Tokenization firm Securitize has launched Securitize Stocks, bringing shares of major U.S. companies including Apple, Nvidia, Tesla, Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, Meta, Netflix, Circle, Strategy and Palantir to the Solana blockchain. According to the company's announcement, each token is backed one-for-one by actual shares and designed to preserve shareholder rights including dividends and voting rights. The tokens represent security entitlements rather than direct ownership on company shareholder registers, though conversion may become available when issuers adopt tokenization. Trading will initially be available during extended hours with around-the-clock access planned, with Jump Trading providing liquidity and transactions settling in USDC stablecoin. The company plans to expand trading to the New York Stock Exchange's planned 24/7 digital trading platform and the OKXICE Tokenized Securities Venue, a joint venture between NYSE parent Intercontinental Exchange and crypto exchange OKX.
Securitize and LG CNS have signed a memorandum of understanding covering three areas of digital asset development for South Korean institutions, including tokenized securities and stablecoin infrastructure. According to the announcement, their work will include institutional tokenized funds, securities, stablecoins, and digital asset treasury solutions. The agreement covers market development, tokenization technology, and digital asset infrastructure for financial institutions, with planned services remaining subject to local laws, regulatory approvals, and both companies' internal compliance processes. Securitize CEO Carlos Domingo called South Korea an key market for institutional tokenization, stating their goal is to help build infrastructure that brings more high-quality financial products onchain in Korea while creating stronger links between Korean institutions and global capital markets.
The launch comes as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rolled out an 'innovation exemption' last month to open a path for new tokenized securities trading venues built on blockchain rails. South Korea's tokenized securities laws are scheduled to take effect on February 4, 2027, as reported by the Financial Services Commission. The regulator's proposed securities token rules include stocks, bonds, funds and fractional investment securities, with approved distributed ledgers recording securities ownership while the Korea Securities Depository retains a registration system role. For companies issuing tokenized securities, the FSC proposes at least ₹400 crore in equity capital and staffing requirements including one account management professional, one internal control professional, and two information technology professionals. The partnership will focus on developing services that meet local regulatory requirements, with future products depending on relevant regulatory approvals and compliance with South Korean laws.
LG CNS has launched KITL (Keystone of Institutional Trust Landscape), a blockchain platform serving banks, securities firms, card companies and payment providers building stablecoin, tokenized securities and real-world asset services. According to the company, KITL provides four core functions: digital wallets, transaction processing, network fee support and transaction record collection. The platform can gather transaction records from multiple digital assets and public blockchains, integrating digital wallets and transaction processing together with network fee support. KITL builds on work tested in the Bank of Korea's Project Hangang, where 80,000 participants and seven banks participated in actual payments at convenience stores and supermarkets.
Through joint business development, the partners plan to identify opportunities in South Korea and other Asia-Pacific markets, covering technical implementation, product development and education for institutions considering tokenized financial products. The partnership will investigate systems that could link South Korean institutions to global financial markets, with approved systems eventually enabling 24/7 distribution, trading and settlement. LG CNS's Hongkeun Kim emphasized that Korea is entering a pivotal phase in asset tokenization, with the partnership aiming to help Korean financial institutions build practical, regulatory-compliant applications. Both companies will undergo internal compliance and approval procedures prior to service launch, with on-chain allocations requiring institutional crypto custody solutions for security and compliance. The launch represents a significant step in bringing traditional equities to blockchain markets, allowing around-the-clock trading, faster settlement and potentially use of stocks as collateral in onchain lending markets.
