Citi launches blockchain marketplace for private companies shares: Report

Written by Sam Bourgistaff writerReviewed by Robert Lakinstaff editorWritten by Sam Bourgistaff writerReviewed by Robert Lakinstaff editorCiti launches blockchain marketplace for private companies shares: ReportLatest NewsPublishedJun 11, 2026The US banking giant's blockchain marketplace will offer tokenized depositary receipts of private company shares amid Wall Street's broad embrace of tokenized assets.Citigroup is launching a blockchain-based marketplace for private company shares, looking to give wealthy and institutional investors a new way to gain exposure to pre-IPO firms as Wall Street pushes deeper into tokenized finance.According to The Wall Street Journal, the platform will use tokenized depositary receipts issued by Citi, which represent ownership interests in private companies. The offering will initially be initially available to foreign investors, with US access planned at a later date.The initiative allows investors to invest in private company shares “right next to their Apple stock, Citi digital asset executive Artem Korenyuk told the Journal.Major banks are increasingly adopting tokenization to modernize traditional financial markets. Citi argues that structuring private investments through tokenized depositary receipts offers a more transparent alternative to special-purpose vehicles (SPVs), which have become a common, but often opaque, way for investors to access private companies.That distinction is notable as interest in pre-IPO investing surges. Several fintech platforms, including Robinhood, have explored offering tokenized exposure to private companies such as OpenAI, though those products generally provide indirect economic exposure rather than legal ownership of the underlying shares. OpenAI last year cautioned investors that these so-called tokenized stocks do not represent equity in the company. OpenAI's warning to investors on buying tokenized shares. Source: OpenAI NewsroomThe underlying infrastructure of the venture's blockchain …

Citi launches blockchain marketplace for private companies shares: Report

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