Blockchain Market, Inc. (d/b/a /mkt) and tZERO Group, Inc. announced a strategic partnership to launch a regulated platform for tokenized securities backed by professional athletes' future earnings. Under the agreement, tZERO will provide /mkt with access to its alternative trading system (ATS), blockchain-native custody and settlement infrastructure, and transfer agent services, supporting the full lifecycle of the athlete-linked securities. Primary distribution will be conducted through Forwardslash Financial LLC, /mkt's broker-dealer subsidiary, pending FINRA membership approval.
The collaboration represents the integration of regulated digital securities infrastructure with the professional sports market. Through /mkt's platform, athletes can tokenize a portion of their future earnings into SEC-qualified securities offered under Regulation A+ (Tier 2). This allows both accredited and non-accredited retail investors to purchase fractional interests, creating a liquid, publicly tradable market for athlete-linked performance contracts. tZERO's infrastructure will power the full securities lifecycle: from primary issuance and investor onboarding to secondary trading on its regulated ATS, and custody and settlement on blockchain rails.
“This partnership with tZERO is the infrastructure backbone that makes /mkt possible,” said Spencer Gareiss, Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer of Blockchain Market, Inc. “Athletes are some of the most valuable brands in the world, yet until now there has been no regulated, accessible way for fans and investors to share in that upside. By combining our sports-native platform with tZERO’s proven regulatory infrastructure and trading technology, we’re opening an entirely new market.”
“The next phase of tokenization is about expanding what can become investable within a regulated framework,” said Alan Konevsky, Chief Executive Officer of tZERO Group, Inc. “Sports is a critical investment category and one that’s been largely unseen outside of the betting markets. Through this partnership with /mkt, we’re applying tZERO’s regulated broker-dealer-led digital securities infrastructure to support innovative athlete-linked investments designed for investor participation from day one.”
The global sports industry generates over $500 billion annually, yet individual athlete earnings have remained inaccessible as an investable asset class. /mkt changes that by securitizing a percentage of an athlete’s future income stream into a Regulation A+ qualified offering, made available through tZERO’s regulated marketplace. The tokenized structure offers blockchain-based settlement for speed and transparency, fractional ownership for broad accessibility, and potential for 24/7 secondary market trading on tZERO’s ATS.
Under the partnership, tZERO will provide broker-dealer services through tZERO Securities, LLC, secondary market trading on its regulated ATS, blockchain-native custody through tZERO’s wallet infrastructure, transfer agent services, and ongoing compliance support. /mkt expects to launch its first athlete-linked securities offerings in 2026, with secondary market trading to follow. The company is currently preparing its offering statement on Form 1-A with the SEC under Regulation A+ (Tier 2). No offering has been qualified and no securities are currently available for purchase.
For more information about /mkt, visit www.sportsmkt.com. For more information about tZERO, visit their website.
