Upstream, part of MERJ Exchange, is the only direct-access stock market built on blockchain technology

By Anastasia Samaras

The Upstream team hosted the 17th episode of “Upstream Up Close” on Twitter (X) Spaces. This ongoing series features 10–15 minute discussions on the exciting world of trading, digital collectibles, Web3, and everything in between. In this episode, we discussed how Upstream, part of MERJ Exchange, is the only stock market built on blockchain technology offering investors direct access to U.S. and international equities. Let’s explore what this means and why it’s a significant development.

Listen HERE to Upstream Up Close: The Only Stock Market Built on Blockchain

Upstream’s First-Mover Advantage

As a pioneer in this space, Upsream leverages blockchain technology to provide a transparent, secure, and efficient trading infrastructure. By eliminating traditional intermediaries, we can empower investors with greater control of their investments, greater transparency, and faster transaction times. This starkly contrasts traditional markets, often burdened by complex processes and various intermediaries.

Setting the Scene

While we believe Upstream is leading the way with a live use case built completely on blockchain technology, other traditional exchanges have begun exploring blockchain solutions. Nasdaq’s Linq and Six Swiss Exchange’s SDX are notable examples of this trend. However, their approaches are more cautious focusing on specific use cases integrating blockchain technology into their existing infrastructure. 

The question remains: What might be holding traditional exchanges and other stock markets back from fully implementing blockchain technology?

Several factors may be hindering the full-scale adoption of blockchain technology.

  • Regulation: The regulatory landscape for blockchain technology is still evolving, creating uncertainty for established exchanges.
  • Complexity: Integrating blockchain into existing legacy systems is a complex and time-consuming undertaking.
  • Disruption: Implementing blockchain could disrupt current operations and challenge established norms.

Upstream — The first Stock Market built on Blockchain

Upstream and MERJ stand out by being the first direct access stock market built on blockchain technology. For the blockchain nerds out there, Upstream is powered by Horizon’s ERC-20 smart contract securities ecosystem running on an Ethereum layer-2 optimistic rollup. More simply, this means that every aspect of our platform, from trading to settlement, is powered by a blockchain. This translates into what we believe to be a more transparent and efficient trading experience. Every transaction is recorded on a public ledger, providing full visibility and security.

Key Benefits of Blockchain-Powered Trading:

  • Direct Peer-to-Peer Trading: Eliminate traditional intermediaries and no hidden costs like Payment for Order Flow (PFOF).
  • Instant Settlement: Instant settlement compared to traditional markets with T+1 or longer settlement periods.
  • Expanded Trading Hours: 20 hours a day, 5 days a week trading windows to offer investors more flexibility.
  • Enhanced Transparency: Every transaction is recorded on a public ledger.

A Future Outlook on Blockchain in Global Markets

The success of Upstream could serve as a model for other stock exchanges worldwide. As more players recognize the benefits of blockchain, we may see a broader adoption of this technology in the financial sector.

Upstream’s pioneering efforts could inspire other exchanges to explore blockchain solutions or work with Upstream to provide their issuers with a complementary platform to reach investors outside of their domestic or regional jurisdictions.

Upstream is not competing with other exchanges; we’re working to complement them by offering their issuers the ability to dual list on a powerful blockchain-based exchange and reach investors who can participate in a streamlined way.

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Listen here: https://twitter.com/i/spaces/1rmxPoDpdXMJN

If you missed the episode or are interested in learning more about blockchain technology offering investors direct access to U.S. and international equities; listen anytime, anywhere by clicking the link above.

Don’t miss future episodes of Upstream Up Close! Follow Upstream on social media to stay informed about upcoming episodes and other exciting developments in the world of blockchain and trading!

Disclaimers:

U.S. persons may not deposit, buy, or sell securities on Upstream. Anyone may buy and sell Collectibles on Upstream.

This communication shall not constitute an offer to sell securities or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction where such offer or solicitation is not permitted. Collectibles have no royalties, equity ownership, or dividends. Collectibles are for utility, collection, redemption, or display purposes only. Anyone may buy and sell Collectibles on Upstream. All orders for sale are non-solicited by Upstream and a user’s decision to trade securities must be based on their own investment judgment.

Upstream is a MERJ Exchange market. MERJ Exchange is a licensed Securities Exchange, an affiliate of the World Federation of Exchanges, a National Numbering Agency, and a member of ANNA. MERJ is regulated in the Seychelles by the Financial Services Authority, https://fsaseychelles.sc/, an associate member of the International Association of Securities Commissions (IOSCO). MERJ supports global issuers of traditional and digital securities through the entire asset life cycle from issuance to trading, clearing, settlement, and registry. It operates a fair and transparent marketplace in line with international best practices and principles of operations of financial markets. Upstream does not endorse or recommend any public or private securities bought or sold on its app. Upstream does not offer investment advice or recommendations of any kind. All services offered by Upstream are intended for self-directed clients who make their own investment decisions without aid or assistance from Upstream. All customers are subject to the rules and regulations of their jurisdiction. By accessing the site or app, you agree to be bound by its terms of use and privacy policy. Company and security listings on Upstream are only suitable for investors who are familiar with and willing to accept the high risk associated with speculative investments, often in early and development-stage companies. U.S. persons may not deposit, buy, or sell securities on Upstream. There can be no assurance the valuation of any particular company’s securities is accurate or in agreement with the market or industry comparative valuations. Investors must be able to afford market volatility and afford the loss of their investment. Companies listed on Upstream are subject to significant ongoing corporate obligations including, but not limited to disclosure, filings, and notification requirements, as well as compliance with applicable quantitative and qualitative listing standards.

Collectible products are akin to a digital sticker of an underlying artwork and should not be considered a financial investment; a security token, an e-money token, or a form of digital currency. Collectibles should not, therefore, be purchased by anyone seeking financial gain or with an expectation to profit from the purchase, ownership in the entity, dividends or distributions, sale or resale of a Collectible. By buying a Collectible, you agree that you are not doing so for investment purposes or for the purposes of obtaining a security or an appreciating asset. You understand that the benefit you receive for buying a Collectible is limited to supporting athletes, celebrities and other brands. You also acknowledge that ownership of a Collectible does not carry with it any rights, express or implied, including (without limitation) copyright, trademarks or other intellectual property or proprietary rights in and to the underlying artwork. The copyright to the digital artwork remains with the copyright holder.

Forward-Looking Statements
This communication contains “forward-looking statements.” Such statements may be preceded by the words “intends,” “may,” “will,” “plans,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “projects,” “predicts,” “estimates,” “aims,” “believes,” “hopes,” “potential,” or similar words. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, are based on certain assumptions, and are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company’s control, and cannot be predicted or quantified, and, consequently, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties associated with (i) difficulties in obtaining financing on commercially reasonable terms; (ii) changes in the size and nature of our competition; (iii) loss of one or more key executives or brand ambassadors; and (iv) changes in legal or regulatory requirements in the markets in which we operate. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise its forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.