The New York Stock Exchange announced today that it is building a new platform that will let investors trade tokenized stocks and ETFs 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The system will allow investors to buy fractional shares in dollar amounts and settle trades instantly using digital tokens and stablecoins, rather than relying on traditional bank transfers. The effort is part of the broader digital strategy of NYSE parent company Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), which has been preparing its clearing infrastructure for 24/7 trading and exploring tokenized deposits with banks such as Bank of New York Mellon and Citi.
Lynn Martin, President of the NYSE Group, framed the move as a historic step in modernizing markets.
“For more than two centuries, the NYSE has transformed the way markets operate,” Martin said in a news release. “We are leading the industry toward fully on-chain solutions, grounded in the unmatched protections and high regulatory standards that position us to marry trust with state-of-the-art technology. Harnessing our expertise to reinvent market infrastructure is how we’ll meet and shape the demands of a digital future.”
NYSE taking tokenized stock trading 24/7
Unlike other exchanges experimenting with digital assets, including Nasdaq (which is seeking SEC approval to list and trade tokenized versions of existing securities), the NYSE isn’t just adding blockchain to its existing systems. The new platform is being built from the ground up as a parallel venue for tokenized trades. That means the NYSE will operate two separate markets: the traditional exchange with standard rules and clearing, and a digital-first market designed for blockchain-based trading.
NYSE’s traditional exchange will continue as usual, with regular market hours from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET and standard next-day settlement. The new tokenized platform, by contrast, will let investors trade anytime.
“We think it aligns with the retail investor’s emerging desire to be able to trade something at 5:04 p.m. on a Saturday and then use that money to buy something else at 5:05 p.m. on a Saturday,” ICE Vice President of Strategic Initiatives Michael Blaugrund told Bloomberg. “This would facilitate that trade in a way that traditional equity infrastructure cannot.”
The effort reflects the NYSE’s attempt to combine the speed of digital markets with the regulatory protections of traditional finance.
Why the NYSE tokenized platform matters for traders
For traders, the new platform could change how and when they invest in stocks. With tokenized shares, investors could move quickly between positions without waiting for traditional clearing and settlement processes. This means money from a sale could be ready to use instantly, allowing traders to react faster to market opportunities. It also opens the door for smaller investors to participate in high-priced stocks by buying fractional shares.
The platform would also introduce a new way to fund trades. Rather than relying on bank wires or ACH transfers, investors could use approved dollar-backed stablecoins to move money into brokerage accounts and settle transactions on-chain. That would allow proceeds from a sale to be available immediately in digital form, eliminating the multi-day delays common in today’s system.
The 24/7 trading model could be especially appealing to global investors in different time zones. The tokenized platform could let anyone with access through a qualified broker trade at any time, leveling the playing field and giving investors more control over their strategies.
NYSE’s new platform could also accelerate innovation across financial markets. By showing that a fully regulated, blockchain-based exchange is possible, the NYSE may inspire other exchanges and firms to explore tokenized assets and faster settlement systems. For traders, this could mean more options, new ways to invest, and a gradual shift toward digital-first market infrastructure in the years ahead.
Implications for stock-based prediction markets
The launch of a 24/7 tokenized stock platform could transform prediction markets tied to stock performance. Right now, many of these markets pause overnight or wait for traditional settlement before payouts can occur. With a digital platform that settles instantly, prediction market users could make trades, hedge positions, or adjust strategies in real time, even outside regular market hours. This could make stock-related prediction markets more liquid, responsive and attractive for both retail and professional traders.
Regulatory approval of the NYSE tokenized platform could also potentially pave the way for broader changes in how prediction markets are regulated. If the SEC greenlights a fully digital, blockchain-based venue like NYSE’s, it could signal that regulated, crypto-native platforms can be compatible with U.S. financial rules. This could encourage the CFTC to reconsider current limits on crypto-native prediction markets, allowing for even more innovation in the space.
In October 2025, ICE made a strategic investment of up to $2 billion in one of the world’s leading prediction market platforms, Polymarket, in a deal that valued the company at roughly $8 billion pre‑money and about $9 billion post‑investment.
Crypto industry reaction to the NYSE announcement
The NYSE’s announcement has sparked positive reactions from the crypto community, where many see it as a major validation of blockchain’s role in mainstream finance.
Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, founder of Binance, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, called the NYSE plan “bullish for crypto, and crypto exchanges,” highlighting how a heavyweight traditional exchange moving into tokenized trading could help crypto markets gain broader acceptance.
Reece Merrick, Managing Director at Ripple, the company behind the XRP cryptocurrency and blockchain payment network, also described the initiative as “big” for the industry, reinforcing excitement from digital‑asset advocates about the potential reach of tokenized markets.
Campbell Harvey, a professor of finance at Duke University, told Reuters that tokenization has real practical applications in financial markets, and said that stocks are among the easiest and most promising areas to apply the technology.
“Tokenization is not a fad. It is a technology that solves problems. And there’s a long list of possibilities it opens up,” Harvey said. “Tokenized stocks are probably the lowest hanging fruit.”
