Chiliz said on Sept. 3 that it is launching the Socios Equity Token, a new blockchain-based asset designed to give buyers exposure to minority stakes in participating sports clubs.

The company said the product differs from traditional fan tokens because it carries financial characteristics. Under the model outlined by Chiliz, the group would acquire minority holdings in clubs, tokenize those positions onchain, and issue them in fractional form to fans and investors.

A new structure beyond fan membership tokens

Chiliz, the sports and entertainment blockchain company behind CHZ and the Socios platform, described the new token as an investment structure tied to team ownership rather than a membership-style digital product.

According to the company, the goal is to connect buyers more directly to the economic value of professional teams. The planned structure is based on Chiliz itself purchasing minority stakes in participating clubs and then representing those holdings through fractional blockchain tokens.

Survey findings cited as demand signal

Chiliz said the launch follows a global survey conducted with OnePoll covering 5,000 sports fans in South Korea, the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain.

In that survey, 72% of respondents said they would be willing to buy an equity token. The company added that the average intended investment was about $1,240, with South Korea at roughly $1,481 per person, above the US figure of $1,395.

Access to club economics is central to the pitch

The company framed the Socios Equity Token as a way for both fans and investors to participate in the financial side of team ownership, an area that has typically been difficult for ordinary supporters to access.

Chief executive Alexandre Dreyfus said fans have historically faced barriers to buying even small stakes in clubs. He said the new structure could widen access to sports investing by combining the economic rights associated with club ownership with fan-engagement features enabled through blockchain technology.

Next steps depend on club talks and approvals

Chiliz said it plans to start broader discussions with major professional clubs and leagues as part of the rollout. It also said regulatory approvals would be pursued in stages.

Those points suggest the initiative remains subject to further negotiations and compliance steps before wider expansion. The next confirmed phase is Chiliz's planned outreach to clubs and leagues alongside a staged regulatory process.

Source: en.bloomingbit.io