ARK and Securitize Tokenize Venture Fund on Ethereum
Securitize is bringing the ARK Venture Fund onchain with tokenized interests on Ethereum, including exposure to OpenAI and Anthropic. The move fits into the broader rise of tokenization under SEC oversight.
Key Takeaways
- ARK Invest is bringing its venture fund onchain through Securitize, with tokenized interests that will first be available on Ethereum.
- Investors will not get direct shares in OpenAI or Anthropic, but a blockchain representation of their stake in the fund.
- The move fits into a broader trend where asset managers are tokenizing traditional products and private markets.
ARK Invest is putting its venture fund onchain through Securitize. The ARK Venture Fund, with stakes in companies including OpenAI, Anthropic, Stripe, and Databricks, will get tokenized interests that will first be available on Ethereum. Other networks may follow later.
Fund Interest on Ethereum
Securitize is handling the onchain issuance and the investor experience around the fund. That means investors will not get direct shares in OpenAI or Anthropic, but a blockchain-based representation of their stake in the fund. According to Securitize, the underlying portfolio stays private, while the investment becomes liquid for end users.
ARK founder, CEO, and chief investment officer Cathie Wood called the move a logical extension of the mission to broaden access to technological innovation. Securitize CEO Carlos Domingo pointed out that investors can get exposure to multiple sought-after private tech companies through one fund. He specifically noted that the fund brings both OpenAI and Anthropic together in a diversified pool.
More Pressure on Tokenization
The move fits into a broader shift where major asset managers are putting traditional products on blockchain rails. Earlier tokenization projects, such as BlackRock's BUIDL and Franklin Templeton's BENJI, focused mainly on U.S. Treasuries and money market products. Now the market is moving further into stocks and private markets.
The regulator is also playing a role. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission introduced a five-year innovation exemption last week for certain tokenized U.S. stocks on specially designed onchain venues. That gives financial firms extra room to experiment with blockchain-based securities.
Securitize is not new to this segment either: the company previously worked with IPOs on blockchain, showing that it uses its tokenization infrastructure for more than just funds.
Why This Matters
For European crypto readers, this deal shows that tokenization is no longer just about stablecoins or Treasuries. Private markets are now in the picture too, which could matter for how funds, platforms, and regulators view blockchain. ARK already invested $10 million (€8.8 million) in Securitize last year, showing that this partnership did not come out of nowhere.
