DTCC to Tokenize DTC Assets on Stellar by H1 2027

The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation will connect its DTC tokenization service to the Stellar public blockchain to enable tokenization of assets held in DTC custody. Tokenized assets are expected to appear on Stellar in the first half of 2027.

The plan follows a No‑Action Letter the Depository Trust Company received from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in December 2025 authorizing DTC to implement a service to tokenize real‑world, DTC‑custodied assets. The service is designed to let market participants convert traditional securities into digital tokens that can settle faster, move more easily between systems, trade during extended hours and reduce some costs and operational risk, while preserving investor entitlements and existing safeguards.

DTCC and the Stellar Development Foundation will work together to connect the tokenization service to the Stellar network, a public, configurable blockchain used for securities, payments and remittances. The integration is intended to support rapid conversion of traditional assets into tokenized form and to cover the full asset lifecycle, including corporate actions and reporting.

In the near term, the two organizations will evaluate which asset classes are eligible for tokenization. DTCC identified possible focuses such as highly liquid equities including Russell 1000 constituents, exchange‑traded funds that track major indices, and U.S. Treasury bills, notes and bonds, all subject to DTC’s regulatory obligations and further review.

Frank La Salla, president and chief executive officer of DTCC, framed the work as part of a strategy to build an open, interoperable digital market infrastructure and added the firm aims to help market participants access deeper liquidity and improve efficiency on a public blockchain while retaining the investor protections DTC provides today.

Denelle Dixon, chief executive and executive director of the Stellar Development Foundation, highlighted Stellar’s compliance‑oriented architecture and risk management features and said the network was designed to support institutional payment and securities rails.

DTCC executives said the tokenization service will be built to integrate multiple layer‑1 and layer‑2 networks to enable interoperability and open access. Nadine Chakar, DTCC managing director and global head of DTCC Digital Assets, noted the selection criteria include compliance capabilities, transaction throughput and low operating costs.

DTCC emphasized tokenized assets will carry the same investor protections as securities held in DTC custody and cited more than 50 years of clearing and settlement experience. The firm described the work as part of a multi‑chain approach to support increased use of on‑chain real‑world asset transactions.