The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Blockchain.com have signed a memorandum of understanding under which Blockchain.com would provide user access to the NYSE's proposed venue for trading tokenized securities. If regulators approve the plan, eligible international users could access tokenized US-listed stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) through Blockchain.com, while the NYSE would retain responsibility for trade matching and core market infrastructure.
The memorandum was signed on September 23, 2026, but it represents an initial cooperation framework rather than an approval or launch announcement. The companies have not disclosed an implementation date. Blockchain.com has also not said how many of its stated 44 million verified accounts would meet the relevant geographic and eligibility requirements.
Blockchain.com to provide access while NYSE runs the venue
Under the proposed structure, Blockchain.com would use its international customer base, which is heavily focused on crypto users, to connect customers to the NYSE's digital alternative trading system (ATS). The NYSE would continue to operate the market and matching infrastructure for tokenized stocks and ETFs.
The parties have not identified which Blockchain.com legal entity would provide securities services, how securities accounts would be opened, or which jurisdictions would be included. Custody arrangements, user eligibility standards and geographic restrictions also remain undisclosed. Those details will determine how broadly the service can be offered and which account and regulatory framework crypto-platform users would face when accessing traditional securities markets.
ICE Data Services included in the partnership
The agreement also provides for data-sharing arrangements between Blockchain.com and ICE Data Services, an affiliate of NYSE parent Intercontinental Exchange (ICE). ICE Data Services plans to distribute Blockchain.com's cryptocurrency data and analytics products to its subscribers.
At the same time, Blockchain.com plans to add selected ICE and NYSE data services to its app, giving users access to real-time information from traditional securities markets. Data access and trading connectivity could be introduced in stages, but the companies have not provided a rollout date or disclosed the commercial terms.
As a result, access to a securities-trading channel for Blockchain.com users may not arrive at the same time as NYSE or ICE data features within the app. The current agreement contains no timetable for the connection.
NYSE is building infrastructure for tokenized securities
The NYSE first outlined its plans in January 2026, proposing round-the-clock trading, fractional-share orders, stablecoin funding and on-chain settlement for tokenized securities. The design combines the exchange's Pillar matching engine with a blockchain-based post-trade system.
Securitize is expected to support digital-securities issuance and transfer-agent functions. tZERO is expected to participate in ownership records, transfer processing, and the development of broker-dealer and post-trade infrastructure. Blockchain.com's role in the latest arrangement is primarily distribution and user access, rather than the addition of a new matching or settlement system.
The NYSE has said the proposed platform could support tokenized shares that are interchangeable with their conventional issued versions, as well as securities issued directly in token form. Under that model, holders would still be expected to retain dividend and corporate-governance rights. The tokens would represent securities within the applicable regulatory framework, rather than crypto products that merely track share prices.
Initial assets and launch date remain undecided
The NYSE has not named the first stocks or ETFs that could be available for trading and has not set a formal launch date for the digital ATS. The Blockchain.com memorandum also does not disclose fees, revenue-sharing terms or a specific access date.
Until regulatory approval, the service entity, custody model, eligible jurisdictions and user requirements are clarified, the proposed trading channel remains at the planning stage. The agreement shows traditional exchanges exploring crypto platforms as a distribution route for tokenized securities, but the eventual coverage and operating model will depend on regulatory decisions and the parties' resolution of those operational details.