Crypto.com Launches Tokenized Stock Derivatives for 24/7 US Equities Access

Cryptocurrency exchange Crypto.com has launched tokenized derivative products referencing 1,500 U.S. equities and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) for eligible users in the European Economic Area (EEA) and other approved markets. This move represents a significant step in the expansion of crypto exchanges into traditional financial markets. The new offerings provide investors with the flexibility of 24/7 trading, extending beyond conventional market hours.

According to Crypto.com's announcement, these tokenized products offer exposure to major U.S. company stocks such as Apple (AAPL), Nvidia (NVDA), and Tesla (TSLA), as well as popular ETFs like SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) and iShares Silver Trust (SLV). Investors can access these products with a minimum investment of $1 and benefit from fractional investing capabilities. The products are derivatives issued by Foris Capital CY Limited, Crypto.com's Cyprus-based unit licensed by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC).

These tokenized instruments are designed to track the price performance of the underlying stocks or ETFs but do not confer legal or beneficial ownership or shareholder rights, such as voting, to investors. Instead, users gain synthetic price exposure and may be eligible for dividend-equivalent adjustments under specific conditions. The underlying assets supporting these products are held in custody with Alpaca, a U.S.-regulated broker-dealer. Alpaca reportedly provides the infrastructure supporting over 90% of the tokenized U.S. stock and ETF market.

This launch coincides with a rapidly growing intersection of crypto and traditional finance markets. The market capitalization of tokenized stocks has increased by approximately 600% over the past year, reaching around $2.49 billion. Some reports indicate the broader tokenized asset market, valued at $3 trillion in 2025, could reach $130.67 trillion by 2035. This growth is accelerating the race among exchanges and blockchain firms to bring equities on-chain. Crypto.com CEO Kris Marszalek stated that this development reflects a push towards a continuous and flexible trading experience, emphasizing that "markets shouldn't have to sleep".

Tokenization represents a fundamental transformation in financial markets, enabling digital representations of traditional assets through blockchain technology. This technology allows assets to be programmable, divisible, instantly transferable, and globally accessible without traditional intermediary infrastructure. Citi estimates that the tokenized securities market could reach $5.5 trillion by 2030, with tokenized equities potentially accounting for $2.6 trillion of this total. This significant potential is further bolstered by traditional finance giants like BlackRock launching tokenized funds.

Crypto.com's initiative comes amidst an increasingly competitive landscape, with other trading platforms such as Kraken, Bybit, Bitget, and Robinhood also offering tokenized equity products to investors outside the U.S.. The ability to offer regulated financial products in Europe, secured through its Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) license, positions Crypto.com strongly in the race to capture market share in traditional finance. These products hold the potential to democratize access to traditional markets, particularly for retail investors, by providing lower entry barriers and 24/7 availability.