Crypto Exchanges Could Channel US$2T and 300M New Investors into Global Equity Markets by 2031
New commentary finds 93% of Binance stock trading users come from emerging markets, highlighting how tokenized equities could expand access to the world’s largest equity market.
Binance Research, the market research arm of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange Binance, has recently published a new weekly market commentary titled “Equity Layer: From Tokens to Tickers.” The report examines how crypto exchanges are emerging as a new gateway to global equity access, and what the tokenization of stocks means for the roughly 82% of the global population currently underexposed to US equities.
According to projections by Binance Research, crypto exchanges could collectively channel US$2T in incremental capital and nearly 300M new investors into global equity markets by 2031 under its base-case scenario. In a bull case, annual incremental equity capital could reach US$5T within the next five years.
This opportunity is rooted in a significant imbalance in global market participation. The commentary finds that equity market participation outside the United States remains broadly below 20% of the population, despite American equities accounting for approximately half of total global equity market capitalization by full market cap and over 60% on a free-float-adjusted basis. Foreign investors hold only around 18% of the US market. This leaves a vast pool of global capital underexposed to the world's most liquid equity market.
Early data from Binance stock trading points to strong structural demand. Nearly 93% of early adopters come from emerging markets, where geography and brokerage barriers have historically limited participation. The report also identifies fractionalization as a critical enabler in these markets. In 2026, SNDK and MU rose more than 620% and 270%, respectively, to US$1,716 and US$1,064 per share. In regions where average monthly income remains below US$300, fractional access can materially lower the threshold for participation.
Beyond access to the assets themselves, the report also highlights the importance of settlement infrastructure. The report finds that stablecoins are increasingly becoming a preferred settlement layer for investors seeking 24/7 equity exposure. In cross-border transactions, stablecoins can eliminate average off-ramp costs of 3.6%, or about US$40 per transaction. TradFi-linked perpetuals have grown from a negligible base to roughly 10% of total stablecoin trading volume, with demand expected to deepen further as direct stock trading and tokenized equity markets develop.
In the report, Binance Research notes: "As exchanges evolve into financial super-apps — consolidating crypto, equities, and cash management within a single account — the friction between holding capital and deploying it effectively collapses. With barriers removed, portfolio construction becomes intuitive rather than institutional."
The full report, “Equity Layer: From Tokens to Tickers,” is now available on Binance Research.
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