Securitize and Socios team up to tokenize equity in pro sports teams

Securitize, a New York-listed tokenized asset firm, plans to offer shares in football clubs on the blockchain in collaboration with fan token company Socios. The partnership aims to establish a regulated investment infrastructure for tokenized sports club equity, according to a statement made as the New York market opened. Securitize, with $5 billion in assets under management and a market cap of $1 billion, will lead regulated securities issuance, investor onboarding, ownership-record administration, transfer controls, and ongoing servicing through its affiliated entities.

Socios, which has provided fan tokens for Arsenal, Aston Villa, and Paris Saint-Germain, has been criticized by supporter groups for its "pay to have a say" operations. It remains unclear whether the offered equity will be in UK clubs, but discussions are reportedly underway with teams in Europe's Big Five leagues (England, France, Spain, Italy, and Germany).

Blockchain technology has been employed before to purchase stakes in football clubs, with Italian team Rimini FC selling a 25% stake in a Serie C club using cryptocurrency Quantocoin. Watford also experimented with blockchain, offering fans token rewards for investing in the club at a £175 million valuation in 2024, though the scheme was discontinued in 2025.

English non-league team Real Bedford accepts crypto payments for merchandise and matchday tickets, having sold a 45% stake to Bitcoin entrepreneurs Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss using traditional payment methods. Both Securitize and Socios assert that their collaboration will create the world's first regulated investment infrastructure for tokenized sports club equity.