ARK Invest, a prominent US asset management firm led by Cathie Wood, has brought its flagship venture capital strategy onto the blockchain by tokenizing the ARK Venture Fund on Ethereum. Collaborating with Securitize, ARK Invest is enabling certain investors to access private market holdings like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Stripe via blockchain-powered channels. This initiative, announced on September 24, marks the company’s first move into fund tokenization and is considered one of the largest such efforts in the venture space to date.
Fund structure and blockchain integration
Instead of directly tokenizing shares in the underlying portfolio companies, the ARK Venture Fund provides a regulated, blockchain-based tokenized interest in the fund itself. This approach leverages public blockchains for fund administration and broadens access to private technology firms that have attracted rising investor demand, especially in the artificial intelligence sector.
The fund’s tokenized share class, ARKVX, trades on Securitize’s platform. Ethereum functions as the settlement network for ARK Venture Fund’s $1.3 billion portfolio, making on-chain proof of ownership possible for select investors via digital tokens.
ARK Venture Fund operates as an actively managed closed-end interval fund. As of August 31, 2026, net assets stood at $1.3 billion. The portfolio typically holds between 25 and 50 assets, blending private positions—such as OpenAI (5.26%), Anthropic (3.86%), and Stripe—with public equities including Tesla and Coinbase. Notable allocations also include SpaceX at 7.54%, alongside Databricks and Figure AI.
For eligible investors, access is limited to the ARK Venture Fund itself and does not represent direct equity in portfolio companies like OpenAI or Anthropic. Securitize, which manages over $5 billion in tokenized real-world assets, serves as the issuer and administrator for ARKVX. Subscriptions are accepted in USDC, with a minimum investment of $500, and tokens are distributed following net asset value determination. The offering remains restricted to qualified investors and is not open to the general public.
Mini dictionary: Securitize, a digital asset securities platform, specializes in tokenizing traditional investment funds and private company shares for compliant blockchain trading and administration.
Regulatory developments and trading mechanics
On September 21, the US Securities and Exchange Commission issued a modified order for the ARK Venture Fund, permitting ARKVX holdings to be tracked using a distributed ledger and to trade through regulated alternative trading systems and quotation facilities.
Given the interval fund structure, share repurchases only occur periodically through scheduled offers that may be oversubscribed. Currently, Securitize does not expect a secondary trading market for ARKVX in the near future. This setup distinguishes ARK Venture Fund from tokenized money market funds such as BlackRock’s BUIDL, which offers daily liquidity, anchoring it instead in a model typical of private-market infrastructure where blockchain use centers on administrative transparency rather than on immediate tradability.
| Fund | Subscription | Liquidity | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARK Venture Fund (ARKVX) | USDC, $500 minimum | Periodic buybacks only | Securitize (Ethereum) |
| BlackRock BUIDL | Regular cash investments | Daily redemption | Various (private blockchains) |
Leadership perspectives and industry implications
Cathie Wood, CEO of ARK Invest, emphasized that trading the ARK Venture Fund token exemplifies a tangible step forward for blockchain adoption in capital markets. Securitize CEO Carlos Domingo commented that the fund’s on-chain launch showcases how established fund managers are embracing new technologies. The partnership between ARK Invest and Securitize was strengthened after ARK Invest participated in a funding round for Securitize in October 2025, underpinning their cooperation on ARKVX issuance.
Trading the ARK Venture Fund token demonstrates how established managers are able to place existing investment products onto blockchain rails, offering streamlined access and transparent ownership registration.
Broader impact on private markets and tokenization trends
In the broader cryptocurrency ecosystem, ARK Invest’s initiative cements Ethereum’s status as a preferred settlement network for compliant real-world asset tokenization. Securitize has previously supported offerings for large institutions such as BlackRock and Hamilton Lane, but the ARK Venture Fund brings tokenization into the traditionally inaccessible realm of venture capital, where operational hurdles once discouraged broader institutional participation.
For eligible buyers, the fund’s structure removes some obstacles to investing in private artificial intelligence companies previously limited to specialist venture capital vehicles. Industry observers are watching whether Securitize will eventually migrate ARKVX to other chains, whether alternative trading systems will list the token for secondary trading, and whether investor demand will hold up as on-chain share repurchase programs become available.
While the fund’s interval structure may restrict liquidity, ARK Venture Fund’s tokenization may serve as a prototype for other venture funds seeking to expand investor access, combining private technology exposure with blockchain-based recordkeeping and administration.
