ARK Invest has tokenized its ARK Venture Fund by recording ownership as digital tokens on the Ethereum blockchain through a partnership with Securitize. The fund, with approximately $1.3 billion in assets, holds stakes in private companies including SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic.
The tokenized share class became available following a September 21 SEC order that permits the fund to offer shares that may trade on alternative trading systems, which are private electronic venues operating outside traditional stock exchanges. ARK and Securitize announced the move on September 24.
Portfolio Composition
As of August 31, approximately 78% of the fund's holdings consisted of companies without public stock tickers. SpaceX represented the largest position at 7.54% of the fund, followed by OpenAI at 5.26% and Anthropic at 3.86%.
Fund Structure and Costs
The ARK Venture Fund operates as an interval fund, repurchasing shares only at scheduled intervals. According to its prospectus, buybacks occur quarterly and may be oversubscribed. The fund carries annual expenses of 2.9% after fee waivers.
ARK launched the fund in September 2022 with a $500 minimum investment, positioning venture capital access as an alternative to traditional private markets reserved for wealthy investors. The fund's net assets grew from $208 million in July 2025 to $558 million by January 2026, according to SEC filings.
Tokenization and Market Context
Tokenizing a fund means recording ownership on a blockchain, a public ledger that can be verified by anyone. Securitize has previously tokenized BlackRock's BUIDL fund on Ethereum in March 2024. ARK announced a strategic investment in Securitize in October 2025.
Cathie Wood, founder, CEO and CIO of ARK Invest, stated that tokenization has the potential to reshape how investors access and participate in private and public financial markets.
