Securitize and Socios.com, the fan engagement platform powered by Chiliz Group, have announced a strategic partnership to develop regulated tokenized equity offerings representing minority stakes in professional sports teams. The new product line will operate under the Socios Equity Token brand.
Under the agreement, Socios.com will lead sports-industry and fan relationships, while Securitize will manage regulated securities issuance, investor onboarding, ownership records, and transfers across its U.S. and European infrastructure. The initiative is expected to be the first project launched through Securitize’s fully authorized European Trading & Settlement System under the EU DLT Pilot Regime.
The partners said the project is intended to serve two distinct audiences: eligible fans seeking a deeper economic relationship with the teams they support, and institutional and private-equity investors seeking exposure to a high-value alternative asset class. The companies estimate that professional sports franchises represent a global market worth approximately $500 billion, with ownership historically private and difficult to access.
Socios.com has issued fan tokens with more than 70 sports organizations, the majority of which are soccer-based clubs, including names such as FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City, and Juventus. Details regarding participating teams, offering terms, investor eligibility, and supported blockchain networks will be announced when individual offerings are approved.
Securitize CEO Carlos Domingo said professional sports teams represent a significant asset class that has remained largely private and difficult to access, adding that Securitize’s regulated infrastructure can provide teams and their owners with a new way to issue and administer equity while preserving investor protections and ownership rights.
The broader tokenized real-world asset market has more than doubled over the past year, nearing $40 billion, according to RWA.xyz data. Securitize went public on the New York Stock Exchange in July amid a $400 million SPAC deal and launched tokenized versions of full SECZ shares on Solana and Avalanche that same day.
