The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) processes a staggering $4 quadrillion annually, a figure that dwarfs the global GDP of approximately $100 trillion. As the organization’s Global Head of Digital Assets, Nadine Chakar, asserts, the current blockchain technology cannot accommodate such massive transaction volumes.
In 2025, DTCC’s subsidiaries managed $4.7 quadrillion in securities transactions, with its Depository Trust Company overseeing about $115 trillion in assets from clients across more than 150 countries. Chakar emphasizes that while blockchain holds promise, it fails to satisfy the institutional requirements for privacy, resilience, and dependable settlement at the scale demanded by traditional finance.
On July 15, 2026, DTCC successfully executed live trades involving tokenized securities, including stocks, ETFs, and US Treasuries. Looking ahead, the firm plans to launch a comprehensive tokenization service in October 2026, already involving over 50 participating industry partners. Notably, DTCC is forming a strategic alliance with the Stellar blockchain, aimed at integrating asset tokenization by mid-2027.
This hybrid approach combines traditional post-trade infrastructure with a tokenization layer designed to enhance programmability, speed up settlement times, and digitally represent assets for smooth transfers across networks. Interestingly, DTCC and Chakar have not publicly referenced XLM, Stellar’s native token, focusing instead on infrastructure and operational frameworks.
Tokenized securities stand to revolutionize post-trade processes by shortening settlement times, boosting liquidity for currently illiquid assets, and reducing operational friction. The capability to represent a US Treasury as a token enables near-instant collateral use, bypassing the lengthy multi-day settlement processes that hinder current transactions.
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice.
