Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky says tokenization could make ownership global and instant
In July 14 remarks, Chesky said real-world asset tokenization could cut frictions in asset ownership and broaden participation, while earlier emphasizing that trust will determine which projects endure.
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said on July 14 that real-world asset tokenization could enable “global, fractional, and instant ownership,” arguing that the technology may do for assets what the internet did for information. He said tokenization could reduce friction in traditional asset ownership, make transfers more efficient, support fractional ownership, and widen global participation. Chesky also said blockchain-based tokenization could reshape trading in real estate, equity, and collectibles, adding, “The internet made information liquid, and tokenization will make ownership liquid.” He previously framed trust as the decisive factor for the sector, saying projects will succeed only if users believe the entity behind a token will honor its obligations, including whether ownership claims hold up legally and whether a platform remains viable over time. Chesky did not name any token, protocol, or blockchain platform, and he did not announce any concrete Airbnb move into tokenization. The comments add to a longer crypto thread around Airbnb: in 2022, Chesky said roughly 4,000 user suggestions showed crypto payments were the most requested feature, but the company never introduced native crypto payments.
- real-world asset tokenization: The process of representing traditional assets as digital tokens that can be transferred or divided more easily.
- fractional ownership: A structure that splits an asset into smaller shares so multiple people can own part of it.
- blockchain-based tokenization: Using blockchain systems to issue and track digital tokens tied to ownership claims in assets.