Bed Bath & Beyond to acquire Tokens.com in tokenized real estate push

Bed Bath & Beyond (BBBY) announced today a definitive agreement to acquire blockchain technology firm Tokens.com in an all-stock deal valued at approximately $150 million. The move signals a dramatic strategic pivot for the legacy retailer as it attempts to enter the burgeoning Web3 and tokenized real estate sectors.

Tokens.com specializes in proprietary software that converts fractional ownership of residential properties into securitized, blockchain-based digital assets. This process allows multiple investors to own small stakes in high-value properties, making real estate investment more accessible to retail consumers.

BBBY CEO, Martha Jenkins, stated that the acquisition is a necessary step to future-proof the company. “We recognize that the concept of ‘home’ is rapidly expanding beyond physical goods into digital assets and fractional ownership opportunities,” Jenkins said in a press release. “By integrating Tokens.com’s technology, we are positioning BBBY not just as a seller of home goods, but as a gateway to digital home ownership and wealth generation.”

Industry analysts view the acquisition as both aggressive and high-risk. While the traditional retail sector for home goods has struggled, the adoption of decentralized finance (DeFi) architecture by a major consumer brand is untested. The acquisition will form the foundation of a new subsidiary, ‘BBBY Digital Assets,’ focused on leveraging the current customer base—estimated at over 30 million active users—to drive early adoption of tokenized property ownership.

John Davis, CEO of Tokens.com, will join the BBBY executive team to lead the new division. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of the fiscal year, pending shareholder and regulatory approvals.

Source: Bed Bath & Beyond to acquire Tokens.com in tokenized real estate push