Frankfurt based 21X has announced the launch of its exchange for tokenized cash and securities. As what it terms the world’s first exchange to enable smart contract-based matching and settlement, 21X said it has established a new global benchmark for capital markets, under the oversight of BaFin, Bundesbank and ESMA.
With the backing of industry players at launch including Chainlink, Circle, Polygon and SBI Digital Markets, 21X has developed a more efficient and accessible financial market infrastructure powered by blockchain technology. Other early supporters of the company on its journey to global tokenized capital markets include ABN Amro, Apex Group, Future Processing, Stellar and Tradevest.
This announcement follows the successful opening of 21X’s primary market in May, which saw the listing of the first tokenized note. Today’s secondary market launch is a logical next step in creating an operational and liquid trading platform in an open ecosystem, positioning 21X at the intersection of decentralized and traditional finance.
Investors can now use stablecoins, other forms of digital cash and fiat money to buy and sell tokenized assets on 21X following participation by the company in trials of the European Central Bank. Order matching and settlement take place within two seconds compared to traditional settlement times of days or even weeks.
Unlike traditional and other digital asset exchanges – including recently announced projects – 21X democratises access to any types of participants, including corporate clients and institutional investors, in addition to banks and financial institutions. This enables entirely new uses and business cases.
The platform ensures trading activities uphold the same standards of security, compliance, and transparency known from traditional financial systems while setting a new benchmark for trust, efficiency and interoperability in digital finance. Currently operating weekdays from 8am to 5pm CET, 21X will soon expand to 24/7 trading to meet the needs of a global industry.
Max J. Heinzle, founder and CEO of 21X, stated,
“The launch of 21X marks the ‘Spotify moment’ for capital markets where on-chain is the new online. For the very first time a security trade is settled atomically, peer-to-peer, in real time, no longer requiring central securities depositary nor clearing services. 21X compresses capital market workflows and can reduce participant costs by more than 50 percent, while enabling wallet-‑based access – whether in self-custody or via a third party. 21X is testament to what’s possible when you move fast and leverage the latest technology.
“Today, investors worldwide can directly access our blockchain-based exchange that finally delivers what digital securities have promised – unparalleled transaction speed, reduced risk, disintermediation, accessibility, transparency and significant cost reductions. We are breaking down the walled gardens created by other exchanges that limit participant access exclusively to regulated institutions.”
Fernando Vazquez, President of Banking & Capital Markets at Chainlink Labs, stated,
“The launch of 21X represents a pivotal milestone in European capital markets, where regulated onchain markets powered by Chainlink now operate at the highest standards of security, compliance, and operational efficiency. By adopting Chainlink to publish its market data directly onchain, 21X is unlocking new levels of transparency, liquidity, and collateral utility for tokenized securities within the onchain economy. This milestone highlights how Chainlink’s data standard, combined with strong regulatory frameworks, is laying the foundation for the next generation of global financial markets.”
21X has secured over 30 exchange participant agreements during recent months, with more than 100 financial instruments from globally leading issuers in the pipeline. This is a result of a momentum shift in demand for tokenized securities that is well underway around the globe. Today’s EU launch is the beginning of 21X’s global growth journey to meet surging demand.
Heinzle concluded,
“To launch 21X has been a profound honour, and I want to extend my deepest gratitude to our entire team whose incredibly hard work has made this a reality. The success of this journey so far is thanks to the forward-thinking commitment to innovation from our employees, investors, partners, and key regulatory representatives—in particular, those at BaFin, Bundesbank, and ESMA.”
About 21X
21X is a Frankfurt-based financial institution at the forefront of revolutionizing capital markets through the use of blockchain technology. On 8th September 2025, 21X opened the first ever fully regulated distributed ledger technology trading and settlement system (DLT TSS) in the EU, positioning the company as a leader in the transition from traditional to tokenized asset-based capital markets. 21X enables atomic trading without counterparty or credit risk through smart contract-based issuance, trading and settlement of tokenized stocks, bonds and funds.
