Nasdaq CEO: Tokenization Could Unlock Billions in Trapped Capital Across the Global Financial System, AI Is Crucial for 24/7 Trading

Odaily News: At TOKEN 2049 Singapore, Nasdaq CEO Adena Friedman stated that tokenizing Treasuries, equities, money market funds, and cash could enhance collateral liquidity and unlock billions of dollars in trapped capital across the global financial system. Institutional interest in tokenization has grown significantly over the past year, partly driven by the U.S. GENIUS Act establishing a regulatory framework for stablecoins. She noted that institutional interest is converging with retail demand for round-the-clock trading, with the retail ecosystem roughly 10 years ahead, but moving toward a fully 24/7 market is a massive undertaking for the financial industry, requiring risk and collateral management to operate continuously in real time. She also pointed out that AI is crucial for 24/7 trading, and Nasdaq has already launched digital agents on its risk management platform, initially providing recommendations, with banks potentially using them in the future to take more direct actions. Kraken co-CEO Arjun Sethi said that companies outside the U.S. are also highly interested in tokenization and accessing U.S. capital markets, including a company with approximately $25 million in revenue and larger international firms. Friedman cautioned that not all assets have sufficient liquidity to support a 24/7 trading environment.