ARK Invest has tokenized its ARK Venture Fund through Securitize, a move that represents the asset manager's first fund to move onchain through the platform. The fund holds approximately $1.3 billion in assets across private and public technology companies.
ARKVX is an actively managed closed-end interval fund focused on disruptive innovation. Its portfolio includes exposure to OpenAI, Anthropic, Stripe, and Databricks alongside public-market investments.
Tokenization of Fund Interests, Not Assets
The tokenization initiative represents an important distinction in how blockchain infrastructure can be applied to existing investment products. Rather than creating a cryptocurrency or converting underlying private companies into freely tradeable tokens, the tokenization applies specifically to fund interests.
Securitize will provide the tokenization infrastructure, allowing fund interests to be represented and administered onchain while the underlying investment strategy remains unchanged. This approach enables fund ownership, subscriptions, and transfers to be conducted through blockchain systems without altering the legal nature of the securities within the fund.
Broader Trend in Asset Management
The launch follows ARK's strategic investment in Securitize in 2025 and reflects a broader shift among large asset managers experimenting with blockchain infrastructure for traditional finance products. BlackRock's BUIDL fund and offerings from Franklin Templeton and WisdomTree have established precedent for tokenized investment products.
Private-market products have historically involved slower and more fragmented administrative systems compared to listed securities. Tokenization can make these administrative processes more programmable, though it does not automatically resolve liquidity or investor-eligibility restrictions.
With a $1.3 billion venture strategy now serving as a testbed for tokenization infrastructure, ARK and Securitize are exploring whether blockchain-based administration can become standard practice for mainstream investment products.
