Nazarov Sees Tokenized Equity Surge on Back of SEC Exemption

Chainlink co-founder Sergey Nazarov predicts a surge in tokenized equity as onchain markets grow, citing the SEC's Innovation Exemption as a key catalyst. The exemption, a five-year framework, allows onchain trading of tokenized US equities, which Nazarov believes will lead to a more formal, real-time, and efficient market infrastructure.

Nazarov, speaking at a panel at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia on September 25, 2026, emphasized that the US equities market, which accounts for the majority of the global financial system's equity value and flow, needs this technological transition to maintain its leadership position worldwide.

The Innovation Exemption enables onchain trading of tokenized US equities, which Nazarov sees as a significant shift toward onchain trading. He framed the result as improved liquidity, lower compliance costs, and around-the-clock trading.

Chainlink builds infrastructure that tokenized markets would rely on, including Data Feeds and the Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP). The company has applied these tools to processes like corporate actions and settlement operations, helping to streamline back-office processes and pave the way for institutional adoption.