Talking Tokenization: Why Tokenizing Stock Beats Traditional Shares | Maja Vujinovic

In this episode of Talking Tokenization, Jacquelyn Melinek interviews Maja Vujinovic, CEO and co-founder of Digital Assets FG Nexus. Maja unpacks FG Nexus’s recent partnership with Securitize to put both its common and dividend-paying preferred shares fully on Ethereum, making it the first time a Nasdaq-listed company can offer truly onchain equity with programmable features. The conversation covers what “native tokenization” really means, contrasts it with traditional “wrapped” assets, and explores how direct onchain issuance lowers settlement times, improves transparency, and radically rethinks corporate finance. Maja shares lessons from building in regulated markets, the technology and governance challenges in real-world asset tokenization, and how programmable shares could rewire global investor access and governance. The episode closes on advice for founders and institutions eyeing the path from pilot to mainstream adoption.Sponsored by Securitize, the proven leader in tokenized funds, equities, and private markets. Discover more at securitize.io.Sponsored by Fireblocks, infrastructure for secure tokenized assets. Learn more at fireblocks.com.Timestamps (00:00) - Intro (01:02) - What tokenization really means and how it works in practice (02:16) - Inside FG Nexus and Securitize’s partnership to tokenize equity (03:54) - The significance of being a Nasdaq-listed firm with onchain shares (05:21) - What “natively tokenized” means vs wrapped or synthetic assets (07:11) - Why corporate participation matters for legitimacy and adoption (09:45) - How tokenization can expand liquidity, transparency, and access (11:17) - How Wall Street and major banks are now exploring stablecoins (12:46) - The path to adoption: regulation, revenue models, and marketplaces (14:32) - “Not all tokenization is created equal:” structural vs surface innovation (16:40) - Removing intermediaries: why smart contracts shift cost and trust (18:22) - The future of how AI and blockchain change corporate roles (20:59) - Why tokenized equities are the next evolution of capital markets (22:21) - Why FG Nexus chose Ethereum over other L1s (24:45) - Neutrality, decentralization, and Ethereum’s institutional alignment (26:09) - How FG Nexus fits into Ethereum’s ecosystem and future plans (27:46) - The Clarity Act and what it means for DeFi participation (29:57) - Challenges in tokenization: liquidity, interoperability & accounting gaps (31:48) - How blockchain will reshape corporate finance in 5–10 years (33:45) - “Rewriting Wall Street:” programmable finance for global markets (35:02) - The funniest and most interesting tokenization requests she’s received (36:57) - Closing thoughts: improving, not replacing, the existing financial system

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