NYSE Tests Avalanche Blockchain Behind the Scenes for Tokenized Stocks

TLDR

• The New York Stock Exchange has spent about a year testing Avalanche technology, according to Ava Labs President Charley Cooper.
• NYSE parent ICE has been assessing how Avalanche could fit into its planned tokenized securities infrastructure.
• Neither NYSE nor ICE has confirmed that Avalanche has been selected for the platform.
• NYSE plans to support onchain trading and settlement of tokenized U.S. stocks and ETFs, subject to regulatory approval.
• ICE is also working with tZERO as a design partner for its tokenized securities infrastructure.

The New York Stock Exchange has spent about a year testing Avalanche blockchain technology as it works on plans for tokenized U.S. stocks and exchange-traded funds.

🚨The NYSE spent the past year testing Avalanche technology for its tokenization plans, according to Ava Labs President Charley Cooper.

The tokenization race is officially heating up. pic.twitter.com/ccOx12ykXI

— Phoenix Trading Desk (@investorphoenix) September 18, 2026

Ava Labs President Charley Cooper disclosed the testing during the Avalanche Summit in New York on Thursday.

Cooper said NYSE has been examining how Avalanche technology could connect with the exchange’s existing systems.

The work has gone beyond technical testing. According to Cooper, NYSE also questioned Ava Labs about its business model and whether the company understood the commercial needs of a major exchange.

NYSE Evaluates Avalanche for Tokenized Stocks

Cooper described the relationship between Ava Labs and NYSE parent Intercontinental Exchange as close. He did not say that Avalanche had been selected for the tokenization project.

ICE Head of Strategic Initiatives Michael Blaugrund also discussed the relationship during the Avalanche Summit.

Blaugrund said ICE was very engaged with the Avalanche team while assessing different blockchain platforms. He said Avalanche met many of the requirements ICE was examining.

NYSE first announced its tokenized securities plans in January. The exchange said it was developing a platform for trading and onchain settlement of U.S. equities and ETFs.

The proposed system remains subject to regulatory approval.

NYSE plans to combine its existing Pillar matching engine with blockchain-based systems handling processes after a trade is completed.

The planned platform is designed to support more than one blockchain for settlement and custody. That means Avalanche is one of the technologies being assessed rather than a confirmed choice.

In August, ICE announced a separate agreement with tZERO. The company was named as a design partner for infrastructure supporting the planned NYSE-affiliated tokenized securities market.

ICE has still not publicly named which blockchain or blockchains will ultimately support the platform.

Crypto Technology Moves Into Stock Market Infrastructure

Tokenization allows traditional assets such as company shares to be represented and transferred using blockchain infrastructure.

NYSE’s plans would apply the technology to U.S. stocks and ETFs while keeping its established trading engine at the center of the system.

Cooper also discussed the possibility of longer trading hours for tokenized securities. He said some venues could begin offering 24-hour weekday trading within the next year.

He said it was unclear whether the first venues to do so would include major exchanges such as NYSE, the London Stock Exchange or CME.

Cooper also pointed to an SEC innovation exemption announced Thursday that he said permits certain forms of onchain trading involving tokenized stocks.

For now, ICE continues evaluating blockchain providers while working with tZERO on the broader platform design. Avalanche has undergone a year of testing, but NYSE has not confirmed that it will use the network for its tokenized securities platform.