The top US-based crypto exchange by volume is looking for U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approval of tokenized equities offerings.
According to a new Reuters report, Coinbase is in talks with the SEC to offer what is essentially blockchain-based stock trading.
-->In tokenized equities, company shares are converted into digital tokens that represent the securities, similar to how other real-world-based digital assets work already.
The benefits of tokenized equities include around-the-clock trading, quicker trading times, and reduced trading costs.
Tokenized equities are not currently available for trade in the US, though other US-based exchanges, such as Kraken, are already looking into the sector.
Reuters reports that Coinbase needs one of two things from the SEC in order to make the offering – either a no-action letter or exemptive relief, which is a pledge not to pursue legal ramifications.
Coinbase chief legal officer Paul Grewal could not say whether or not the company has submitted an official request to the SEC yet.
“With a no action letter, an issuer of a tokenized equity or a platform that wishes to offer secondary trading in those equities can have some confidence, some comfort, that the SEC has adopted its view of why this product is compliant.
It’s that confidence that has been lacking so far, and I think really held back a lot of the institutional adoption…”
The potential move would allow Coinbase to compete with other top trading apps like Robinhood.
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