tZERO Group, Inc., a blockchain-powered multi-asset infrastructure provider, announced it is working with FINRA on an application to support end-to-end issuance and secondary trading services for non-security crypto assets. This move represents a strategic expansion of tZERO's regulated broker-dealer platform, which has primarily focused on digital asset securities, toward a more comprehensive digital asset ecosystem.
The application is part of tZERO's broader plan to build a unified, interoperable digital asset ecosystem that connects regulated market infrastructure across global markets with blockchain-native execution, settlement, and custody. The company aims to leverage its existing regulated footprint, including its status as one of only two broker-dealers permitted to custody digital asset securities directly on chains in wallets operated by tZERO. According to the announcement, tZERO's years of experience in the tokenized securities market and as a provider of on-chain custody services position it to deliver this next evolution of its product offering.
Key components of the proposed service include integrated issuance support for primary issuance of crypto assets with a smooth transition to secondary trading and liquidity. The platform would offer dual custody options through either self-hosted wallets or custodial wallets under tZERO Digital. For execution, orders could be routed to tZERO's Alternative Trading System (ATS), third-party centralized exchanges, liquidity providers, or decentralized protocols (DeFi). The system would feature on-chain settlement, including atomic locking and smart-contract driven transfers, allowing trades to settle either bilaterally between users or through tZERO Digital as a user's clearing broker.
"This step is another milestone in our long-term convergence strategy and our leadership with on-chain operations as a broker-dealer," said Alan Konevsky, CEO of tZERO. "We envision a future where all asset types – crypto, RWAs, equities, stablecoins, predictive markets, derivatives and other asset types – leave their silos and converge and interact on unified blockchain/smart contract rails. Expanding our ability to facilitate non-security digital assets within a regulated framework moves us closer to a global, 24/7 market structure built on interoperability and automation."
Konevsky added that the infrastructure being built to support non-security crypto services will also bolster and support tZERO's digital asset securities offerings, including plans to support public tokenized stock, with end-to-end on-chain infrastructure supporting these services. Vanessa Savino, Chief Legal Officer at tZERO, noted that the initiative supports the infrastructure the company ultimately wants to deliver under one regulated roof, emphasizing user-choice in custody, open connectivity across market venues, and on-chain settlement that reduces friction while maintaining regulatory integrity.
For business and technology leaders, this development signals the continued maturation of digital asset markets and the growing convergence between traditional financial infrastructure and blockchain technology. The expansion of regulated platforms like tZERO's could potentially increase institutional participation in crypto markets while addressing regulatory concerns that have limited broader adoption. The move toward a unified ecosystem that spans both security and non-security digital assets could streamline operations for market participants and create more efficient capital markets infrastructure. More information about tZERO Digital Asset Securities may be found on FINRA's BrokerCheck.
