Securitize CEO Carlos Domingo has been awarded the EY Entrepreneur of the Year for 2026, the professional services firm announced. The recognition places a spotlight on Domingo's work in tokenization, a technology Securitize says could unlock a $5 trillion market opportunity.
Why EY Chose Domingo
The EY Entrepreneur of the Year award honors founders and CEOs who demonstrate exceptional leadership, innovation, and financial success. Domingo led Securitize through a period of rapid growth, building partnerships that span traditional finance and blockchain infrastructure. The award specifically cites the company's role in bringing real-world assets onto digital ledgers.
Tokenization's $5 Trillion Bet
Securitize has long argued that tokenizing assets like real estate, private equity, and debt can dramatically lower costs and increase liquidity. The company estimates the total addressable market at roughly $5 trillion. That figure covers assets that are currently illiquid or traded through slow, paper-based systems. While no regulatory body has endorsed the estimate, it reflects the scale of the opportunity Domingo and his team are chasing.
Partnerships Driving Growth
Securitize has struck deals with major financial institutions and blockchain projects to build the infrastructure for tokenized securities. These partnerships are central to the company's strategy. Domingo has positioned Securitize as a compliance-first platform, working within existing securities law rather than pushing for new exemptions. That approach has attracted issuers who want to avoid legal grey areas.
The EY award arrives as tokenization moves from pilot projects to production use. Several banks have launched tokenized bond offerings, and regulators in major markets are studying the technology. Securitize is one of the few firms that operates across multiple jurisdictions, giving it a vantage point on how the landscape is evolving.
Domingo's win comes in a year when EY selected winners from a broad range of industries, not just crypto or fintech. The selection committee noted that his work has implications for how capital markets function globally. The $5 trillion figure—if realized—would represent a meaningful shift in how value is stored and transferred.
For now, Domingo and Securitize are focused on scaling their platform and adding new asset classes. The award adds a credential that could help them attract top talent and win business from conservative institutions. Whether the market will reach its full potential depends on adoption curves and regulatory decisions still being written.
