Key Takeaways
- • Hunter Horsley, CEO of Bitwise Asset Management, expects a framework for tokenized equities to emerge in roughly two to three years, potentially sooner than markets currently anticipate.
- • Horsley characterizes tokenization as one of the most significant developments in financial markets over the next two to three years, per a CNBC interview.
- • The discussion also covered the recently launched Bitwise NEAR ETF and its positioning at the intersection of artificial intelligence and blockchain technology.
- • Bitwise's publicly available materials point to tokenization and stablecoins as leading themes for advisors, with the firm's 2026 benchmark survey identifying both among the most-watched topics.
Summary
Hunter Horsley, CEO of Bitwise Asset Management, told CNBC that a regulatory and operational framework for tokenized equities may arrive in two to three years, potentially earlier than market participants expect. In the interview, Horsley discussed the trajectory of crypto markets and argued that tokenization is poised to be among the most consequential developments in financial markets over that horizon. Tokenized equities refer to traditional shares represented as digital tokens on a blockchain, a structure that proponents argue could improve settlement efficiency and broaden access to securities.
The conversation also addressed the recently launched Bitwise NEAR ETF. Horsley positioned the fund at the intersection of artificial intelligence and blockchain technology, reflecting the firm's broader push to link crypto infrastructure with adjacent growth themes. The interview was published on CNBC's platform and runs approximately three minutes.
Bitwise's broader product and research activity supports the thesis of rising institutional interest in tokenization. The firm's 2026 Bitwise/VettaFi Benchmark Survey, its eighth annual study, identified stablecoins, tokenization, and fiat debasement as the most-watched themes among financial advisors this year. Bitwise also markets a Stablecoin and Tokenization Portfolio that seeks exposure to crypto assets and crypto-linked equities, and it describes itself as the world's largest crypto index fund manager.
Note that the underlying interview transcript was not available in the source material, so Horsley's specific remarks on timing rely on the CNBC headline and summary description rather than direct quotation.
The conversation also addressed the recently launched Bitwise NEAR ETF. Horsley positioned the fund at the intersection of artificial intelligence and blockchain technology, reflecting the firm's broader push to link crypto infrastructure with adjacent growth themes. The interview was published on CNBC's platform and runs approximately three minutes.
Bitwise's broader product and research activity supports the thesis of rising institutional interest in tokenization. The firm's 2026 Bitwise/VettaFi Benchmark Survey, its eighth annual study, identified stablecoins, tokenization, and fiat debasement as the most-watched themes among financial advisors this year. Bitwise also markets a Stablecoin and Tokenization Portfolio that seeks exposure to crypto assets and crypto-linked equities, and it describes itself as the world's largest crypto index fund manager.
Note that the underlying interview transcript was not available in the source material, so Horsley's specific remarks on timing rely on the CNBC headline and summary description rather than direct quotation.
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