ARK Invest Brings Venture Fund to Blockchain With OpenAI and Anthropic Holdings

Key Points

Table of Contents

Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest is launching a tokenized version of its Venture Fund (ARKVX) via Securitize.
The portfolio includes investments in OpenAI, Anthropic, Stripe, and Databricks.
Initial deployment will occur on Ethereum, with potential expansion to additional blockchains.
Securitize stock surged up to 15% following the partnership reveal.
The initiative capitalizes on recent SEC regulatory updates enabling tokenized securities trading.

In a significant move toward blockchain integration, Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest has revealed plans to tokenize its ARK Venture Fund through a strategic collaboration with Securitize.

Today, we’re bringing the ARK Venture Fund (ARKVX) onchain with @ARKInvest and making it available on @ethereum.

For the first time, eligible investors can access the tokenized version of ARK’s flagship disruptive innovation fund with a minimum investment of $500. pic.twitter.com/J9ME81et8D

— Securitize (@Securitize) September 24, 2026

This venture capital vehicle provides access to prominent private technology firms. Current portfolio companies include OpenAI, Anthropic, Stripe, and Databricks.

The blockchain-based fund shares will debut on Ethereum initially. Both ARK and Securitize have indicated that expansion to additional blockchain platforms may occur down the line.

Implications for Market Participants

The tokenization process doesn’t alter the fundamental nature of portfolio companies. OpenAI and Anthropic themselves won’t become directly tradable as blockchain assets.

Rather, participants will obtain digital tokens representing ownership stakes in the fund itself. Carlos Domingo, CEO of Securitize, outlined the advantages of this approach.

According to Domingo, investors can avoid picking individual winners in the AI space. The tokenized structure delivers diversified exposure across multiple industry leaders simultaneously.

“The underlying assets will still remain private, but the investment of the end users will be liquid,” Domingo said.

Securitize intends to publish daily net asset valuations for the fund. Additionally, the platform will facilitate trading of fund interests across blockchain-native marketplaces.

ARK’s Venture Fund operates as an actively managed, closed-end interval structure. Its investment thesis centers on companies driving what ARK characterizes as disruptive innovation, spanning both private and public markets.

Market Response to Securitize Partnership

Securitize shares rallied as much as 15% in the wake of the partnership announcement. This spike propelled the stock to new highs since its public market entry last June.

The company’s equity value has approximately doubled over the preceding seven days. This momentum follows separate regulatory developments from the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The SEC recently unveiled a five-year “innovation exemption” framework. This regulatory provision aims to streamline trading of qualified tokenized securities on specialized blockchain platforms.

This exemption offers financial institutions an experimental pathway for blockchain-based securities infrastructure. Regulatory authorities have signaled their interest in facilitating gradual market migration to onchain systems.

ARK’s initiative aligns with emerging trends across traditional finance. Institutional asset managers have increasingly deployed blockchain technology for various financial instruments.

Previous tokenization projects predominantly targeted Treasury securities and money market products. Notable examples include BlackRock’s BUIDL offering and Franklin Templeton’s BENJI product.

The industry is now progressing into equity markets and private capital spaces. Citi analysts have forecasted that tokenized securities markets could achieve $5.5 trillion in value by 2030 in their baseline scenario.

This partnership marks a continuation of ARK and Securitize’s relationship. ARK committed a strategic capital investment in Securitize during the previous year.

That initial investment established a framework for developing regulated investment vehicles on blockchain infrastructure. Wood characterized the Venture Fund tokenization as fulfilling that collaborative vision.

“Tokenizing the ARK Venture Fund puts our conviction in the evolution, if not revolution, of capital markets into practice,” Wood said in a statement.

Domingo emphasized that this collaboration demonstrates how traditional investment instruments can transition to modern infrastructure. He framed the initiative as part of an ongoing strategic roadmap rather than an isolated development.

ARK notes that fund composition may evolve as investment decisions are made. The tokenized ARKVX offering is anticipated to launch on Ethereum in the near term.

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