Tokenized equities volume reached $9 billion in 2026, a 207 percent quarter-over-quarter surge and 800 percent year-to-date gain, according to market data.
Robinhood Markets CEO Vlad Tenev frames the shift bluntly: global markets are entering a tokenization supercycle, and the U.S. risks being left behind. While Robinhood Chain already offers exposure to 190 U.S. stocks to users in over 120 countries, American investors face regulatory constraints that international competitors do not.
Tenev argues tokenization solves a structural problem, not a convenience one. Traditional markets close. Stock tokens trade 24/7 on open blockchain infrastructure. Robinhood's offering provides economic exposure—including dividends—backed 1:1 by underlying shares. Real-time settlement replaces T+2 lag. Smart contracts automate compliance. Assets become portable and programmable.
"Tokenization is the best path to modernizing the American financial system and expanding the dream of ownership to all—Americans included," Tenev said in recent remarks. "It would be a strange outcome if the rest of the world" benefited while the U.S. lagged.
Robinhood Chain reached 100 million transactions faster than any other EVM-compatible chain since launch. Demand centers on high-momentum equities in memory and storage sectors—assets investors want to trade without waiting for market hours.
Nasdaq is preparing an overnight session extending U.S. stock trading to nearly 23 hours daily, signaling institutional recognition that always-on markets are coming. The question facing regulators is whether American investors will access tokenized equities through domestic platforms or through offshore competitors already servicing global demand.
