Bullish acquires Equiniti in $4.2B tokenized securities push

Crypto exchange Bullish is acquiring transfer agent Equiniti for $4.2 billion, paying $2.35 billion in stock and assuming $1.85 billion in debt. The deal aims to create a transfer agent for tokenized securities, integrating blockchain technology into traditional financial infrastructure. Equiniti, a UK-based firm, manages shareholder records and corporate actions for thousands of companies. Bullish, backed by billionaire Peter Thiel and others, plans to leverage Equiniti's regulated status to bridge crypto and mainstream finance. The acquisition signals growing institutional interest in tokenization, where real-world assets are represented on blockchain. No regulatory approvals or timeline for completion were disclosed.