A joint venture between the crypto exchange and intercontinental exchange wants to put 63 U.S. stocks onchain
OKX and Intercontinental Exchange have jointly filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission to launch a tokenized stock trading venue. The filing seeks approval under an SEC innovation exemption, a regulatory pathway designed for novel market structure proposals.
Intercontinental Exchange owns the New York Stock Exchange, making it one of the most established players in U.S. equity markets. Its pairing with OKX, a major global crypto exchange, signals growing interest from traditional finance in blockchain-based trading infrastructure.
The proposal reportedly covers 63 U.S. stocks. These shares would be represented onchain as tokenized assets, allowing them to trade outside the standard 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern Time window used by conventional exchanges. Instead, trading could occur continuously, seven days a week.
Tokenization refers to the process of issuing a blockchain-based representation of an existing asset, such as a share of stock. The token is designed to track the value and ownership rights of the underlying security. Proponents argue this structure can improve settlement speed and expand access to markets that currently operate on limited schedules.
The SEC’s innovation exemption process allows firms to propose new trading models that do not fit neatly into existing rules. Approval is not guaranteed, and the agency typically evaluates investor protection, custody arrangements, and market integrity before granting such exemptions. No timeline for a decision has been disclosed in the reporting on this filing.
This filing arrives amid a broader wave of experimentation with tokenized real-world assets, including stocks, bonds, and money market funds. Several financial institutions and crypto platforms have pursued similar projects in recent years, though most have operated in limited pilot programs or outside direct SEC oversight. A joint venture involving the NYSE’s parent company would mark a notable shift toward mainstream legitimacy for round-the-clock equity trading.
Details on custody, clearing, and settlement mechanics for the proposed venue have not been fully disclosed. Questions also remain about how tokenized shares would interact with existing securities law requirements, including those governing broker-dealers and transfer agents.
Sources disagree on this story
This article was published before the reports below were compared. The reporting above stands; what follows is where the published accounts do not agree.
CoinGape and Crypto News Flash describe OKXICE's 63-stock tokenization list as NYSE-listed companies, while Decrypt and Unchained report the list includes Nasdaq-listed firms like Nvidia, Tesla, Apple and Microsoft.
What all sources agree on
- OKXICE is a joint venture between OKX and Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), the parent of NYSE.
- OKXICE has filed/notified the SEC of plans to launch a tokenized stock trading venue operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- The filing/notice covers an initial list of 63 (or 'more than 60') companies.
- The venue operates under the SEC's new Innovation Exemption, issued September 17, 2026, allowing qualifying platforms to trade tokenized securities without registering as exchanges.
- Issuers named in the notice have a 30-day window to object before their shares can be tokenized.
- Tokenized shares preserve shareholder rights including dividends and voting rights.
- ICE invested in OKX in March 2026 in a deal valuing the crypto exchange at $25 billion.
- OKX and ICE formed the 50-50 OKXICE venture in June 2026.
- Andrew Cuomo, former New York Governor, co-chairs OKXICE and announced the filing on X.
- Chipmaker Cerebras Systems has objected to being included, despite not appearing on the list.
Where the reports disagree
1Whether the 63 companies on the tokenization list are NYSE-listed or include Nasdaq-listed firms
OKXICE, the $25B OKX-ICE joint venture, has notified the SEC of plans to launch tokenized versions of 63 NYSE-listed stocks.
OKXICE LLC, a joint venture between OKX and Intercontinental Exchange, has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission with plans to offer blockchain-based trading in shares of an initial 63 NYSE-listed companies, according to Bloomberg.
The notice lists Nvidia, Tesla, Apple, Microsoft and SpaceX, alongside crypto-linked firms Coinbase, Circle, Strategy, Robinhood, BitGo and Securitize… In June, an OKX spokesperson told Fortune the venture would focus on tokenizing NYSE-listed equities. Nvidia, Tesla, Apple and Microsoft all list on the Nasdaq.
The notice, dated Oct. 4, lists 63 stock tokens the venue will offer, including Nvidia, Tesla, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs, along with crypto-linked companies Coinbase, Strategy, Circle and Robinhood.
What would settle it: OKXICE's SEC filing/notice dated October 4, which would list the specific companies and their listing exchanges.
2Exact framing of the stock count as 63 versus 'more than 60'
OKXICE plans to initially offer tokenized shares of 63 companies listed on U.S. exchanges, according to reports.
The filing covers more than 60 U.S.-listed companies, and issuers named in the notice will have 30 days to opt out.
Its notice lists tokenized versions of more than 60 U.S.-listed stocks, each trading against USDC, USDG or Tether's USDT.
What would settle it: OKXICE's SEC filing/notice, which would specify the exact number of companies listed.
What to make of it
Treat the existence of the OKXICE filing, the 30-day issuer objection window, and the September 17 SEC exemption as established; do not assume yet whether the tokenized stock list is NYSE-only or includes Nasdaq-listed companies like Nvidia, Tesla, Apple and Microsoft, since reports directly conflict on this point.
Market Impact
If approved, the venture could reshape how U.S. equities are traded by introducing continuous, weekend-inclusive access to a subset of stocks. This would challenge the traditional model of fixed market hours that has defined U.S. exchanges for decades. Other exchanges and brokerages may respond by accelerating their own tokenization or extended-hours initiatives to remain competitive.
For crypto markets, the filing underscores growing convergence between digital asset infrastructure and legacy financial institutions. A successful SEC exemption could encourage other exchanges to pursue similar hybrid trading models, potentially expanding the use of blockchain rails for regulated securities beyond crypto-native assets.
The filing marks an early but significant step toward testing whether tokenized stock trading can operate within U.S. regulatory bounds. Its outcome will depend on how the SEC weighs innovation against existing investor protection standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the SEC innovation exemption?
It is a regulatory pathway that lets firms propose new market structures or trading models that fall outside existing SEC rules, subject to agency review and approval.
What does tokenizing a stock mean?
It means creating a blockchain-based digital token that represents ownership of an existing share, intended to track its value and rights.
How many stocks are covered by this filing?
Reporting indicates the proposal targets 63 U.S. stocks for potential tokenized, round-the-clock trading.
Has the SEC approved this proposal yet?
No. The filing has been submitted for review, and no approval or decision timeline has been disclosed.
