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Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev believes tokenization is not only the future but unavoidable. Speaking at the TokenWorld 2049 conference in Singapore, he called it a freight train that will eventually transform the entire financial system.
Tokenization is the process of converting assets like stocks, bonds, or even property deeds into digital tokens recorded on a blockchain. The idea is that tokenized assets can trade faster, settle more smoothly, and move across borders without the usual market restrictions. For retail investors, it promises access to private companies and new opportunities outside of traditional hours.
Robinhood itself has already tested this. Earlier this year, it announced that European investors could buy tokenized shares of firms such as SpaceX and OpenAI. The announcement boosted Robinhood’s stock, which has climbed almost 300 percent in 2025, but it also raised serious questions. OpenAI publicly distanced itself from the move, and critics noted that tokenized shares are not actual ownership. Their value only reflects the movement of the real stock, with no voting rights or direct stake in the company.
Tenev insists this is only the beginning. He predicts that within five to ten years nearly every financial asset will exist on a chain in some form. He sees tokenization as the bridge that will erase the divide between traditional finance and crypto.
But before embracing that vision, it is worth slowing down. Tokenization carries uncertainty in both regulation and security. Markets built on digital wrappers can move faster, but speed does not always equal stability. Investors may find themselves buying into exposure rather than true ownership, a subtle but critical distinction.
The question is not whether tokenization will grow. It already is. The real issue is whether investors and regulators can think clearly about what is being promised and what is actually being delivered.