NYSE Unveils Tokenized Securities Platform With 24/7 Trading and On-Chain Settlement as Crypto Industry Reacts

Legacy Exchange Details New Blockchain-Based Market Structure While Crypto Leaders Call Move Bullish

TL;DR

• NYSE disclosed plans on Jan. 20, 2026, for a standalone tokenized securities platform with 24/7 trading and on-chain settlement.
• The platform is designed to support fractional shares, stablecoin funding, and instant settlement, pending regulatory approval.
• Binance founder Changpeng Zhao said the initiative is “bullish for crypto and crypto exchanges” in comments published Jan. 19, 2026.

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The New York Stock Exchange on Jan. 20, 2026, disclosed plans to develop a tokenized securities trading platform that would operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, introducing blockchain-based settlement into U.S. equity markets. The initiative would run as a separate venue from the exchange’s core market while remaining aligned with existing market structure rules and broker-dealer access requirements.

The proposed platform would allow tokenized versions of U.S. equities and exchange-traded funds to trade continuously rather than during the traditional 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time window. Settlement would occur on-chain instead of the standard T+1 clearing cycle, enabling near-instant completion of trades using blockchain infrastructure rather than bank wires.

According to the report, the tokenized securities would remain fully fungible with traditionally issued shares, carrying the same economic rights, including dividends and shareholder voting. Trading would be accessible through qualified broker-dealers, preserving existing distribution channels while introducing features more commonly associated with crypto markets, including fractional share trading and orders sized by dollar value.

The platform is being developed under the umbrella of Intercontinental Exchange, the NYSE’s parent company, which is also working with financial institutions such as BNY Mellon and Citigroup on tokenized deposit and settlement infrastructure. The design includes compatibility with multiple blockchain networks, including Ethereum and Solana, and would integrate with the NYSE’s existing Pillar matching engine for order execution.

Stablecoins are expected to play a role in funding and settlement on the new venue, allowing capital to move outside standard banking hours. The structure would enable trading activity and liquidity management during weekends and holidays, a departure from conventional equity market operations, while regulatory approval remains a prerequisite for launch.

Reaction from the crypto industry was swift. Changpeng Zhao, founder of Binance, described the initiative as “bullish for crypto and crypto exchanges.” The remarks came as digital asset markets continued to track movements in crypto price, crypto price index data, and overall coin market cap trends amid increasing institutional involvement.

Fintech analyst Simon Taylor characterized the strategy as a parallel-market approach rather than a replacement of existing systems. “Think about what this means: NYSE will run two exchanges. The old one: 9:30–4:00 EST, T+1 settlement, bank wires. The new one: 24/7, instant settlement, stablecoin rails. They’re not choosing between traditional and digital,” Taylor said.

This article has been refined and enhanced by ChatGPT.