Binance has rolled out a tokenized equities program that lets non-U.S. users trade shares of thousands of American companies and ETFs. The move puts the world's largest crypto exchange in direct competition with traditional brokerages and existing tokenized stock platforms.
What's on offer
The exchange says the service covers more than 7,000 U.S. stocks and ETFs. Users can buy fractional shares, meaning they don't need to purchase a whole share of a high-priced stock like Berkshire Hathaway or Amazon. Each tokenized equity is backed by a corresponding real-world security, held by a custodian.
Who can trade
The program is available to users outside the United States. That boundary matters. Binance has faced years of regulatory pushback from U.S. authorities, including fines and restrictions on its domestic operations. By excluding U.S. residents, the exchange sidesteps the most aggressive part of that regulatory thicket while still tapping into global demand for American stocks.
Why now
Tokenized equities aren't new — platforms like FTX and Bittrex offered similar products before they collapsed or shut down. But Binance's scale is different. With hundreds of millions of registered users and deep liquidity across its crypto markets, the exchange can route a huge pool of capital into tokenized stocks. The move also lets Binance diversify beyond pure crypto trading, which has seen slower growth this year as regulators clamp down on speculative digital assets.
The fine print
Binance didn't release a full list of supported jurisdictions, but it's likely the service will follow the same geo-restrictions as its main exchange. Users in countries where Binance is already banned or restricted — such as the U.K., Canada, and parts of Asia — probably won't have access. The company also hasn't said which custodian is holding the underlying securities, or how it handles corporate actions like dividends and stock splits.
The service is live now for eligible users. For everyone else, the question is whether other exchanges will follow Binance's lead, or whether regulators will push back first.
