Cryptocurrency exchange KuCoin recently announced the official launch of perpetual contracts for Tesla (TSLA) and MicroStrategy (MSTR) stocks, settled in USD stablecoin (USDT). These newly introduced products, coded TSLAUSDT and MSTRUSDT on the trading platform, aim to track the price movements of Tesla and MicroStrategy stocks. It is important to emphasize that these contracts do not grant holders any ownership in the underlying companies. Instead, they provide synthetic exposure through derivatives and are settled in stablecoins.
A key highlight of these perpetual contracts is their design with no expiration date, allowing users to maintain positions based on margin requirements, theoretically holding them indefinitely. Furthermore, KuCoin has set the minimum opening threshold at just 1 USDT, significantly lowering the barrier to entry for trading stock-linked derivatives and offering a more accessible gateway for investors seeking stock market exposure.
This innovative service launched by KuCoin aims to enable users to trade stock derivatives around the clock. As the cryptocurrency market operates 24/7 non-stop, while traditional stock markets have fixed trading hours, KuCoin has optimized its pricing model to bridge the gap between traditional trading times and the crypto derivatives market. This ensures that contract prices effectively reflect real-time stock movements and allows users to speculate on price fluctuations at any point in time.
It is important to note that KuCoin has also explicitly stated that users in certain regions may be subject to restrictions on product usage. Specific accessibility will depend on local financial regulatory policies and compliance requirements, and user experience may vary across different jurisdictions.
Tokenized Stock Market Gains Momentum
Since the beginning of 2025, the tokenized stock market has shown a vigorous growth trend. Data indicates that as of now, the total market capitalization of tokenized stocks has approached $1.03 billion, a significant increase from approximately $291 million at the start of 2025. This growth signifies that the tokenization of traditional financial assets is becoming a trend that cannot be ignored.
Concurrently, fintech companies and cryptocurrency exchanges are actively developing and deploying stock tokenization products, dedicated to providing investors with 24/7, borderless trading channels for traditional financial assets. An increasing number of investors are beginning to explore the opportunities presented by the tokenized market through digital asset platforms.
Several major exchanges have already taken the lead in expanding their services in this domain. For instance, at the beginning of 2025, platforms like Kraken and Bybit had already listed over 60 tokenized stocks, and Backed Finance had previously launched its xStocks tokenized products.
Crypto Platforms Accelerate Stock Tokenization Strategy
Last month, Kraken also launched tokenized stock perpetual futures on its regulated derivatives platform. This product allows eligible non-US traders to gain leveraged exposure around the clock, covering major US stock indices, gold, and stocks of well-known companies such as Tesla, Nvidia, and Apple.
These developments collectively validate the growing interest in blockchain-based stock trading infrastructure. Major exchanges are continuously experimenting with new models that combine traditional stocks with digital asset technology.