(SeaPRwire) –
CZ spotted a real gap in the market. Asian and Middle Eastern investors cannot open US brokerage accounts. They cannot trade during New York hours without pulling an all-nighter. Tokenized shares offer a workaround. The demand is genuine. It comes from outside America.
This is the core contradiction. Binance’s former CEO argues that entire national stock exchanges — some holding populations near 100 million — see only $50 million in daily trading volume. He claims a single New York investor might move more capital than those markets. The logic is sound. Blockchain could connect local companies with a wider buyer pool. But the friction is real. The DTCC launched its tokenization service with 34 supported securities and 20 participating firms. JPMorgan, Citi, and Fidelity signed agreements. This targets eligible institutions only. A token does not grant voting rights. It does not automatically deliver dividends. Investors must meet local rules regardless.
Listed companies are already fighting back. Twenty-six issuers — including IBM, Oracle, Intel, and IonQ — formally objected to an OKX–ICE tokenized stock proposal. The SEC’s temporary framework requires platforms to notify companies before offering tokenized shares. Listed firms can object. Platforms remain subject to stated conditions. The power dynamic is clear. Offshore demand meets domestic gatekeeping. Companies retain veto authority over how their own shares are represented on-chain.
CZ has also floated putting natural resources on blockchain — rare earth minerals, water-related assets. These would need clear ownership records and suitable markets before trading. BNB Chain’s Jenner testnet upgrade introduced a standard for compliant assets. No mainnet date has been announced. The infrastructure is moving. The regulatory moat around US corporate listings remains intact. Tokenized stocks may find a niche among institutions and offshore retail investors. They will not bypass company consent. The on-chain market will be shaped by whoever controls the off-chain issuer relationship.