The SEC is reportedly advancing a plan to allow blockchain-based stock trading, which could benefit platforms like Coinbase and Robinhood while raising concerns among traditional financial firms about potential market disruptions and compliance issues. Tokenized stocks would enable investors to purchase shares in the form of tokens, streamlining trade settlements but also introducing new risks. However, legacy financial players may challenge the SEC, delaying the implementation of this initiative.

The DeFi Education Fund and venture capital firm a16z have urged the SEC to establish a regulatory safe harbor for blockchain applications like Uniswap and Coinbase Wallet. Their proposal aims to clarify broker rules, allowing non-custodial and decentralized applications to operate without the burden of broker-dealer regulations.

The SEC has launched "Project Crypto" to modernize securities regulations and facilitate crypto-based trading, aligning with President Trump's vision of making the U.S. a leader in the crypto space. SEC Chair Paul Atkins emphasized the need to adapt rules to support on-chain technologies and prevent excessive regulation that could drive innovation offshore. This initiative follows a report from the President's Working Group on Digital Asset Markets that outlines strategies to enhance U.S. dominance in digital asset markets.

SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce announced the agency's willingness to collaborate with industry participants on tokenizing assets, acknowledging the complex interactions between tokenized securities and traditional asset forms. The tokenization market, currently valued at $31 billion, is projected to grow to $2 trillion by 2030 as financial institutions increasingly adopt this technology to enhance liquidity and efficiency.

Nasdaq has filed a proposal with the U.S. SEC to allow the trading of tokenized stocks alongside traditional methods, marking a significant shift in its operations towards blockchain integration. This move aims to enhance market efficiency and offer investors the choice of trading equities on-chain, while still ensuring the benefits of regulated markets. SEC Chairman Paul Atkins emphasized the importance of asset tokenization as part of the agency's priorities.