Nasdaq CEO says tokenization could unlock tens of billions of dollars in tied-up capital

Tokenizing financial assets and fund flows, including Treasuries, stocks and money market funds, could make collateral transfers more efficient and unlock tens of billions of dollars in tied-up capital, Nasdaq CEO Adena Friedman said at the Token2049 event in Singapore, CNBC reported. Friedman said institutional interest in tokenization has risen since passage of the U.S. GENIUS Act. Friedman added a shift to 24-hour trading would require real-time risk and collateral management systems, with AI set to play a key role, while noting not all assets have the liquidity needed for around-the-clock trading.