Abstract
This CIP proposes granting Nasdaq participation as a Super Validator (SV) with Weight 10. Given the strategic importance of Nasdaq to the Canton ecosystem, their inclusion will bring credibility, alignment with traditional financial infrastructure, and meaningful contributions to network governance and adoption.
This CIP establishes an umbrella, milestone-based program through which Nasdaq can receive SV Weight (up to 10) for initiatives that materially advance the Canton ecosystem.
Unlike other CIPs, this program contains confidential commitments to the ecosystem. Those commitments and milestones have been agreed with the Tokenomics and Accountability Committees and will be made available to the public when appropriate and as needed.
Total Earnable Weight: 10 (max)
Accrual Destination: Escrow, consistent with existing SV escrow mechanics.
Confidentiality: The Accountability Committee will review the milestones and inform SVs if they have been met.
Motivation
Nasdaq is one of the world’s most important financial institutions, operating at the center of global capital markets with a reputation for technological leadership, market integrity, and innovation. Best known for running the largest electronic equities exchange, Nasdaq provides the critical infrastructure that enables transparent price discovery, deep liquidity, and efficient capital formation for thousands of companies worldwide. Its platform has become synonymous with growth, entrepreneurship, and the public market ambitions of many of the most transformative companies of the past several decades.
Beyond trading, Nasdaq is a trusted partner to governments, regulators, exchanges, and market participants across the globe. Through its market technology, surveillance, and data businesses, Nasdaq powers a significant portion of the world’s financial market infrastructure, setting standards for resilience, fairness, and operational excellence. Its combination of scale, credibility, and continuous innovation positions Nasdaq not just as an exchange operator, but as a foundational institution underpinning the modern global financial system.
