Securitize and Socios.com plan tokenized equity for sports teams

Securitize and Socios.com have partnered to develop regulated tokenized equity offerings that would represent minority ownership stakes in professional sports teams. Summary Securitize and Socios.com will develop regulated tokenized equity representing minority stakes in professional sports teams. Socios.com will manage sports and fan relationships, while Securitize will handle issuance, investor onboarding, ownership records and transfers. The first offering is expected to use Securitize’s authorized EU DLT trading and settlement system. Participating teams, investment terms, eligibility requirements and supported blockchains will be disclosed after individual offerings are approved. The companies said the planned offerings will operate under the Socios Equity Token brand, combining Socios.com’s sports relationships and fan network with Securitize’s regulated securities infrastructure in the United States and Europe. Socios.com, which is powered by Chiliz Group, will lead relationships with teams, owners and fans. Securitize will handle the regulated side of the offerings, including securities issuance, investor onboarding, ownership records and transfers. The companies plan to structure the products for two groups of investors. Eligible fans could gain an economic relationship with the teams they support, while institutional and private equity investors could use the offerings to access professional sports franchises as an alternative asset class. Professional sports franchises represent an estimated $500 billion global market, according to the firms, but ownership stakes have largely remained private and difficult for outside investors to access. Socios Equity Token would represent regulated team ownership Socios Equity Tokens would differ from the Fan Tokens that Socios.com has issued with more than 70 sports organizations, most of them soccer clubs. Fan Tokens have primarily been used to connect supporters with clubs through digital engagement programs and other team-related features. The planned equity products would instead represent regulated securities tied to minority ownership interests in participating professional teams. Specific ownership rights and other conditions will depend on the terms of each approved offering. Socios.com has spent years building its sports network around Fan Tokens. During the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Chiliz introduced its Burn to Glory campaign, which linked treasury-held Fan Token burns to match victories by participating national teams. Crypto.news previously reported that the program covered tokens tied to Argentina, Belgium, Portugal, South Africa and Scotland, with burn percentages increasing as teams progressed through the tournament. The tokens were removed from treasury holdings after qualifying victories instead of being taken from holders. You might also like: Securitize says SEC pulled crypto exemption ahead of CLARITY Act vote The sports equity partnership would take Socios.com into a different part of the market, with Securitize providing the infrastructure needed to issue and administer regulated securities.