Citi launches blockchain marketplace for private companies shares: Report
Citigroup is building a blockchain-based marketplace for private company shares, aiming to give wealthy and institutional investors tokenized exposure to pre-IPO firms. The platform will use Citi-issued tokenized depositary receipts that represent ownership interests in private companies, with launch first for foreign investors and later for US users. Citi says the structure could be a more transparent alternative to SPVs, a common but often opaque way to access private markets. The blockchain infrastructure will be run by SIX Digital Exchange, and Citi is already talking with several large private companies about listing their shares. The move reflects growing Wall Street interest in tokenization and rising demand for private-market investments, as companies stay private longer and private equity has historically outperformed public markets over long time horizons.
