In a milestone for American financial markets, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has approved Nasdaq’s proposal to enable the trading of securities in tokenized form. The development bridges traditional Wall Street with blockchain technology.
The regulator formally approved the rule change on March 18, following a proposal Nasdaq originally filed in September 2025 and subsequently revised in January 2026.
The SEC’s approval landed on the same day the Federal Reserve held interest rates steady. Also, Jerome Powell signalled that rate cuts won’t come unless there is clear progress on inflation, sending Bitcoin sharply below $71,000 before a rebound.
The timing shows broader tension: blockchain is moving deeper into mainstream even as crypto markets face macro headwinds.
Same Ticker, Same Price: How Nasdaq Tokenized Securities Will Work
Tokenized shares will trade alongside standard shares on the same order books, with identical tickers, prices, and the same rights and privileges afforded to holders of traditional securities. This means investors will see no functional difference at the surface level.
The mechanics are opt-in. Eligible market participants who wish to settle a trade in tokenized form must select a designated flag upon order entry, communicating their blockchain and digital wallet preferences to the Depository Trust Company (DTC), which will then carry out the tokenization preference.
The DTC remains central to the process, operating under a pilot program authorized by a December 2025 No-Action Letter.
Importantly, Nasdaq’s matching engine and trading procedures remain unchanged. All existing order types, routing strategies, fee schedules, and market surveillance mechanisms apply equally to both tokenized and traditional shares.
The approval arrives amid an ongoing debate over the Clarity Act, legislation aimed at establishing a comprehensive crypto regulatory framework.
One observer on X captured the mood clearly: “With or without the Clarity Act, we move forward.“
Nasdaq will issue an Equity Trader Alert at least 30 calendar days before tokenized trading goes live. This gives market participants time to prepare.
The initiative is expected to take effect once DTC has established the requisite infrastructure and post-trade settlement services.
Source: https://coingape.com/wall-street-goes-on-chain-sec-approves-nasdaq-tokenized-securities-plan/
