Crypto exchange KuCoin has just launched perpetual contracts linked to equity prices, allowing users to speculate on the price movements of Tesla and Strategy stocks through USDt-settled contracts available 24/7.
According to a recent announcement, the initial contracts offered are TSLAUSDT and MSTRUSDT. These derivatives track the prices of the respective stocks without granting actual ownership. They are synthetic products settled in stablecoins.
These contracts do not have an expiration date and can be continuously traded. Positions can be initiated with as little as 1 USDt, thus lowering the barrier for traders to gain exposure to stock-related price movements via cryptocurrency platforms.
KuCoin says the pricing model employed is designed to reflect the performance of the underlying equity markets while accommodating the continuous trading nature of crypto derivatives, which differs from traditional stock market hours.
There may be restrictions on access to these contracts in certain regions due to local laws and regulations.
Founded in 2017, KuCoin claims to cater to over 40 million users in more than 200 countries and lists over 1,000 digital tokens for trading. As per CoinMarketCap, the exchange holds the eighth position in terms of spot trading volume.
MicroStrategy, now branded as Strategy, is known to be the largest corporate Bitcoin holder with 738,731 BTC. Tesla, on the other hand, is the 12th-largest public holder with 11,509 BTC.
Tokenization Efforts in the Sector
The market for tokenized equities has seen substantial growth, currently valued at approximately $1.03 billion—up from around $291 million since the start of 2025, driven by fintech firms, crypto exchanges, and conventional brokerages.
In October, Robinhood expanded its tokenization program on the Arbitrum blockchain, incorporating 80 more stock tokens, bringing its total to nearly 500.
Moreover, traditional exchanges are exploring tokenization as well. The New York Stock Exchange is developing a platform for trading tokenized stocks and ETFs, targeting 24/7 trading and immediate settlement, pending regulatory approvals. Additionally, Nasdaq has submitted applications to the US Securities and Exchange Commission to list tokenized stocks, collaborating with Payward and its subsidiary Backed Finance to create a tokenization gateway expected to launch in early 2027.
