Computershare, Securitize to Tokenize Shares for 10,000 US Firms

Computershare announced Wednesday it will work with Securitize to allow thousands of U.S. public companies to offer issuer‑sponsored tokenized shares on blockchains while keeping traditional registration and records.

Under the agreement, issuers can issue Issuer‑Sponsored Tokens, or ISTs, digital representations of stock that exist on blockchain networks alongside registry‑maintained shares. Computershare said ISTs will support shares held through its Direct Registration System, so ownership remains recorded in investors’ names even as tokens enable on‑chain activity such as borrowing and lending.

Computershare serves as transfer agent for about 58% of S&P 500 companies, including Apple, Tesla and Nvidia. The firm records ownership changes and distributes dividends. Securitize has issued tokenized assets on more than 15 blockchains, including Ethereum and Solana, and has placed roughly $4.3 billion of assets on‑chain since 2017.

Securitize is backed by BlackRock and helped distribute a tokenized BlackRock money market fund known as BUIDL. The company plans to scale ISTs to the blockchains issuers prefer.

Graham Ferguson, Securitize’s head of ecosystem, posted that the partnership will give about 10,000 U.S. public companies the ability to move capital on‑chain. The S&P 500 accounts for roughly 80% of U.S. equity market capitalization, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.

The announcement follows other efforts to connect traditional market infrastructure with distributed ledger technology. Last month Securitize outlined a partnership with the New York Stock Exchange to build a platform for around‑the‑clock securities transfers.

Ann Bowering, Computershare’s CEO of Issuer Services, North America, stated the goal is to enable U.S.‑listed companies to issue tokenized equity while retaining control over their issued capital. Carlos Domingo, Securitize’s co‑founder and CEO, wrote on X that the tokens will carry the same rights and economics as traditional shares and will allow investors to borrow against them on‑chain.

The program will be available to issuers that opt in. Details on timing, fees and the mechanics of custody, compliance and settlement will be set as companies adopt ISTs. Companies and investors will need to address how on‑chain lending and token transfers work with existing brokerage, transfer agent and regulatory frameworks.