Particle.news

Download on the App Store

Global Exchanges Press SEC, ESMA, IOSCO to Rein In Tokenized Stocks

The exchange group warns that stock-lookalike tokens leave investors without shareholder rights.

A smartphone with displayed Coinbase logo and representation of cryptocurrencies are placed on a keyboard in this illustration taken, June 8, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
Global stock exchanges call on regulators to crack down on tokenised stocks
Image
Image

Overview

  • The World Federation of Exchanges sent a letter Friday to the SEC Crypto Task Force, ESMA, and IOSCO urging tighter oversight of tokenized equities.
  • The group says the tokens mimic listed shares without conferring shareholder rights, posing investor-protection and market-integrity risks.
  • Its recommendations include applying existing securities rules, clarifying ownership and custody frameworks, and curbing marketing that portrays tokens as equivalent to stocks.
  • Platforms are pushing ahead, with Robinhood launching tokenized equities for EU customers in June and Coinbase seeking SEC permission to offer similar products.
  • Despite growth narratives, on-chain data pegs the sector near $360 million today while some research touts trillion-dollar potential, and regulators have not issued a coordinated response.