Global fintech infrastructure provider GTN has appointed Mark Jennings as its global head of digital assets, tasking the former Gemini Europe CEO with leading its strategy for tokenised securities and blockchain-based financial markets. Jennings will oversee efforts to connect traditional financial assets with digital asset platforms through GTN’s existing global market access infrastructure. The appointment signals a broader push by the company to help financial institutions and investment platforms bring traditional securities on-chain.

GTN Hires Former Gemini Executive to Lead Tokenisation Push

The appointment places an experienced cryptocurrency exchange executive at the center of GTN’s digital asset expansion. Jennings joins from Gemini, where he served as CEO of Gemini Europe and led the company’s European expansion.

He previously held senior positions at Kraken, including chief executive of Crypto Facilities, its FCA-regulated derivatives venue serving institutional customers.

His background spans cryptocurrency exchange operations, institutional derivatives and European financial regulation. Those areas are relevant to GTN’s ambitions as tokenisation moves beyond cryptocurrency-native businesses and into traditional financial market infrastructure.

According to GTN, Jennings will lead its strategy to support tokenised securities through the company’s global market access capabilities. The objective is to help financial institutions and digital asset platforms connect traditional investment products with blockchain-based distribution and trading environments.

Why GTN Is Targeting Tokenised Securities

Tokenisation involves representing ownership rights in financial assets through digital tokens recorded on blockchain networks. Depending on the legal and technical structure, tokenised securities can represent traditional equities, bonds, funds or other financial instruments.

The technology has attracted interest because it could support more continuous trading, automated settlement, fractional ownership and improved asset servicing. It may also allow financial platforms to offer traditional investment products alongside cryptocurrencies through a single digital interface.

However, bringing securities on-chain involves considerably more than issuing blockchain tokens. Providers must address investor eligibility, custody, ownership records, regulatory authorization, transfer restrictions, settlement and interoperability between financial systems.

GTN’s positioning is based on its existing multi-market and multi-asset connectivity. Rather than building a securities marketplace from scratch, the company intends to use its existing infrastructure to help financial institutions and digital asset platforms access traditional markets.

CEO Manjula Jayasinghe said demand for tokenised securities is increasing as investors seek access to traditional assets through blockchain-based platforms. He identified global market connectivity, technology partnerships and regulatory alignment as important components of the company’s strategy.

The commercial opportunity lies in connecting two financial ecosystems that have historically operated through different infrastructure. Traditional securities markets rely on established exchanges, brokers, custodians and clearing institutions, while digital asset platforms have developed around blockchain networks and cryptocurrency trading.

Infrastructure providers that can bridge these environments may become important intermediaries as financial institutions experiment with tokenised investment products.

Jennings Brings Exchange and Institutional Experience

Jennings’ experience at Gemini and Kraken gives GTN leadership with direct exposure to cryptocurrency trading operations and institutional digital asset services.

At Gemini, he led the European business during its regional expansion. His earlier role at Crypto Facilities is also relevant because institutional derivatives venues operate under requirements involving market integrity, risk management and regulatory oversight.

For GTN, this experience could help shape partnerships with digital asset platforms seeking to expand beyond cryptocurrency trading into traditional securities.

The challenge will be translating cryptocurrency exchange experience into infrastructure that meets the operational requirements of regulated securities markets. Tokenised equities and bonds must retain legally enforceable ownership rights and comply with the rules governing their underlying instruments.

Jennings said his experience at Gemini and Kraken exposed him to demand for traditional assets alongside cryptocurrencies, as well as the operational complexity of delivering these services at scale.

His comments reflect a broader industry trend: digital asset platforms increasingly want to offer diversified investment products rather than remain focused exclusively on cryptocurrencies.

Leadership Expansion Signals a Broader Product Strategy

Jennings’ appointment follows GTN’s October recruitment of former Saxo Bank executive Daniel Endler as its first group chief product officer.

Together, the appointments suggest that GTN is strengthening both its product leadership and digital asset capabilities as it develops services for financial institutions and investment platforms.

The addition of a dedicated digital assets executive also indicates that tokenisation is becoming a distinct strategic priority rather than an extension of the company’s existing market access offering.

The company’s challenge will be converting that strategy into operational integrations, partnerships and commercially available tokenised securities infrastructure.

GTN has not disclosed a specific launch date, supported blockchain networks, initial tokenised securities, custody partners or regulatory approvals associated with the expansion.

Competition Is Moving Toward Traditional and Digital Market Connectivity

GTN is entering a market where established financial institutions and blockchain infrastructure providers are developing competing approaches to tokenised securities.

The New York Stock Exchange’s proposed digital securities platform, its Avalanche infrastructure selection and DTCC’s tokenization initiatives demonstrate how traditional market operators are exploring blockchain-based trading and settlement.

For GTN, the opportunity is potentially different: connecting investment platforms to multiple traditional markets and asset classes through existing financial infrastructure.

Its success will depend on the breadth of its integrations, regulatory arrangements, custody partnerships and the ability to support securities across different blockchain environments.

The appointment is therefore more than a senior executive hire. It signals GTN’s intention to participate in the infrastructure layer connecting traditional capital markets with the emerging tokenised securities ecosystem.

Market Landscape

Tokenised securities are becoming an increasingly important area of financial technology investment as traditional market operators, fintech infrastructure companies and digital asset platforms explore blockchain-based financial products.

Four trends are shaping this market:

• Traditional asset tokenisation: Equities, bonds and investment funds are being explored for blockchain-based issuance, distribution and settlement.
• Multi-asset investment platforms: Digital asset companies are seeking to offer traditional securities alongside cryptocurrencies.
• Institutional infrastructure: Market connectivity, custody, clearing and compliance are becoming critical requirements for tokenised financial products.
• Regulatory interoperability: Companies need to reconcile blockchain-based transactions with existing securities regulations and ownership frameworks.

GTN’s strategy positions it as an infrastructure intermediary rather than simply another cryptocurrency exchange.

Its competitive environment includes NYSE/ICE, DTCC, Securitize, established financial technology providers and blockchain-based securities infrastructure companies.

The commercial differentiator will be the ability to connect multiple markets and asset classes while maintaining regulatory compliance and operational reliability.

Top Insights

• GTN appointed former Gemini Europe CEO Mark Jennings to lead its global digital assets and tokenised securities strategy.
• Jennings previously held senior leadership positions at Kraken, including CEO of its FCA-regulated institutional derivatives venue Crypto Facilities.
• GTN plans to leverage its multi-market and multi-asset infrastructure to connect traditional securities with blockchain-based investment platforms.
• The appointment follows former Saxo Bank executive Daniel Endler’s recruitment as GTN’s first group chief product officer.
• GTN has not yet disclosed specific tokenisation products, blockchain integrations, custody partnerships or commercial launch timelines.

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