A group of European tokenization operators has urged EU policymakers to swiftly amend the bloc’s DLT Pilot Regime, warning that current asset limits, volume caps and time-limited licenses are preventing regulated onchain markets from scaling as the United States advances toward industrial-scale tokenization and near-instant settlement.

In a joint letter coordinated ahead of an upcoming parliamentary debate, tokenization and market infrastructure companies Securitize, 21X, Boerse Stuttgart Group, Lise, OpenBrick, STX and Axiology called for targeted changes to the DLT Pilot Regime, the EU’s regulatory sandbox for tokenized securities markets.

The companies said the EU’s broader Market Integration and Supervision Package sets the right long-term direction, but warned that existing constraints are already limiting the growth of regulated tokenized products in Europe. Pointing to the United States as a key contrast, they wrote:

Without timely action on the DLT Pilot Regime, the EU risks losing market relevance. The structural inertia of this package delays effective application until at least 2030 — creating not a temporary setback, but a critical strategic vulnerability.

They added that “global liquidity will not wait” if Europe remains constrained, warning it could migrate permanently to US markets as onchain settlement infrastructure matures.

Rather than calling for deregulation, the companies proposed a narrow technical “quick fix” that would keep existing investor protections intact. The changes would expand the scope of eligible assets, raise current issuance caps and remove the six-year limit on pilot licenses to allow regulated operators to scale products already live in other jurisdictions.

The group said the adjustments could be adopted quickly through a standalone technical update without reopening the EU’s broader market-structure reforms.

It warned that prolonged delays risk weakening the euro’s competitiveness in global capital markets as settlement and issuance activity shifts toward faster, fully digital market infrastructure.

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US regulators and exchanges advance tokenization framework

The US has taken regulatory steps toward tokenization by clarifying how tokenized securities can be issued, custodied and settled within existing market infrastructure.

On Dec. 11, 2025, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Trading and Markets Division outlined how broker-dealers can custody tokenized stocks and bonds under existing customer protection rules, signaling that blockchain-based securities will be governed within the traditional regulatory framework rather than treated as a new asset class.

The SEC issued a no-action letter on the same day to a subsidiary of Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation, clearing the way for a new securities market tokenization service. DTCC said its Depository Trust Company unit has been authorized to launch a service that tokenizes real-world assets already held in DTC custody. 

On Jan. 28, the SEC issued guidance clarifying how it views tokenized securities, splitting them into two categories: those tokenized by issuers and those tokenized by unaffiliated third parties, a move aimed at giving companies a clearer regulatory footing as tokenization activity expands.

Alongside clearer US regulatory guidance, Nasdaq and the New York Stock Exchange have begun exploring tokenization within traditional market infrastructure.

In November 2025, Nasdaq said securing SEC approval for its September proposal to list tokenized stocks was a top priority, noting that the exchange was responding to public comments and regulator questions as the review process continued.

On Jan. 17, the NYSE said it is developing a platform to trade tokenized stocks and exchange-traded funds, pending regulatory approval, that would support 24/7 trading and near-instant settlement using blockchain-based post-trade systems.

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