Comments from leading U.S. crypto executives are reinforcing the view that tokenized equities are approaching a meaningful breakthrough, supported by both regulatory signals and rapidly growing market data.

Key takeaways

• Tokenized equities are moving closer to real-world issuance and trading

• U.S. regulators are signaling openness to on-chain equity products

• Market data shows steady growth in tokenized real-world assets

• The U.S. is positioning itself as a global hub for tokenized finance

Brian Armstrong, CEO of Coinbase, said tokenized equities are set to deliver a “major positive change” to the global financial system and that the shift is coming “very soon.” He emphasized that the United States is positioned at the forefront of this transition, suggesting regulatory and market conditions are finally aligning to support large-scale adoption.

That view was echoed by Paul Grewal, who pointed to recent actions by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as an early preview of how tokenized equities could be issued and traded on-chain.

Yep

Tokenized equities are going to make a major positive change to the financial system, and it's going to be here very soon

Best of all, the U.S. is on the frontier here https://t.co/32bOJXkwNp

— Brian Armstrong (@brian_armstrong) January 30, 2026

According to Grewal, these products are likely to reach the market with explicit regulatory backing, reflecting a growing understanding in Washington that on-chain financial innovation is strategically important for U.S. competitiveness.

Market data signals early traction

Market data already suggests accelerating momentum. The tokenized securities sector, currently dominated by tokenized bonds and credit instruments, has reached an approximate market capitalization of $1.74 billion, spread across fourteen active assets and more than 18,500 holders. While still small relative to traditional equity markets, the steady expansion points to rising institutional confidence in blockchain-based representations of real-world financial products.

Looking ahead, the next phase is expected to include pilot issuances of tokenized equities under clearer regulatory frameworks, followed by broader institutional participation. If regulatory support continues and infrastructure matures, tokenized stocks could move from niche experiments into mainstream investment products, offering faster settlement, improved transparency, and global accessibility.

The most likely near-term outcome is gradual adoption rather than an abrupt disruption. Over the medium term, tokenized equities could grow into a multi-billion-dollar market segment, particularly if U.S.-based issuers and exchanges lead compliant issuance. Should that happen, the United States would be well positioned to reinforce its role as the global center of capital markets-this time built on blockchain infrastructure.