KuCoin Launches Tokenised Equities Trading With xStocks Alliance Partnership

KuCoin has launched xStocks, a tokenised equities platform that allows its 41 million users to trade traditional stocks including Tesla, Nvidia and S&P 500 ETF exposure alongside cryptocurrency assets.

The cryptocurrency exchange announced its partnership with Swiss company Backed to offer tokenised stocks backed 1:1 by real equities held in regulated custodian banks. The initial offering includes SPYx (S&P 500 ETF), CRCLx (Circle), TSLAx (Tesla), MSTRx (MicroStrategy), and NVDAx (Nvidia), all issued on the Solana blockchain.

The launch comes as both traditional equities and cryptocurrency markets experience significant growth, with Nvidia becoming the first publicly listed company to surpass $4 trillion market capitalisation on 10 July, whilst Bitcoin reached an all-time high above $120,000 on 14 July.

KuCoin positions the service as offering users portfolio construction opportunities that combine traditional equity exposure with cryptocurrency assets, describing it as a "low-barrier, highly efficient, and transparent investment gateway" for users across 200+ countries and regions.

BC Wong, CEO of KuCoin, said: "At KuCoin, we are dedicated to building a secure and trustworthy investment platform centred on user asset protection and long-term value growth. The launch of xStocks is not only a key extension of our global asset offering—it's a strategic milestone in bridging traditional finance and the Web3 ecosystem. Moving forward, we will continue expanding quality listings and refining the user experience, helping investors capture global growth opportunities—all in one account."

The tokenised assets feature structural safeguards including full backing by real stocks held in third-party regulated custodian banks in bankruptcy remote structures. The tokens are issued under an approved EU prospectus and tokenised following the Swiss DLT Act, with token holders having primary claim to the value of held collateral.

KuCoin describes the platform as enabling flexible allocation and diversified exposure, allowing users to tailor portfolios between US ETFs, technology stocks, and digital assets. The system permits unified trading through USDT without requiring fiat onramps or platform switching.

The exchange serves over 41 million users across 200+ countries and regions, offering access to 1,000 digital assets alongside spot trading, futures trading, institutional wealth management services, and payments. KuCoin has achieved SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001:2022 certifications for information security management.

Founded in 2017, KuCoin raised over $150 million in investments through a pre-Series B round in 2022, bringing total investments to $170 million with a valuation of $10 billion. The company has received recognition including being named among Forbes' "Best Crypto Apps & Exchanges" and one of the "Top 50 Global Unicorns" by Hurun in 2024.

Backed, founded in 2021, describes itself as the leading issuer of compliant tokenised equities and ETFs. The company's products are transferable ERC-20 and SPL tokens compatible with Ethereum and Solana DeFi ecosystems.