coindesk.com
BlackRock-backed Securitize and Computershare are bringing parts of the $70 trillion U.S. stock market onchain via tokenized equities, in a move that pushes traditional Wall Street infrastructure closer to blockchain rails.
The agreement allows listed firms to add tokenized equity — called Issuer-Sponsored Tokens (ISTs) — alongside existing shares, giving investors the option to hold stock through traditional systems or in a digital wallet.
The effort is part of a broader push to make tokenized shares work within current market rules while offering new ways to hold and move assets, from wallet-based ownership to faster settlement. Transfer agents like Computershare sit at the center of that system, maintaining shareholder records and handling corporate actions.
By integrating at that layer, the companies aim to avoid a common crypto workaround, in which tokens represent claims on shares rather than the shares themselves.
Securitize is a blockchain-based firm, enabling real-world assets, such as equities and funds, to be issued, traded, and managed in tokenized form on blockchain networks.
Blockchain meets transfer agents
Under the setup, Computershare will act as transfer agent for tokenized shares just as it does for traditional ones. That includes managing records and processing events like dividends or stock splits across both formats.
Securitize provides the underlying technology, but like other recent efforts in the space, the blockchain component sits mostly in the background. The tokens are designed to represent direct ownership, not derivatives layered on top of existing stock.
"ISTs do not rely on derivative tokens that sit on top of underlying shares," said Securitize CEO Carlos Domingo. "They provide U.S. issuers with the ability to create direct equity ownership in token form."
Computershare's reach could give the effort scale. The firm serves more than 25,000 companies and acts as a transfer agent for about 58% of the S&P 500.
The structure also keeps issuers in control of their shareholder base, a key requirement for public companies. "Our focus has been to empower U.S.-listed companies to issue tokenized equity while retaining control," said Ann Bowering, CEO of issuer services at Computershare North America.