Blockchain.com and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) have signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at giving crypto users around-the-clock access to tokenized.S. stocks—traditional shares represented as blockchain-based tokens. Announced on September 23 and detailed in a post on Blockchain.com's blog, the agreement sets out an approach for distributing tokenized NYSE-listed equities and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to qualified holders worldwide. It also establishes a two-way market-data stream between the crypto and traditional finance sectors. No trading has begun under the deal, which remains subject to regulatory approvals.

Peter Smith: Stock Ownership Should Not Depend on Geography

In a post on X, Blockchain.com co-founder and CEO Peter Smith said the partnership reflects a long-held conviction that access to stock markets should not depend on where an investor lives or which brokerage they can use:

"I've deeply believed for a long time that people shouldn't be limited in owning stocks based on where they live or what brokerage they can access. By partnering with @NYSE, @Blockchain will bring tokenized stocks onchain and open up 24/7 trading access for the world. Economic…"

— Peter Smith (@OneMorePeter) September 23, 2026

A Direct Link to NYSE's Digital Trading Venue

Under the memorandum of understanding, Blockchain.com plans to connect its user base to the NYSE's previously announced digital alternative trading system (ATS). The proposed venue is designed to support 24/7/365 trading and onchain settlement, creating a market structure that would operate beyond traditional exchange hours—a notable contrast with the fixed weekday sessions that govern conventional U.S. equity trading. The NYSE, operated by Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), is the world's largest stock exchange by the total market value of its listed companies.

The service, however, remains at the planning stage. NYSE's digital ATS has not launched, and the Blockchain.com deal still needs the necessary regulatory approvals. Neither company has announced a release date or a definitive list of the stocks and ETFs that would be supported, making regulatory sign-off, the venue's launch, and the final asset lineup the key milestones still outstanding.

The concept would move traditional equities into the real-time, always-open trading environment that crypto markets have long used. Blockchain.com estimates the potential number of users could reach the tens of millions, and the company has confirmed more than 44 million accounts to date.

SEC Opens a New Route for Tokenized Stocks

The timing coincides with a significant U.S. regulatory development. On September 17—six days before the Blockchain.com–NYSE announcement—the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) granted a temporary, conditional exemption for Tokenized Securities Venues to trade tokenized NMS (National Market System) shares under limited conditions, under an "Innovation Exemption." Under that framework, qualifying tokenized stocks must retain the rights and privileges of the underlying securities.

The exemption gives tokenized venues a defined—but temporary and conditional—route to operate in the U.S. market. It does not mean the Blockchain.com–NYSE connection has already been approved. The two plans are distinct, and the proposed NYSE digital ATS has yet to meet the applicable conditions.

Crypto and Stock Data to Move in Both Directions

The partnership is not limited to tokenized securities. ICE Data Services, an affiliate of NYSE parent Intercontinental Exchange, will provide Blockchain.com's crypto market data and analytics to its subscribed customers.

In the other direction, Blockchain.com will integrate ICE and NYSE exchange data into its application, giving its users real-time stock-market data. Some of those feeds will also be available until June through the company's AI-powered crypto assistant.

The result is a two-way flow of market information: traditional finance players gain access to crypto data, while crypto users are exposed to stock-market data more directly.

An Existing Tokenized Stock Track Record

The NYSE agreement follows Blockchain.com's partnership with Ondo Finance, a tokenization platform focused on real-world assets. Through that earlier arrangement, the company has already introduced access to tokenized U.S. stocks for qualified customers globally, including in Europe, giving it prior operating experience with tokenized equity distribution ahead of the proposed exchange-level integration.

The new agreement carries a distinct scope, however, because it calls for a direct link between the NYSE's proposed digital market infrastructure and a crypto-native distribution platform. If approved and implemented, it would bring tokenized equities closer to the core trading system of the major U.S. exchange while keeping distribution within Blockchain.com's own platform.

Source: Crypto Ninjas