[Edaily Marketin KIM YEON-SEO Won Jae-yeon Reporters] Analysts have suggested that intellectual property (IP) and K-content should be closely watched as potential products for the security token offering (STO) market set to launch next year. However, some have also pointed out that even if the market is established, there may not be enough products available for actual trading, so regulations related to issuance must be revised promptly.

At the “Edaily Global STO Summit 2026” held on the 1st at the Korea Exchange in Yeouido, Seoul, global STO industry experts delivered presentations and participated in a panel discussion on the topic “From Issuance to Distribution—Who Holds the Reins of the Tokenized Securities Market?” Lee Yoon-bok, Head of the Digital Asset Task Force at Yuanta Securities, who moderated the discussion, said, “As a new market and regulatory framework for tokenized securities opens up, key questions will be which products and assets will attract attention, and who will hold the reins of the market from issuance through distribution.”

Shin Beom-jun, CEO of Baisel Standard, cited intellectual property (IP), including patents, as an asset to watch following the institutionalization of STOs. “Since IP can be placed in trust, it is a relatively easy asset to commercialize,” he said, adding, “Tokenized securities can become a new funding channel for technology-driven companies.” He went on to emphasize the need for swift completion of relevant legislation, noting, “Even if the distribution infrastructure is in place, a lack of tradable products would be like opening a department store with nothing to display.”

The potential for tokenizing K-content was also raised. Hwang In-moo, co-founder and Group Managing Director of ADDX, stated, “Discussions regarding K-content—such as movies, dramas, and K-pop idols—have been ongoing since the early stages of our business,” adding, “There is high interest from the demand side, and we are currently discussing related projects with the goal of launching early next year.” However, he noted, “Tokenized securities are, after all, financial products,” adding, “The legal framework must be established to define who holds what revenue rights and how those rights are distributed if the business does not proceed as planned or if an Event of Default (EOD) occurs.”

Jack Keating, CEO of Weebul Technologies, said in his presentation, “Fractional investing will become a core element, not just an add-on feature.” Keating emphasized, “The market will grow even larger as fractional investing becomes possible for assets that previously had high barriers to entry, such as private equity funds and bonds.” He added, “Investors are interested not in the protocol itself, but in what it enables,” and noted, “Tokenization must address issues of cross-chain interoperability and liquidity.”

During the panel discussion, CEO Keating cited Coinbase, Robinhood, Kraken, and HyperLiquid, noting, “While the tokenized securities ecosystem itself is not yet large, Coinbase could be a major competitor in terms of scale.” He continued, “As the regulatory environment changes rapidly, the likelihood of various new players entering the market is increasing,” explaining, “We’re also seeing major fintech companies move to capture market share before existing exchanges can.”