Binance has quietly introduced new API endpoints suggesting a renewed interest in stock trading with perpetual futures. This comes after a previous attempt to launch stock trading in 2021 that ended prematurely.

In the changelog released by Binance, it was noted that three new API endpoints were added. One of these, featuring a URL structure that includes stock/contract, allows users to ‘sign a TradFi-Perps agreement contract.’ The other endpoints facilitate querying trading session schedules for a week and current trading session details, hinting at planned trading sessions similar to traditional finance rather than the continuous trading offered in cryptocurrency markets.

This marks another step for Binance following its attempt to introduce tokenized stocks back in 2021, which was later scrapped in the face of regulatory scrutiny.

Binance API change log. Source: Binance

For context, other major crypto exchanges are also venturing into tokenized stocks, with Coinbase reportedly on the verge of launching similar features. Nevertheless, not everyone is in favor of these developments. Citadel Securities recently provoked criticism by urging the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to impose stricter regulations on tokenized stock trading on decentralized finance platforms, arguing that these markets should be closely regulated, similar to conventional exchanges.

Despite some opposition, several traditional finance institutions are adapting to integrate tokenization into their operations, including Nasdaq, which is prioritizing SEC approval to offer tokenized stock versions. The SEC itself has signaled a shift towards accommodating such innovations in its regulatory framework, including the recent issuance of a ’no-action’ letter to a subsidiary of the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation that specializes in security tokenization services.