SEC to Finalize 'Innovation Exemption' for Tokenized Stock Trading on Crypto Platforms

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is preparing to unveil an "innovation exemption" for tokenized stocks, according to a Bloomberg report on Tuesday, Jan. 7. Developed under the Trump administration's direction, the framework could be finalized as early as this week. The initiative, supported by SEC Chair Paul Atkins since mid-2025, aims to facilitate on-chain trading of blockchain-based securities on decentralized venues. Reuters reported that the regulator may permit tokens tracking public shares without corporate consent, though these assets might lack traditional voting or dividend rights. While tokenized stocks currently represent only $1.45 billion (4.3%) of the $15.5 billion real-world asset (RWA) market, analysts from Token Terminal and DeFi expert Ignas suggest this shift toward 24/7 trading and DeFi integration marks a structural change in global capital markets.