For years, the promise of blockchain technology has captivated the financial world, hinting at a future where traditional assets are transformed into nimble, digital “tokens.” This vision, as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Commissioner Hester Peirce puts it, is “enchanting, but not magical.” She just sent a clear message to anyone hoping blockchain would free them from financial regulation: not so fast.
Commissioner Peirce acknowledged the promise of tokenization, the process of turning real-world assets like stocks into blockchain-based digital tokens. But she warned that, no matter how futuristic it sounds, the same old rules still apply.
“Tokenized securities are still securities,” Peirce said in a statement. “The same legal requirements apply to on- and off-chain versions of these instruments.”
Her statement comes amid a frenzy of experimentation in tokenized finance. Firms like BlackRock, JPMorgan Chase, and Robinhood Markets are exploring how to tokenize everything from stocks and treasuries to real estate and private credit. The hype is real: blockchain-based markets promise 24/7 trading, faster settlement, better transparency, and a radically cheaper financial system.
But the SEC is reminding everyone that innovation doesn’t mean exemption. If you’re creating or selling tokenized securities, even if you’re just wrapping real assets in a digital shell, you’re still subject to decades-old laws governing how financial instruments are issued, traded, and disclosed. The goal of federal securities laws is to protect investors and ensure fair, orderly markets.
What is Tokenization, Anyway?
Tokenization refers to the creation of digital tokens on a blockchain that represent ownership of real-world assets. These can be as simple as company shares or as complex as bundles of loans. Think of it as taking something traditional—like a Tesla stock—and putting it into a blockchain wallet so it can be traded like cryptocurrency.
But not all tokens are created equal. Some are issued directly by the company (like a tokenized share of a public company), while others are created by third parties who hold the real assets and issue their own tokenized version. According to Peirce, those third-party tokens carry “unique risks,” especially for retail investors who may not actually own the underlying asset.
“A token could be a ‘receipt for a security,’ which is itself a security but is distinct from the underlying security,” Peirce explained. Or worse, it could qualify as a “security-based swap,” which are typically used by sophisticated investors and are heavily regulated, often restricted from being traded by everyday people (“retail persons”) off of regulated exchanges. If a token falls into this category, it could face severe trading restrictions.
Why It Matters
Tokenization could reshape how regular people invest, borrow, and access wealth. But it also raises serious questions: Who actually owns these tokenized assets? What happens when a crypto firm collapses or loses customer funds? And what protections do Main Street investors have?
Tokenization could make markets faster and more accessible, even allowing people to own fractions of stocks and assets. But Peirce’s statement throws cold water on the idea that blockchain makes all that risk-free.
The SEC’s message is that innovation must come with compliance. Peirce, one of the more crypto-friendly voices at the agency, still made it clear: “The process of issuing an instrument representing a security is not new.” Whether it lives on-chain or off-chain, it’s still under the SEC’s jurisdiction.
What’s Next
Peirce encouraged firms to engage with the SEC early and often if they want to build tokenized products legally. She also hinted that the agency is open to modernizing outdated rules or creating exemptions, but only if firms play by the rules.
For now, the crypto and finance industries have been put on notice. Tokenized finance isn’t a legal gray zone. It’s Wall Street on-chain. The message is clear: the future of finance will be built on innovation, but also on accountability.