Securitize to issue tokenized sports team equity for Socios under EU pilot regime

Securitize will manage the regulated issuance, investor onboarding, and ownership records for Socios.com’s plan to sell tokenized minority stakes in professional sports teams, the companies announced on Wednesday.

The tokens, branded as Socios Equity Tokens, are separate from Socios’ existing fan tokens, which are used for engagement and utility. The new tokens represent a regulated financial interest in sports teams, subject to securities laws, league requirements, and jurisdictional restrictions.

Socios’ parent company, Chiliz Group, had previously announced the equity token product on August 27 but did not name an issuer at the time.

How the partnership works

Socios.com will lead relationships with sports teams and the fan-facing aspects of the product, while Securitize will handle the issuance, transfer controls, and ongoing servicing through its regulated affiliates.

The initiative is expected to be the first tokenization project launched under Securitize’s European Trading & Settlement System, operating within the EU’s DLT Pilot Regime. This regime imposes strict limits: issuers must have a market capitalization below €500 million at the time of admission. Bond issuances are capped at €1 billion, and the total market value of all instruments on a single infrastructure cannot exceed €6 billion at admission.

Ownership and eligibility constraints

Under current rules, such as those adopted by NFL owners in August 2024, private equity funds can buy into clubs with restrictions: a maximum 10% stake per team, a minimum 3% per stake, a six-year holding period, no voting power, and a limit of 25 owners per team. European football clubs, where Socios’ partners are based, have varying ownership rules, and details for individual offerings will be disclosed only upon approval.

The companies have not specified which entity will issue the shares, how offerings will be structured within the caps, or whether a vehicle holding a minority stake will act as the issuer.

Market context and existing products

Socios’ existing fan tokens, a separate product, represent a $146.1 million category across 67 tokens, according to CoinGecko. The company reports that fan tokens have generated over $700 million for sports organizations since 2018 and that it partners with more than 70 clubs and federations, including Arsenal, Manchester City, and FC Barcelona.

Securitize, which listed on the NYSE in July 2026, reported average tokenized assets under management of $4.3 billion in Q2 2026, with total revenue of $14.4 million and a net loss of $21.7 million. The company has focused on tokenizing listed equities, including a partnership with Computershare to tokenize U.S.-listed stocks.

Target audience and demand

The tokenized equity product aims to attract two groups: fans seeking an economic stake in their favorite teams and institutional investors looking for exposure to sports franchise value. A survey commissioned by Chiliz found that 72% of 5,000 respondents across the U.S., UK, Italy, Spain, and South Korea expressed interest in buying club equity digital assets, with an average willingness to invest £913.

Sources

• The Defiant