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Investing.com -- Coinbase is seeking regulatory approval from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to offer tokenized equities, according to a report cited by Barclays (LON:BARC) analysts.
While the move could represent a step toward modernizing equity markets, Barclays believes the path forward is not without complications.
“Tokenized equities could offer several benefits,” the analysts wrote, “including back-office cost savings, faster settlement times, and potentially easier facilitation of international access.”
Furthermore, the bank notes that the proposed model would allow 24/7 trading, similar to crypto assets, and reduce costs by cutting out traditional clearing and settlement layers.
Coinbase’s plan follows a similar move by Kraken, which announced it would roll out tokenized U.S. equities across more than 50 stocks and ETFs in select international markets.
During its IPO process, Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) had floated the idea of tokenizing its own shares but did not receive SEC approval.
Still, Barclays cautioned the initiative faces “several challenges, primarily regarding how these products will be regulated (if they will even be allowed).”
Key concerns include compliance with existing rules like Reg NMS and NBBO, KYC/AML enforcement, and integration into the consolidated tape system.
“Coinbase is not an SEC-registered broker-dealer,” Barclays noted, though it has acquired entities with relevant registrations, such as Keystone Capital and Venovate Marketplace, which could be used to facilitate a compliant rollout.
Barclays also questioned the consumer value proposition: “To the retail trader, the marginal benefit of trading tokenized stocks is quite small.”
While the technology may enhance operational efficiencies, Barclays says retail traders already experience near-instant settlement and low execution costs.