Binance Quietly Prepares Tokenized Stock Trading Comeback

Binance is stepping back into one of the most competitive frontiers in digital assets — tokenized equities — with a quiet but telling update to its API.

On 11 December, the exchange added several new endpoints to its API documentation, including one URL containing stock/contract. The function allows users to “sign a TradFi-Perps agreement,” while two additional endpoints let traders pull weekly trading schedules and real-time session data.

For an industry built on 24/7 markets, session-based trading is a clear break from crypto tradition. But the design aligns perfectly with how traditional equity markets operate — and strongly suggests Binance is preparing perpetual futures tied to stocks.

A Comeback After a Failed 2021 Attempt

Binance’s last push into tokenized stocks came in 2021, offering assets like Tesla and Coinbase through token representations. The venture collapsed within months after global regulators raised concerns, forcing the exchange to halt the program.

This time feels different. Tokenization is no longer a niche experiment — it’s becoming a full-scale race.

Tokenized Stocks Go Mainstream

Binance’s renewed effort lands just as major players across TradFi and crypto are building competing frameworks. Earlier today, it emerged that Coinbase is preparing to unveil its own tokenized stocks initiative paired with prediction markets.

But enthusiasm isn't universal. In October, asset-tokenization firm Ondo Finance urged the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to slow Nasdaq’s proposal to trade tokenized securities, arguing the plan lacked transparency and could unfairly advantage entrenched institutions.

This month, market maker Citadel Securities recommended that the SEC tighten rules around tokenized stock trading on DeFi platforms. Concerns revolve around investor protection, settlement clarity and regulatory oversight.

“Tokenization is an innovation the agency should work to promote, not restrict,” SEC Chair Paul Atkins said recently.

That stance quickly translated into action: yesterday, the SEC granted approval for the DTCC to roll out a U.S. securities-tokenization service, marking a major inflection point for institutional adoption.

Binance Enters the Race at Full Speed

The timing is striking. Binance is re-entering the arena precisely as tokenized markets hit their strongest momentum to date. Exchanges, clearing houses, and on-chain platforms are competing to define what the next generation of equity infrastructure will look like.

Whether Binance’s second attempt avoids the regulatory friction of 2021 remains an open question. But the industry is no longer experimenting — it’s building.