ARK's Securitize Stake Positions for $18.9T Tokenization Wave

ARK Invest, the asset management firm led by Cathie Wood, has taken a strategic stake in Securitize, a tokenization platform backed by BlackRock, as part of its ARK Venture Fund (ARKVX). The fund's latest disclosure revealed that Securitize constitutes the eighth-largest position in the fund, accounting for 3.25% of its assets. Based on the fund's $325.3 million in net assets under management as of September 30, this stake is valued at approximately $10 million . This move aligns with ARK's broader focus on tokenization, a sector projected to grow from $33 billion in tokenized assets today to $18.9 trillion by 2033, according to Ripple and BCG .

Securitize, founded in 2017, has emerged as a key player in the tokenization of real-world assets (RWAs), having issued $4.6 billion in tokenized assets through partnerships with major financial institutions. Its most notable product is BlackRock's BUIDL fund, a tokenized money market fund that tokenizes U.S. Treasuries and has attracted $2.8 billion in assets since its launch . The fund's success underscores the growing appeal of tokenized assets, with tokenized Treasury products surging 800% to $7 billion since BUIDL's debut. Michael Sonnenshein, COO of Securitize, highlighted the advantages of tokenization, including daily dividend payouts and enhanced collateral management capabilities, which are attracting institutional investors .

BlackRock's involvement in Securitize is not new. The asset manager led a $47 million funding round in 2024, solidifying its role in the tokenization ecosystem. This investment was joined by Hamilton Lane, ParaFi Capital, and Tradeweb Markets, with BlackRock's Joseph Chalom joining Securitize's board . The firm has also leveraged Securitize to tokenize its equity funds, such as Hamilton Lane's Senior Credit Opportunities Fund, on the Polygon blockchain . BlackRock's CEO, Larry Fink, has publicly endorsed tokenization as "the next generation for markets," reflecting the firm's commitment to digital asset innovation .

ARK's stake in Securitize comes amid a surge in tokenization adoption across traditional finance. The market for tokenized assets has more than doubled this year, driven by the need for faster settlements, 24/7 market access, and reduced counterparty risk. Securitize's platform enables these benefits by leveraging blockchain to tokenize bonds, private equity, and other assets. The firm is also expanding into new ventures, including a partnership with Ethena Labs to launch a blockchain called Converge, designed to facilitate institutional capital access to DeFi .

The strategic alignment between ARK and Securitize reflects broader industry trends. As RWAs gain traction, investors are increasingly seeking exposure to tokenized products. The SEC's growing engagement with tokenization, including a recent roundtable featuring Securitize, signals regulatory recognition of the sector's potential. For ARK, the investment in Securitize represents a calculated bet on a technology poised to reshape capital markets, with the firm's venture fund now positioned to benefit from both the tokenization boom and the broader AI-driven innovation that underpins its portfolio .