Securitize and Socios.com team up to tokenize sports equity
The companies said the offering could appeal to eligible fans as well as institutional and private-equity investors.
Securitize is teaming up with Socios.com to bring minority interests in professional sports teams onto the blockchain through a planned regulated tokenized-equity platform.
Professional sports franchises are estimated to have an aggregate global value of about $500 billion, yet minority ownership interests are typically private and difficult to trade. Securitize and Socios.com said tokenization could broaden access and distribution while improving price discovery for teams and owners.
As part of the partnership, the companies will work with sports teams, existing owners and institutional investors to structure offerings under the Socios Equity Tokens brand. The transactions would be subject to securities laws, league rules, individual club approvals and jurisdiction-specific restrictions.
Socios.com will use its sports network to develop relationships with teams and create the consumer-facing engagement layer. Securitize will provide the regulated securities infrastructure, including issuance, investor onboarding, ownership administration, transfer restrictions and ongoing servicing.
The news moving money, markets, and the world—before your day starts.
Daily. Free. Join 34,000+ readers across crypto, finance, and policy.
The initiative is expected to be the first tokenization project launched through Securitize’s fully authorized European Trading & Settlement System under the EU DLT Pilot Regime. The companies said their goal is to create a bridge between sports fandom and institutional investment by putting regulated ownership interests onchain.
Fan Tokens and Socios Equity Tokens will remain distinct products, as noted by the firms. Fan Tokens are designed around engagement and utility, while Equity Tokens would represent regulated financial interests and carry the rights and protections specified in the applicable offering documents.