The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is preparing to bring traditional financial markets on-chain.Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), the parent company of the NYSE, announced on Monday that it is developing a blockchain-based trading platform for tokenized stocks and exchange-traded funds, designed to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week with instant settlement.The move marks one of the most significant steps yet by a major global exchange toward integrating blockchain technology directly into regulated market infrastructure.NYSE Targets Always-On Trading With On-Chain SettlementAccording to ICE, the new platform will combine the NYSE’s existing trading technology with blockchain-based post-trade systems, enabling real-time clearing and settlement outside traditional market hours.The system is expected to support settlement across multiple blockchains, though ICE did not disclose which networks will be used.“For more than two centuries, the NYSE has transformed the way markets operate,” said NYSE Group President Lynn Martin. “We are now leading the industry toward fully on-chain solutions that combine trusted market protections with state-of-the-art technology.”The platform would allow markets to function continuously — a major departure from traditional U.S. equity trading, which remains constrained by fixed trading sessions and delayed settlement cycles.Tokenized Stocks, ETFs and Native Digital SecuritiesThe planned system will support:Tokenized versions of traditional stocks and ETFsNative tokenized securities issued directly on-chainParticipation in shareholder voting and dividend distributionsBy bringing securities onto blockchain rails, ICE aims to improve capital efficiency, reduce settlement risk, and enable global access across time zones.“Supporting tokenized securities is a pivotal step in our strategy to operate on-chain market infrastructure for trading, settlement, custody, and capital formation,” said ICE Vice President of Strategic Initiatives Michael Blaugrund.Major Banks Join Tokenization InfrastructureICE confirmed it is working with BNY Mellon and Citi to support tokenized deposits, fund transfers, and liquidity management across its clearinghouses.The partnerships are intended to allow secure movement of funds outside traditional banking hours, addressing one of the biggest limitations of existing financial market infrastructure.Regulatory Approval Still RequiredNo official launch timeline has been provided, and the platform remains subject to regulatory approval.ICE did not immediately respond to requests for further technical or operational details.Tokenization Accelerates Across Global FinanceThe NYSE announcement adds momentum to the growing institutional push toward asset tokenization — a trend widely viewed as one of blockchain’s most transformative use cases.BlackRock CEO Larry Fink has repeatedly described tokenization as “the next evolution of market infrastructure.”Over the past year:Robinhood launched tokenized equities for European usersCoinbase announced plans to support tokenized stock trading in early 2026Major banks have expanded tokenized deposit pilotsAsset managers have increased issuance of tokenized fundsIf approved, NYSE’s blockchain trading platform would represent one of the most significant integrations of traditional finance and blockchain to date — bringing the world’s largest equity market closer to an always-on, on-chain financial system.
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