Securitize-Cantor Tokenized IPO Framework Could Change How Public Companies Issue Stock
Securitize and Cantor Fitzgerald have agreed to build a regulated pathway for public companies to conduct initial public offerings (IPOs) and follow-on stock sales using blockchain-based infrastructure. The partnership aims to extend tokenization beyond secondary-market trading by applying it to capital formation, where companies sell new shares to investors to raise money.
Under the agreement, Cantor will contribute its equity capital markets, trading and distribution capabilities, while Securitize will supply the technology used to issue, distribute and service tokenized securities. Securitize Markets LLC, the company’s SEC-registered broker-dealer affiliate, will also participate in the offering and settlement process.
The companies said issuers would remain within the established framework for traditional public offerings while gaining blockchain-based ownership records, greater transaction transparency and potentially more efficient servicing. The arrangement does not remove securities laws, investor eligibility rules or regulatory obligations attached to an IPO; it only changes parts of the infrastructure used to record, distribute and settle ownership.
SEC data show 376 IPOs raised about $70.28 billion in 2025, and another 99 offerings raised $22.04 billion in the first quarter of 2026, highlighting a large addressable market. Against that backdrop, the Securitize-Cantor project could test whether tokenization can move from funds and secondary trading into the primary market without creating a separate legal structure for investors.
“Public companies shouldn’t have to choose between access to traditional capital markets and the benefits of blockchain technology that improve how securities are issued, distributed, owned, and serviced,” said Securitize CEO Carlos Domingo. He added that the partnership is designed to support onchain capital formation within existing regulatory frameworks.
Cantor Co-CEO Pascal Bandelier said the investment bank ranked No. 1 in U.S. IPOs in 2025, according to Bloomberg’s league table, and is applying that experience to onchain settlement and distribution.
The agreement follows Securitize’s July 2 debut on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker SECZ after completing a business combination with Cantor Equity Partners II. Securitize also placed an issuer-sponsored version of its own common stock on Avalanche and Solana for eligible U.S. investors, positioning the launch as a model for other public companies. The tokenized shares represent the same underlying SECZ common stock rather than a synthetic instrument or separate share class.
Securitize reported more than $5 billion in tokenized assets under management as of July 2026, with partners including BlackRock, Apollo, BNY, Hamilton Lane, KKR and Vaneck.
The next test will be execution. Neither company identified an issuer, offering date or fundraising target, leaving adoption dependent on corporate demand, regulatory compliance and investor participation.