Nikolas Sargeant
TL;DR
-
OKXICE has notified the SEC of plans to launch a U.S. tokenized stock trading venue.
-
The joint venture between OKX and Intercontinental Exchange plans to begin with more than 60 listed companies.
-
The proposed venue would use the SEC’s five-year Innovation Exemption for qualifying tokenized-equity platforms.
OKX and Intercontinental Exchange, the owner of the New York Stock Exchange, are advancing plans for a U.S. venue that would bring tokenized equities into round-the-clock blockchain trading.
Their joint venture, OKXICE, has notified the Securities and Exchange Commission of its proposed launch. Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, the venture’s co-chair, announced the move on X.
Today we are announcing a major step forward for OKXICE, the joint venture between @okx and Intercontinental Exchange, parent company of @NYSE: OKXICE has notified the SEC that we intend to launch our Tokenized Securities Venue (TSV) under the SEC’s new Innovation Exemption. Our notice includes more than 60 companies listed on U.S. stock exchanges. This is a landmark step toward a truly global, 24/7 Wall Street — and toward keeping the future of digital finance anchored here in the United States. The digital asset revolution is already transforming our financial system. Tokenized securities are part of what comes next. And we’re just getting started. https://t.co/VGPPPXafXJ
— Andrew Cuomo (@andrewcuomo) October 5, 2026
The venue plans to start with tokenized shares representing more than 60 companies listed on U.S. exchanges. Its launch remains dependent on the applicable objection period and regulatory steps.
Joint Venture Connects Crypto and Traditional Markets
OKX and ICE established their equally owned joint venture in June to develop infrastructure for tokenized financial products.
The proposed stock venue combines a cryptocurrency exchange’s blockchain expertise with the involvement of a major traditional market operator.
Cuomo told CoinDesk that the aim is to demonstrate how continuous onchain markets could make trading and settlement more efficient, accessible and global.
ICE’s participation is significant because it places established exchange infrastructure behind the effort. However, notifying the SEC of a planned venue is a step toward launch rather than confirmation that trading is already available.
Tokenized stocks represent shares through digital tokens recorded on a blockchain. That structure can support trading beyond conventional exchange hours and potentially shorten settlement processes. OKXICE’s proposal centers on bringing those capabilities to a regulated U.S. market.
The practical benefit would be the ability to transact outside the familiar weekday stock-market schedule. Investors could respond to developments when traditional venues are closed.
Continuous access does not itself establish that liquidity will be equally deep at every hour. The venue’s performance will depend on participation, available liquidity and the operation of its trading infrastructure.
SEC Exemption Sets Conditions for Trading
The proposal builds on the SEC’s Innovation Exemption issued September 17. According to the report, the framework allows qualifying venues to trade tokenized U.S. stocks using automated market makers and liquidity pools. The temporary exemption runs for five years.
It also requires tokenized shares to carry the same rights as conventional stock, including dividends and voting rights.
Companies whose shares are proposed for tokenization receive a 30-day opportunity to object.
Those conditions distinguish the initiative from simply creating a blockchain instrument that tracks a share price. The intended product must preserve the rights attached to the underlying equity.
Crypto exchanges already offer tokenized U.S. stocks to customers outside the United States.
OKX lists more than 70 such tickers under offshore rules, but U.S. investors cannot purchase them through that offering.
OKXICE intends to establish a separate onshore venue, operating within the U.S. framework and offering tokenized shares with conventional shareholder rights.
The distinction matters for eligibility and the legal structure of the products. Existing offshore availability does not mean those same instruments are becoming accessible to U.S. customers.
Market Growth Provides Context, but Timing Remains Open
The tokenized-stock market is worth approximately $3.2 billion, according to RWA.xyz figures, having grown 15% over the preceding month.
That expansion provides a backdrop for OKXICE’s plans, although market growth alone does not determine whether the proposed venue will attract sustained trading.
The immediate questions concern launch timing, completion of the issuer objection period, and the remaining regulatory process.
For now, OKXICE has outlined its intended market and notified the SEC. The next steps will determine when investors can trade and which companies ultimately appear in its opening lineup.
