Injective pursues SEC transfer agent role for onchain securities
Injective has filed for SEC registration as a transfer agent, a move that would embed blockchain technology directly into the regulated plumbing of US securities ownership.
Injective has applied to the US Securities and Exchange Commission to become a registered transfer agent. The layer-1 blockchain network, which focuses on decentralized finance and tokenized real-world assets, wants to move the legal record-keeping for securities onto its infrastructure.
Transfer agents are a fundamental piece of US market plumbing, maintaining shareholder registers and tracking changes in ownership. By taking on this function, Injective would transition from providing the underlying technology for tokenization to operating inside the regulated framework that legally determines who owns a security. The company argues this integration would eliminate reconciliation delays that currently slow down transactions between intermediaries.
“Tokenized securities and RWAs need compliant ownership records on infrastructure that settles in less than a second,” Injective wrote in an X post. The company stated its intention to offer this capacity at scale in the United States. However, Injective has not named the legal entity making the application, and a corresponding public SEC filing could not be independently verified.
Capital markets plumbing goes digital
This application highlights a broader acceleration in the digitization of traditional market infrastructure. Financial institutions are increasingly deploying blockchain networks to handle core post-trade functions, moving beyond theoretical tokenization to practical operational overhauls.
Nasdaq has been at the forefront of this shift. Last month, the exchange partnered with the Pyth Network to deliver its TotalView market data to blockchain applications. Nasdaq is also collaborating with Kraken and tokenization firm Backed to build infrastructure connecting traditional equities to blockchain networks.
Intercontinental Exchange, the parent of the New York Stock Exchange, is advancing a similar strategy through a partnership with Securitize. That initiative is focused on building the infrastructure required to support 24/7 trading and instant settlement for tokenized stocks and exchange-traded funds.
The shift even extends to the apex of US market infrastructure. The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation, the primary post-trade processor for US securities, is preparing to launch its own tokenized Collateral AppChain. This platform aims to automate collateral management and settlement across financial markets, signaling that the core mechanics of Wall Street are being retooled for blockchain.
