DTCC to Begin Live Tokenized-Asset Trading in July; Full Commercial Launch Targeted for October

The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) said it will start facilitating live trades in tokenized assets in July, with a full commercial launch slated for October. DTCC processes nearly all U.S. securities transactions and safeguards more than $114 trillion in assets. The program brings together more than 50 firms spanning traditional finance and digital-asset markets. Participants include Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley, BlackRock and Charles Schwab, alongside crypto-native companies such as Kraken, Anchorage Digital, Ondo Finance and Fireblocks. The rollout follows U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission clearance. DTCC said that in December its subsidiary Depository Trust Company received an SEC No-Action Letter permitting the tokenization of traditional custodial assets. Under the plan, the service will operate for three years on approved blockchains and confer tokenized instruments the same legal rights and protections as their conventional forms. Eligible assets include the Russell 1000, major index ETFs, and U.S. Treasury bills, bonds and notes. DTCC said the initiative is designed to support the shift toward digital markets, with potential benefits such as 24/7 trading, improved collateral efficiency and programmable finance, while connecting traditional and decentralized liquidity. "Our vision is coming to fruition: launching our tokenization service and successfully bridging TradFi and DeFi," DTCC President and CEO Frank La Salla said. He added that tokenization could reshape market operations by increasing liquidity, transparency and efficiency. As of May 4, 2026, the real-world asset (RWA) sector is valued at about $25 billion, according to DefiLlama. DeFi's participation in RWAs totals $1.97 billion in TVL, while perpetual futures open interest is around $2.4 billion. The ecosystem currently includes 163 issuers. By asset type, bonds dominate at more than $15 billion, followed by precious metals at $5.6 billion and private credit at $2.6 billion. Public equities account for $838 million, with smaller but growing allocations across digital assets and other categories. The market has expanded steadily since 2022, with momentum accelerating through 2024 and 2025.