NASDAQ has been approved as a Super Validator on Canton Network, securing a tier-one governance position with Weight 10 through CIP-0097, which received approval on January 5, 2026. The development comes shortly after NASDAQ's strategic investment in Digital Asset, announced in December 2025.

The new approval grants NASDAQ participation in Canton's governance structure through a milestone-based program overseen by the Canton Foundation's Tokenomics and Accountability Committees. 

‘One of The Greats’

The Weight 10 classification places NASDAQ in Canton's highest validator tier. Weight assignments determine influence in network governance decisions, with tier-one validators holding the greatest sway over protocol development. NASDAQ's earned rewards will accumulate in escrow, with releases contingent on milestone completion as verified by the Accountability Committee.

“The specific deliverables and milestones for Nasdaq have been agreed privately with the Canton Foundation’s Tokenomics and Accountability Committees”, reads the proposal.

CIP-0097 establishes a framework through which NASDAQ receives Super Validator weight based on achieving specific deliverables. The milestones remain confidential between NASDAQ and the Canton Foundation, with public disclosure planned when appropriate. According to the proposal, NASDAQ must operate its own Super Validator node within six months of crossing 2.5 weight.

Just The Beginning…

The validation role aligns with NASDAQ's December-announced strategic investment alongside BNY, iCapital, and S&P Global. Digital Asset, which created Canton Network, reported that over 600 institutions now participate in the Canton ecosystem, with more than $6 trillion in assets on-chain.

“Kind of crazy to see CT asleep on the news that Digital Asset raised another $50M this morning from Nasdaq, BNY Mellon, iCapital, and S&P to build Canton Network… They've now raised ~$450M from Goldman, Citadel, Optiver, Polychain, Binance (YZi Labs), TradeWeb, JP Morgan, DRW, Virtu, and have other major names like ARK invested through the DAT which recently raised $650M”, wrote Joshua Frank, Co-founder and CEO of The Tie, on December 4.

But NASDAQ's approval is not the only impressive Canton Network development to break in recent weeks.

The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) selected Canton in December 2025 as its blockchain partner for tokenizing US Treasury securities, with production launch planned for the first half of 2026. DTCC now also serves as co-chair of the Canton Foundation alongside Euroclear.

Together, the partnerships demonstrate Canton's traction with traditional finance infrastructure providers seeking blockchain solutions that address compliance, privacy, and operational requirements for regulated markets. 

It is safe to say that Canton Network has now positioned itself as the only public, permissionless Layer-1 blockchain built specifically for institutional finance.

Sources

• Canton Foundation: Social Media Communications
• Digital Asset: Digital Asset Announces Strategic Investments from BNY, iCapital, Nasdaq, and S&P Global
• Block319: Why DTCC's Canton Network Partnership Matters More Than You Think
• Github: CIP-0097: Nasdaq Super Validator Participation

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