Nasdaq responds to tokenization controversy: declines to comment on rumors of "discouraging issuers", reaffirms it does not participate in external venues such as OKXICE.

According to crypto journalist Eleanor Terrett, a Nasdaq spokesperson declined to comment on claims that its representatives had advised listed companies against trading shares via the OKX-ICE joint venture’s tokenized stock platform. The spokesperson reiterated that Nasdaq does not plan to participate in trading venues operating under SEC innovation exemptions, calling this not the optimal path for tokenization. The spokesperson emphasized that Nasdaq remains committed to tokenization, advancing it within existing market frameworks via its issuer-centric Nasdaq Equity Token model. Separately, Nasdaq again denied involvement in an ad in this week’s The Wall Street Journal, stating it had not authorized the ad’s use or linking to its FAQs and QR code. Earlier, show host Jacqueline alleged that Nasdaq representatives had reportedly warned its listed issuers against trading shares via the OKX-ICE joint venture’s tokenized stock platform. Around 38 companies have raised objections to this, 23 of which are listed on Nasdaq. Nasdaq has publicly expressed concerns about tokenized stock trading outside traditional market structures, explicitly stating it has no plans to launch such a venue. It is currently collaborating with Kraken to advance its own tokenization model, targeting a launch in Q2 2027.