May 22 (Reuters) - Crypto exchange Kraken said on

Thursday it is launching tokens of U.S. equities that will trade

around the clock, giving non-U.S. investors exposure to

high-profile companies such as Apple ( AAPL ), Tesla

and Nvidia ( NVDA ).

Tokenization refers to the process of issuing digital

representations of publicly-traded securities. Instead of

holding the securities directly, investors hold tokens that

represent ownership of the securities.

The tokens' launch outside the U.S. comes amid growing

interest in blending traditional finance with blockchain

infrastructure. While tokenized securities have yet to gain

widespread adoption, proponents say they hold the potential to

significantly reshape how people access and invest in financial

markets.

In a January opinion piece for the Washington Post,

Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev said tokenization could also

allow retail investors to access private companies' stocks.

Kraken's tokens, called xStocks, will be available in select

markets outside the United States, it said, without naming the

markets. The move was earlier reported by the Wall Street

Journal.

The offering is currently not available for U.S. customers.

The renewed enthusiasm for blockchain has also coincided

with bitcoin's rally as investors anticipate lighter

regulation under President Donald Trump.