Tokenization Goes Mainstream
Securitize Readies NYSE Debut with $400 Million, Signifying Mainstream Tokenization
Key Points
PIPE financing includes an oversubscribed $225 million private investment, contributing to roughly $400 million in gross proceeds for Securitize from the CEPT merger.
Ark Invest is among Securitize's backers, joining a roster that already includes BlackRock, Morgan Stanley, Coinbase and Circle.
Carlos Domingo, Securitize co-founder and CEO, emphasized the shift: "Eight years ago, adoption of tokenized securities by major financial institutions was still close to theoretical. Tokenization is now entering mainstream financial markets."
The tokenization market is expanding in scale and visibility, with tokenized real-world assets valued at over $30 billion and projections suggesting the market could reach about $18.9 trillion by 2033.
Securitize is set to debut on the New York Stock Exchange on July 2 under the ticker SECZ, after locking in roughly $400 million in gross proceeds through a merger with Cantor Equity Partners II, according to Bloomingbit. Fewer than 30% of Cantor SPAC holders chose to redeem their shares — a striking vote of confidence in an era when average SPAC redemptions have exceeded 90%.
The deal includes a $225 million private investment round that was oversubscribed, making it the largest PIPE for an operating SPAC business since 2021, according to The Defiant. The merger is expected to close around July 1, positioning Securitize as the first major tokenization infrastructure company to trade on a major U.S. exchange.
From Theoretical Idea to $4 Billion Platform
Securitize was founded in 2017 by Carlos Domingo and Jamie Finn to build infrastructure for digital securities — assets recorded on a blockchain instead of traditional ledgers. For years, the idea of major banks embracing tokenized assets was mostly theoretical. That has changed fast. "When we started more than eight years ago, the idea that major institutions would embrace tokenized securities was still largely theoretical. Today, tokenization is moving into the mainstream," Domingo said, according to PR Newswire.
The company now manages over $4 billion in assets, including BlackRock's $2.4 billion BUIDL fund — a tokenized money-market product. Backers include BlackRock, Morgan Stanley, Coinbase, Circle, and ARK Invest, according to Finance Feeds. ARK is rolling 100% of its equity stake into the new public company. The $1.25 billion pre-money valuation reflects how quickly institutional money has moved into tokenization infrastructure.
The $30 Billion Market Heading Toward $18.9 Trillion
Tokenized real-world assets — think bonds, private credit funds, and real estate recorded on a blockchain — currently total over $30 billion, excluding stablecoins, according to rwa.xyz data cited by researchers. A joint report by Ripple and Boston Consulting Group projects that market could reach $18.9 trillion by 2033. That growth is why Wall Street is paying attention.
Securitize already handles tokenization for firms like Apollo and KKR. Analysts at Benchmark have maintained a "Buy" rating on the Cantor SPAC, noting strong investor interest in Securitize's "pure-play" infrastructure model, according to Investing.com. Unlike a crypto exchange, Securitize writes the smart contracts and manages the on-chain mechanics that make tokenized securities legally tradable.
NYSE Partnership Aims to Enable 24/7 Stock Trading
The listing comes three months after the NYSE signed a memorandum of understanding with Securitize in March 2026 to build a 24/7 tokenized stock trading platform, according to Business Wire. The goal is to move markets from the current "T+1" settlement — where trades settle one day after execution — to instant, or "T-Zero," settlement using blockchain. That would be a fundamental change to how equity markets operate.
The deal also benefits from a friendlier regulatory climate. A January 2025 executive order established a "President's Working Group on Digital Assets" and pushed the SEC to form a dedicated crypto task force, according to MEXC. Those moves gave firms like Securitize the legal clarity they needed to register as FINRA-approved broker-dealers and transfer agents — licenses required to handle securities on-chain.
Cantor Family Ties Draw Scrutiny Alongside the Hype
The deal is sponsored by Cantor Fitzgerald, now led by Brandon Lutnick after his father Howard Lutnick left to become U.S. Commerce Secretary. Critics, including House Ranking Member Jamie Raskin, have questioned whether the regulatory shift benefiting firms like Securitize reflects conflicts of interest tied to the Lutnick family's dual roles in government and private finance, according to NOTUS.
Supporters argue the fundamentals speak for themselves. A sub-30% redemption rate, an oversubscribed PIPE, and backers like BlackRock suggest the market sees real value in Securitize's platform — not just political tailwinds. The listing on July 2 will be the first real test of whether Wall Street agrees.
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