ARK Invest and Securitize to Tokenize Venture Fund With AI Stakes

Cathie Wood's ARK Invest has partnered with tokenization platform Securitize to launch a blockchain-based venture fund that holds positions in high-profile artificial intelligence companies including OpenAI and Anthropic, according to a report from CoinDesk. The move marks one of the most prominent Wall Street-adjacent attempts to bring private AI equity exposure to a broader investor base through tokenization.

Tokenization converts ownership rights in real-world assets into digital tokens on a blockchain, allowing fractional ownership and potentially faster settlement than traditional private fund structures. By wrapping stakes in closely held AI giants like OpenAI and Anthropic into a tokenized vehicle, ARK and Securitize are betting that demand for liquid-ish exposure to pre-IPO AI companies is strong enough to attract both crypto-native and traditional investors.

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The partnership signals a deepening convergence between established asset managers and blockchain infrastructure firms. Securitize has previously worked with major financial institutions on asset tokenization, and ARK's involvement lends significant brand recognition to the effort. For retail and institutional investors who have watched OpenAI and Anthropic valuations soar without any public market access, a tokenized fund could represent a novel on-ramp — though private fund risks, lock-ups, and regulatory considerations would still apply.

The announcement arrives as tokenized real-world assets have emerged as one of the fastest-growing segments in decentralized finance, with total tokenized asset value climbing steadily in 2024 and into 2025. ARK's move could accelerate institutional credibility for the sector while simultaneously giving Wood's firm a foothold in two of the most closely watched private companies in the technology world.

Continue reading at CoinDesk.