direct involvement in the infrastructure development of RWA (Real-World Asset) tokenization
• Having a say in rule-making from the early stages, rather than passive access

Why Canton Attracts Institutions

Canton Network’s core competitive advantage lies in privacy. According to relevant information, it offers “sub-transaction-level privacy,” which is highly valued by traditional financial institutions. Unlike fully transparent public blockchains, Canton allows only relevant transaction parties to see transaction details, while others cannot see anything.

This addresses a long-standing pain point for banks: the inability to handle sensitive transactions on a public ledger.

Institutional Gathering in the Ecosystem

Nasdaq’s participation is just the latest signal that Canton is attracting Wall Street. According to relevant information, Canton’s lineup of institutional partners already includes:

• Investment banks like Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley
• DTCC (the US clearing giant)
• IMC Trading (a top global market maker covering over 200,000 securities)

These institutions’ involvement is not symbolic. IMC Trading has already provided market-making services for 630 securities on NYSE, indicating that institutional-level financial entities are substantively integrating into this network.

Actual Network Usage Speaks Volumes

The most convincing data comes from on-chain performance. As of January 5, data shows Canton Network’s daily transaction fees surged to $837,000, surpassing Solana, BNB, and Ethereum. This is not a hype-driven false prosperity, but a reflection of genuine demand for usage.

The CC token (Canton’s network token) derives its value entirely from network activity. Users need to pay CC to complete transactions, run nodes, or build applications. This “earn tokens by using” model means the token price is linked to real economic activity.

A Key Step in the RWA Wave

Nasdaq’s involvement marks the transition of RWA from pilot projects to institutional-scale applications. According to relevant information, Canton’s RWA narrative includes:

• Large assets like US Treasuries already on the pilot chain
• DTCC’s US Treasury tokenization pilot expected to launch in the first half of 2026
• Market estimates suggest that by 2030, the RWA market size will exceed $10 trillion

Canton has already gained an early advantage in this process. As a network designed specifically for institutional privacy and compliance, it is becoming Wall Street’s preferred infrastructure for digital assets.

What to Watch for in the Future

Nasdaq’s participation suggests several possible development directions:

• The tokenization pilot of NYSE-listed stocks may accelerate
• More exchanges and market makers could follow, forming an “Institutional Validator Alliance”
• Canton Network’s transaction fees may further grow, supporting the value of CC tokens

However, it’s important to note that this process is still in its early stages. Large-scale institutional adoption will require further regulatory framework improvements and continuous technological optimization.

Summary

Nasdaq becoming a Canton Super Validator essentially signifies Wall Street’s preparation for the RWA era. It’s not just a blockchain experiment by a single trading platform, but the world’s largest stock exchange actively participating in building the future financial infrastructure. Rather than saying Nasdaq chose Canton, it’s more accurate to say Canton has become the essential platform for institutional RWA applications. By 2026, we may see this choice shift from a “strategic layout” to “actual transactions.”