Author: Mankiw
Over the past few months, the topic of US stock tokenization has surged in popularity, with a flurry of "stock token" platforms targeting international users launching online. Major platforms like Robinhood are making moves, while others like Jarsy and Republic are discussing moving the equity of high-quality, privately held companies like SpaceX, xAI, and Stripe onto blockchains. This has many entrepreneurs and investors eager to capitalize on this trend.
This article will clarify these questions: whether it can be done, how to do it, and how to achieve it.
The answer is yes. Securities laws in various jurisdictions do not prohibit the use of more efficient electronic certificates like "tokens" to carry equity or other economic rights; regulators are always concerned with what rights you are selling, how they are transferred, and where they are traded, not whether you use blockchain.
Why is it possible? (Core Logic)
How far can it go? (Realistic boundaries)
When should you not do it? (Red line)
Therefore, non-listed company equity can be tokenized, with legal requirements regarding "rights and rules" and technical requirements regarding "verifiability and control." By clarifying ownership, transferability, and compliant venues, tokenization can be both feasible and sustainable.
1. Real stock on-chain (moving the “stock entity” directly to the chain)
Definition: This type of tokenization is where the token equals the stock itself, and token transfers are synchronized with shareholder register updates.
When to choose it: The issuer is willing to cooperate with governance reform and pursue the long-term route of "the most complete rights and the best secondary access".
Landing grip (only focus on three things):
Signals of not choosing it: The issuer does not change its articles of association, does not cooperate with the transfer, or cannot afford the disclosure/audit and holder management costs.
2. Economic Rights/Contractual Exposure (Like Stocks, But Not Stocks)
Definition: This type of tokenization means that the token carries economic results such as income/repurchase/event settlement, and legally you are usually not a shareholder.
When to choose it: It needs to be launched quickly and tested quickly. The issuer will not open the shareholder list for the time being, but there is strong market demand.
Landing grip (only focus on three things):
Signals not to choose it: Marketing implies that "you are a shareholder", or promises "1:1 share exchange" but there are no transfer agent/issuer cooperation terms.
Reminder: Tokens with the same name on different platforms are not interchangeable. Differences in price anchors (latest financing/offer/NAV) and redemption paths will lead to shadow market price differences.
3. Tokenization of Fund/SPV Shares (Indirectly Holding Multiple Assets)
Definition: This type of tokenization refers to tokenizing fund/LP/SPV shares, with the underlying holdings of multiple Pre-IPOs.
When to choose it: For institutions/family offices/high net worth individuals, it pursues institutionalized governance, auditable net worth and more stable secondary compliance docking.
Landing grip (only focus on three things):
Signals of not choosing it: wanting to only bet on a single hotspot, being very sensitive to lock-in and liquidity windows, or having a low tolerance for "multi-layer fees".
How to choose among the above three methods?
(1) United States
Positioning: Regulators look at "what securities you sell, to whom you sell them, and how you transfer them", not whether you are a chain.
The distribution channels you can use (select only one or a combination)
How to get secondary liquidity
Rule 144/144A (Rule on Restricted Securities Resale; 144A applies to QIBs, Qualified Institutional Buyers): This determines who can transfer securities to whom and when. ATS (Alternative Trading System, a US FINRA/SEC-regulated alternative trading system): If you want a "true secondary," connect to an ATS; otherwise, redemptions are likely to be on-exchange/internal matching.
Write restrictions into the code: whitelist (only qualified/KYC addresses can hold/transfer), lock-up period and Legend (restricted resale statement) must be on-chain, not just written in PPM.
Don't step into the pit
Integration risk: Any public marketing during the 506(b) period, or 506(c)/Reg S using the same domain name/same sales funnel, may be considered the same offering and lose the exemption.
12(g) (Exchange Act, Section 12(g), triggering the “record holder” threshold for public company registration): The statistical caliber of nominal holders/multiple addresses on the chain must be consistent to avoid “multiple wallets = multiple people”.
In one sentence: Reg D 506(c) + Reg S dual track is the most commonly used; the attributes of restricted securities remain unchanged, first nail down the whitelist + ATS, and then talk about "liquidity".
(2) Hong Kong
Positioning: Equity tokens = securities; not the "non-securities VA" that can be accepted by general VATPs (Virtual Asset Trading Platforms).
The distribution/sales channels you can take
Private placement is only offered to PIs (Professional Investors); solicitation/advertising to the general public is likely to trigger licensing/approval obligations.
If you want to match transactions, it usually involves Category 1 (Dealing in Securities) and/or Category 7 (Providing Automated Trading Services), of which the ATS (Automated Trading Services, a Hong Kong term) must be approved by the SFC; don't try to cram security tokens into VATP.
How to get secondary liquidity
Secondary liquidity should be mainly based on regulated securities venues (matching/settlement provided by licensed corporations); currently it is mainly for PIs, with limited retail space.
Don't step into the pit
Active marketing vs. passive solicitation: Chinese pages, Hong Kong dollar pricing, Hong Kong media placements/customer service hotlines may all be considered active solicitation of the Hong Kong public.
In one sentence: Security tokens in Hong Kong = securities license route + PI only; VATP route is not applicable.
(3) Singapore
Positioning: Security tokens are capital market products under the SFA (Securities and Futures Act); they are two different systems from the DPT (Digital Payment Token) under the PSA (Payment Services Act).
Distribution/Locations You Can Visit
How to get secondary liquidity
It mainly relies on RMO on-site matching, with AI/II as the circle; it can connect with overseas regulated venues for cross-site delivery.
Don't step into the pit
Entity: Having a team/operation in Singapore, even if the server is overseas, may be considered to be providing regulated activities in Singapore.
In one sentence: If you want to implement it safely, SFA private placement + RMO is the main line; PSA/DPT does not solve the problem of security tokens.
(4) European Union
Positioning: Security tokens are still subject to MiFID II (Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II) and CSDR (Central Securities Depositories Regulation); MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets) does not cover security tokens.
Distribution/Locations You Can Visit
Conventional prospectus regulation or exempt placing;
DLT Pilot (Regulation 2022/858, Distributed Ledger Market Infrastructure Pilot): License DLT MTF/SS/TSS (DLT Multilateral Trading Facility/Settlement System/Trading and Settlement Integrated), and pilot transaction + settlement on-chain under scale and category restrictions.
How to get secondary liquidity
Connect to MTF or DLT MTF to achieve compliant matching and settlement; otherwise, only on-site redemption/agreement transfer is possible.
Don't step into the pit
Use MiCA as a passport for security tokens; or replace prospectus/key information document standards with "white paper-style" disclosures.
In one sentence: To put "real stocks/real bonds" on the chain, DLT Pilot + MTF is the right way; otherwise, follow the traditional MiFID path, and technology is just a medium.
How to choose the issuance: US Reg D 506(c) (public solicitation) + Reg S (offshore safe harbor) is the most common combination; Hong Kong/Singapore/European markets follow their own private placement/exemption standards.
How to solve the secondary problem: the attributes of restricted securities remain unchanged; the whitelist/lock-up period/Legend must be contractualized and traded in regulated venues (US ATS, EU MTF/DLT MTF, Singapore RMO).
How to do marketing: Divide channels by jurisdiction and conduct anti-integration design to avoid "selling to the world through one funnel".
How to avoid risks: First, nail down ownership to the issuer’s consent; then write transferability into the code; and finally discuss valuation and liquidity.
Our expertise lies in transforming a compelling story into a product that can be legally issued, circulated compliantly, and redeemed as promised. I'll first thoroughly investigate the underlying risks (whether the equity source is clear, whether the target company agrees, and whether there are any transfer restrictions). Then, I'll provide a one-page decision: whether the project is feasible, which path will save time and money, and what resources and timelines are required. I'll then incorporate the issuance, transfer, disclosure, and risk control rules into the contract and system (not just in a PowerPoint presentation) and connect the product to a regulated secondary market to ensure tradability and settlement.
What you ultimately receive isn't a mountain of legalese, but a set of actionable deliverables: a clear roadmap with key milestones, publicly available legal opinions, complete offering documents, coded compliance rules, a secondary liquidity plan and contingency plan, and a set of operational specifications acceptable to banks and regulators. In short, we help you turn uncertainty into certainty, making risks visible, processes controllable, and results verifiable.
Tokenization isn't just about turning equity into currency. The real challenge lies in codifying three "old-world" concepts: ownership, transferability, and transaction infrastructure, and ensuring their stable operation across multiple jurisdictions. We recommend a consistent approach: first clarify the law, then get the code right: nail down issuer consent/ROFR, 12(g) thresholds, distribution periods and whitelists, and clearing and settlement pathways before addressing valuation, liquidity, and market education. Only with this in place can private company equity tokenization be considered a true product, not just a narrative.


