In a landmark announcement set to redefine global finance, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) has revealed plans to introduce 24/7 trading of U.S. equities and ETFs through a novel on-chain tokenization platform. This strategic move, first reported on January 19, 2026, signals the most significant structural shift in traditional equity markets in decades, effectively merging Wall Street with blockchain technology.
The core of the NYSE’s initiative involves creating a parallel, digitally-native marketplace where traditional stocks are represented as digital tokens on a blockchain. Each token will correspond to a share in a publicly traded company, granting the holder identical economic rights, dividends, and governance, while settlement and ownership records will exist on a distributed ledger. This shift from a centralized database to a transparent, immutable chain enables the proposed around-the-clock trading model, moving beyond the traditional 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM ET market hours that have been a fixture since 1792.
Key features of the new platform include immediate, on-chain settlement (potentially T+0), replacing the current T+2 standard; fractional share trading; stablecoin-based funding for continuous liquidity; and full interoperability with the NYSE's existing Pillar matching engine. The exchange emphasized that tokenization will not alter the legal or economic ownership structure of securities, only the way they are traded and settled.
The initiative is part of a wider digital asset strategy by the NYSE’s parent company, Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), which is also collaborating with major financial institutions like BNY Mellon and Citigroup on infrastructure for tokenized deposits to support liquidity management. The NYSE must work closely with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for regulatory approval, with active discussions already underway. A phased rollout, starting with highly liquid ETFs or mega-cap stocks, is considered the most probable approach.
Industry analysts immediately recognized the profound implications. “This is not merely a new trading venue; it’s a re-architecting of market infrastructure,” noted a report from the Deloitte Center for Financial Services. The move is seen as a strategic response to competitive pressure from global exchanges like the Singapore Exchange (SGX) and Swiss Digital Exchange (SDX), as well as the growing decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem, which already offers 24/7 trading. By integrating tokenization, the NYSE aims to bridge TradFi and DeFi, enhancing liquidity, reducing systemic risk, and democratizing market access.
