ARK Invest and Securitize announced the launch of the ARK Venture Fund’s tokenized share class, ARKVX, on September 24. This initiative will see shares of the fund issued and managed through Securitize’s regulated tokenization platform, bringing its exposure to blockchain through Ethereum.
New Fund Structure, Not Tokenized Company Shares
The ARK Venture Fund is managed by ARK Invest, an asset manager known for focusing on disruptive innovation and technology investments. With the new tokenized share class, investors do not hold tokens representing direct equity in SpaceX, OpenAI, Anthropic, or other portfolio companies. Instead, ARKVX represents a fractional interest in the regulated fund itself, which in turn holds stakes in these private and public technology firms.
Current portfolio data from ARK Invest show SpaceX makes up 7.54% of the fund, OpenAI accounts for 5.26%, and Anthropic stands at 3.86%. Other notable companies in the fund include Stripe, Crusoe, and Figure AI among a mix of private and listed technology ventures.
The new structure allows investors to buy tokenized interests in a regulated fund with exposure to high-growth technology companies, but not in the underlying companies themselves.
Eligible investors must participate through Securitize’s official platform, which provides the technical and regulatory infrastructure to facilitate compliant onchain issuance and transfers.
Mini dictionary: Securitize is a US-based digital asset securities firm specializing in the compliant issuance and management of tokenized securities, providing regulated infrastructure for onchain asset management.
Ethereum as the Settlement Layer
Securitize has stated that the ARKVX share class will settle and transfer on Ethereum’s blockchain, taking advantage of its smart contract capabilities for record keeping and transaction validation. However, the fundamental structure and investment framework of the ARK Venture Fund remain unchanged. As a closed-end interval fund, it continues to be actively managed, focusing on disruptive private and public market investments.
Interval funds are a specific category of investment vehicles that offer periodic repurchase opportunities, rather than continuous secondary market trading. This means holders of ARKVX retain exposure to technological growth but must participate in scheduled liquidity windows, as opposed to instant tradability sometimes associated with blockchain-based assets.
| Fund Attribute | Traditional Structure | Tokenized ARKVX |
|---|---|---|
| Ownership Record | Offchain (Registrar) | Onchain (Ethereum) |
| Liquidity | Periodic Repurchase | Periodic Repurchase |
| Underlying Assets | Private & Public Tech Companies | Private & Public Tech Companies |
| Investor Access | Traditional Platform | Securitize Platform |
The tokenization adds a new digital rail but does not affect the fund’s core liquidity or access to underlying company equity. ARK Invest emphasized that while trading onchain can sound more liquid, the interval fund format means liquidity remains governed by official repurchase periods.
Moving tokenized funds onchain updates ownership and settlement processes, but it leaves the fundamental investment and redemption structures intact.
Growth in Tokenized Real-World Assets
ARK Invest has advocated for the continued growth of tokenized real-world assets (RWA) within traditional finance. The firm believes tokenization could expand market access and potentially unlock a multi-trillion-dollar segment for investors seeking exposure to disruptive technology.
This launch aligns with a broader industry shift as funds and securities increasingly leverage blockchain for efficiency, transparency, and broader investor reach.
