Dinari and tZERO launch turnkey tokenized equities platform
In brief
- Dinari and tZERO partner on turnkey platform for tokenized U.S. equities targeting broker-dealers.
- Combined platform merges Dinari's tokenized stock tech with tZERO's brokerage, custody, clearing and settlement.
- Tokenized equity volumes surged 145% to record $3.86 billion, signaling institutional blockchain adoption.
Mainstream adoption hinges on broker-dealer support
The partnership reflects a critical insight in the tokenized equities space: scaling requires traditional financial infrastructure. Dinari CEO Gabriel Otte captured the dynamic in a statement: the platform won't reach mainstream adoption until broker-dealers can offer tokenized shares as naturally as they offer traditional securities.
Dinari launched in 2021 and obtained a broker-dealer registration in June 2025 for its subsidiary, becoming the first U.S. platform cleared to legally offer blockchain-based shares to domestic investors. Its dShares are backed one-for-one by underlying shares held with regulated custodians, while preserving shareholder rights such as dividends and corporate actions.
tZERO was founded in 2014 and was among the first companies to build regulated infrastructure for blockchain-based securities markets. By combining forces, the two firms aim to lower the technical and operational barriers for brokers to offer tokenized equities.
A growing battleground for real-world assets
Tokenized equities have emerged as the next focus area in real-world assets, following the institutional adoption of tokenized U.S. Treasury funds. The sector is fragmenting into competing approaches. Some firms, such as Robinhood and Kraken's xStocks initiative, focus on creating blockchain-based representations of publicly traded shares via offshore structures, often called synthetic tokens.
Others pursue direct onchain listing. Securitize listed its own shares on the New York Stock Exchange and simultaneously issued an onchain version on Avalanche and Solana, signaling that dual-listing may become standard practice for companies seeking both traditional and decentralized market access.
Tokenized equity volumes surged 145 percent to a record $3.86 billion, underscoring the momentum behind the category even as debate continues over which infrastructure model will prevail.
