SEC Approves DTCC Pilot for Blockchain-Based Securities Tokenization

Blockchain

SEC Approves DTCC Pilot for Blockchain-Based Securities Tokenization

The SEC has approved a three-year pilot for the Depository Trust Company (DTCC) to tokenize select securities on blockchains, enabling the creation of digital tokens that represent existing security entitlements. This marks the first blockchain-based recordkeeping system for the U.S. stock trades clearinghouse, starting in the second half of next year.

• SEC No-Action Letter allows DTCC to mint and burn blockchain tokens mirroring held securities without enforcement action.
• Program waives certain regulatory requirements like reliability standards and 19b-4 filings for the pilot duration.
• Eligible assets include Russell 1000 constituents, U.S. Treasurys, and major index-tracking ETFs, with quarterly reporting on participation and operations.

What is the DTCC Blockchain Pilot？

The DTCC blockchain pilot is a three-year regulatory program approved by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that permits the Depository Trust Company (DTCC), the central clearinghouse for nearly all U.S. stock trades, to experiment with blockchain technology for recording certain securities. Under this initiative, DTCC can create and manage tokenized entitlements—digital tokens on blockchains that represent securities already in its custody—without facing immediate enforcement for waiving select rules. The pilot aims to test the integration of blockchain into core market infrastructure while maintaining necessary safeguards.

This approval, detailed in an SEC No-Action Letter issued on Thursday, represents a significant step toward incorporating distributed ledger technology into the backbone of American financial markets. DTCC participants can opt to convert their book-entry entitlements into these blockchain-based tokens, potentially streamlining processes like reconciliation and enabling transfers outside standard hours.

How Does the Tokenization Process Work in the DTCC Pilot？

The tokenization process begins when a DTCC participant requests to convert their security entitlements into digital form. DTCC debits the securities from its centralized ledger and credits them to a new digital omnibus account, then mints a corresponding token into a registered blockchain wallet controlled by the participant. This setup ensures that the tokens accurately mirror the underlying assets without altering ownership structures.

Tokens can reside on approved public or private blockchains, as long as they meet DTCC‘s stringent technology standards for security and reliability. Although the ledgers may be open in nature, the system remains permissioned: tokens can only move between wallets registered with DTCC, and the firm maintains a “root wallet” to reverse or correct transactions in cases of errors or misconduct. According to the SEC’s letter, this framework upholds the integrity of the nations securities plumbing while exploring blockchain efficiencies.

DTCC must provide quarterly reports covering metrics such as the number of participants, the value of tokenized entitlements, blockchains in use or rejected, outage details, registered wallet counts, and instances of reversal authority exercise. Eligible securities for the pilot encompass constituents of the Russell 1000 index, U.S. Treasurys, and major exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that track key indices, focusing on high-volume, liquid assets to minimize risks during testing.

The pilot waives several standard requirements, including a critical SEC rule on the reliability and security of core market infrastructure, as well as 19b-4 filings and specific clearing-agency standards. This regulatory flexibility allows DTCC to innovate without full compliance burdens initially, but all operations must still adhere to broader oversight principles. As DTCC stated in a public announcement, “By leveraging blockchain, DTCC aims to bridge TradFi and DeFi, advancing a more resilient, inclusive, and efficient global financial system.”

Experts in financial technology view this development as a cautious yet pivotal endorsement of blockchain in regulated environments. For instance, blockchain analysts have noted that such pilots could reduce operational costs by automating settlement processes, potentially cutting reconciliation times from days to near-instantaneous. Data from similar industry experiments, like those conducted by major banks, suggest efficiency gains of up to 30% in post-trade processing, though DTCC-specific outcomes will depend on pilot results.