Swiss equity token specialist Aktionariat AG and securities firm Taurus SA today announced a partnership.
Aktionariat’s tokenization tools and Taurus Digital Exchange (TDX) organized trading facility are natural complements. Under the newly announced partnership, Taurus will support selected shares tokenized with Aktionariat on the Ethereum blockchain and Aktionariat will offer client companies a smooth path towards being admitted to trading on TDX as they grow in market capitalization and match admission criteria.
This collaboration brings together Aktionariat's expertise in tokenizing Swiss companies’ equity with Taurus' institutional-grade trading technology. It aims to increase liquidity and unlock value for tokenized SMEs and their shareholders by providing access to TDX's network of banks, professional investors, and retail clients.
Murat Ögat, CEO of Aktionariat, said: "Our mission is to enable companies to leverage the power of blockchain-based financing. While we already offer tools to enable the sale and limited informal trading of security tokens, there is a lack of licensed marketplaces for security tokens. Taurus fills this gap with its digital marketplace. Having a smooth path to access this market will provide value to our clients and also strengthen the usefulness of our offering for their investors.”
Aktionariat is the leading service provider in the space, and its product suite consists of a portfolio app for investors, a fully automated shareholder registry for issuers, and web-based tools to organize the relations between both. Aktionariat is used by more than 30,000 registered shareholders and 70 issuers.
Victor Busson, CMO at Taurus, commented: "By combining Aktionariat's expertise with our TDX marketplace, we're helping to create a robust ecosystem for issuers and investors alike. This collaboration demonstrates how tokenization can increase liquidity and accessibility for the private capital market. We're particularly excited about the potential for companies like RealUnit to leverage our platform, showcasing the tangible benefits of tokenization for both issuers and investors.”
Among the first tokenized SMEs expected to be admitted for trading on TDX following this partnership is RealUnit Schweiz AG, an investment company focused on real assets, with several additional companies expected to follow in 2025 as the ecosystem of tokenized SMEs expands. RealUnit tokenized its shares with Aktionariat in April 2022 and used its tools to allow investors to hold them using any Ethereum-based crypto wallet. Investors could choose between classic bearer shares and registered shares as tokens - a first in the Swiss capital market.
Dani Stüssi, CEO of RealUnit Schweiz AG, said: "As one of the first Swiss companies to offer tokenized instruments, we're excited to be at the forefront of this partnership between Aktionariat and Taurus. Being admitted to trade on TDX is a natural next step in our journey to increase accessibility and liquidity for our investors. This move aligns perfectly with our mission of opening up access to actively managed real asset investments.”
The collaboration is expected to go live in November, enabling the first Aktionariat-tokenized SMEs to begin trading on TDX.
This collaboration aligns with Taurus' broader vision of digitizing private markets and making private equity more accessible to investors. The company believes that buying a private security should become as straightforward as purchasing a book online, whether it's equity, debt, or other assets such as funds and real estate.
TDX's platform offers unique advantages for SME equity trading, including 24/7 accessibility and enhanced transaction efficiency. These features are particularly beneficial for smaller companies and their investors, who often face liquidity challenges in traditional markets. SMEs will be able to enjoy the many benefits of being traded without the requirements of a traditional listing.