Andrew McCormick, Head of Institutional and Market Development at Chainlink Labs, is scheduled to speak at TOKEN2049 Singapore on October 7-8 about the institutional adoption of blockchain-based markets. His core argument: tokenized equities represent the next significant evolution in finance, with supporting infrastructure now becoming available.
McCormick joined Chainlink Labs on June 4, 2026, after holding leadership positions at Morgan Stanley, E*Trade, and eToro US. The conference, held at Marina Bay Sands, expects over 25,000 attendees and more than 300 speakers, with traditional finance institutions including Nasdaq and BlackRock among the participants.
The Tokenization Pitch
McCormick's institutional pitch centers on three key improvements over current market structures. The first is 24/7 trading, enabling markets that operate continuously without weekend or holiday closures. The second is T+0 settlement, where trades clear instantly rather than remaining in multi-day settlement cycles. The third is programmable collateral—assets with embedded instructions that automatically move, lock, or release based on coded conditions rather than awaiting manual approval.
McCormick has cited multiple McKinsey studies forecasting that tokenized assets could grow from several hundred billion dollars currently to $4 trillion by 2030.
Infrastructure and Regulatory Support
Chainlink's positioning centers on two products. Data Streams supports onchain equities and ETFs for 24/7 perpetual markets. The Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP) enables assets and messages to move between blockchains, addressing the technical challenge that blockchains do not naturally communicate.
McCormick frames the shift toward tokenization as driven by market demand and favorable regulatory developments. He points to the GENIUS Act and CLARITY Act as key enablers for wider tokenized equity adoption in the United States.
Implications for Markets and Infrastructure
The presence of traditional finance institutions at TOKEN2049 signals a shift in the tokenization conversation from "if" to "how." Around-the-clock trading and instant settlement could enhance liquidity and broaden investor access, particularly for those in time zones underserved by traditional exchange hours.
Chainlink's recruitment of a career brokerage executive suggests the company is targeting institutional trading desks as primary customers, positioning blockchain infrastructure providers as central to any significant growth in tokenized asset markets.
