At a recent panel during ETHConf in New York, Carlos Domingo, CEO of Securitize, articulated his vision for the future of tokenized assets, asserting that equities and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) could significantly expand the market beyond its current valuation of approximately $30 billion.
Domingo emphasized that the global equities and ETF market is valued at around $150 trillion. He suggested that if a mere 2% to 3% of this market transitions to blockchain technology, it could lead to a tokenized asset market worth close to $5 trillion.
His remarks coincide with Securitize’s plans to go public, positioning itself as a leading provider of tokenization services for institutional clients, including major firms like BlackRock.
While tokenized U.S. Treasuries have dominated the real-world asset (RWA) sector in recent years, Domingo posited that tokenized stocks could serve as the next significant growth driver. Securitize has established partnerships with the New York Stock Exchange and Computershare to facilitate on-chain trading and settlement of equities.
Domingo further differentiated between what he considers authentic tokenized equities and the increasing number of blockchain-based stock products available outside the United States. He stated, “A lot of people that today say that they tokenize equities, they’re not tokenizing equity,” indicating that many offerings depend on derivatives or synthetic structures rather than providing direct ownership of actual shares.
He articulated a long-term vision where blockchain-based securities would confer the same rights to investors as traditional shares, while also offering advantages such as instant settlement, round-the-clock transferability, and enhanced integration with decentralized finance.
Despite ongoing concerns regarding transparency and compliance, Domingo maintained that public blockchains, especially Ethereum, remain the preferred infrastructure for institutional tokenization. Securitize employs smart contracts to ensure that ownership is restricted to approved investors, allowing assets to move within permissionless networks.
Looking to the future, Domingo anticipates that blockchain markets will evolve alongside existing financial systems, gradually capturing a larger share of market activity. “The traditional markets are going to stay,” he stated. “We’re going to see a new market emerge in parallel that will run on blockchain rails and be much more efficient.”
Carlos Domingo, CEO of Securitize, believes tokenized equities and ETFs could drive the market for real-world assets into the trillions. He emphasizes the potential of blockchain technology to transform traditional financial systems, while distinguishing between genuine tokenized equities and synthetic offerings.