Ric Edelman was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2025 InvestmentNews Awards.
“Before the decade wraps up, tokenization will take over as the leading investment platform in the industry. Honestly, I think the ETFs we recognize today will be gone in five years,” he noted.
A few weeks following Robinhood’s launch of tokenized stocks for European users, Edelman expressed his belief that blockchain-enabled stock trading will become mainstream in the U.S. by the decade’s end.
“Tokenization will establish itself as the dominant investment platform, making traditional ETFs obsolete. To be clear, I believe ETFs will no longer exist in just five years,” he remarked. Edelman’s firm, Edelman Financial Engines, currently manages nearly $300 billion in assets.
In June, Edelman received the Lifetime Achievement Award in wealth management and shared insights from a recent White Paper related to his Digital Asset Council (DACFP). He advocates for investors to allocate 40% of their portfolios to cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum.
“Tokenization is a significant leap brought forth by blockchain technology. Right now, around half of the companies are in the process of tokenizing stocks and other securities,” he explained, adding that he expects Bitcoin to reach $500,000 by 2030.
In late June, the Robinhood app in Europe introduced over 200 U.S. stocks as tokenized assets in ETFs, including private firms like OpenAI and SpaceX, alongside major public companies such as Apple and Nvidia. These tokens, which have no fees, can be traded 24/7, five days a week.
Recently, European Union regulators raised questions about Robinhood’s tokenized offerings. Robinhood’s CEO, Vlad Tenev, mentioned, “We believe the SEC has the authority to oversee tokenization in the U.S. without new laws.” This shift indicates closer ties between cryptocurrency and the traditional U.S. financial markets. Edelman pointed out that while half of U.S. financial advisors personally own Bitcoin, only about 20% feel comfortable recommending it to clients due to compliance and job insecurity.
“The Compliance division has been hesitant to approve cryptocurrencies, and the Investment Committee has taken its time with crypto-related investment strategies,” Edelman shared. “There’s a real fear of job loss if something goes wrong. They don’t see the value in taking risks when their careers are at stake. This hesitation is why many advisors avoid recommending Bitcoin to their clients.”
The evolving stance of the Trump administration on cryptocurrency, along with institutions like BlackRock rolling out Bitcoin- and Ethereum-linked ETFs, is reshaping financial advisory practices and bringing Edelman closer to crypto products. BlackRock’s CEO, Larry Fink, is also a strong advocate for tokenization.
“We’ve transitioned from a government that was opposed to crypto to one that actively supports it, providing businesses the reassurance needed to engage with cryptocurrency like never before,” Edelman commented. “I predict that within the next 12 to 18 months, nearly every company will start integrating crypto investment options into their platforms.”
