Ethereum News Today: "Tokenized Stocks Democratize Global Access—One Ethereum Trade at a Time"

Ondo Finance has launched its tokenized equity platform, Ondo Global Markets, offering non-U.S. investors access to over 100 U.S. stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) on the Ethereum blockchain. This move is part of a broader trend in the tokenization of real-world assets (RWAs), which aims to enhance liquidity and accessibility for global investors. The tokenized assets include companies such as Apple (AAPL), Nvidia (NVDA), and the QQQ ETF, among others. Investors in Asia-Pacific, Europe, Africa, and Latin America can mint and redeem shares around the clock during trading days, with access to underlying exchange liquidity. The service is not available to U.S. users.

Ondo Finance's initiative aligns with the growing interest in blockchain-based financial instruments, as major platforms like Robinhood, Gemini, Kraken, Coinbase, and eToro explore or implement similar offerings. The firm has also partnered with infrastructure providers such as BitGo, Ledger, and Chainlink to support the rollout of these tokenized assets. Nathan Allman, founder and CEO of Ondo Finance, emphasized that the platform is "doing for U.S. securities what stablecoins have done for the U.S. dollar—bringing them on-chain," highlighting the potential for broader financial inclusion and innovation.

Ondo Finance has outlined an aggressive expansion plan, aiming to increase the number of tokenized assets to over 1,000 by the end of 2025. Additionally, the firm intends to extend the service to Solana and BNB Chain, leveraging interoperability solutions powered by LayerZero. This expansion will enable tokenized equities to be traded on multiple blockchain networks, further enhancing cross-chain accessibility and liquidity. The move also reflects BNB Chain’s growing role in the RWA space, as evidenced by projects like VanEck’s tokenized U.S. Treasury Bills and Backed Finance’s tokenized equities, which are available on Kraken via xStocks.

The tokenized equities are backed by securities held at U.S.-registered broker-dealers, ensuring regulatory compliance and investor protection. Investors can trade these tokens on platforms such as Bitget and its associated wallet service, which have integrated with Ondo Finance to facilitate access for non-U.S. users. This integration allows investors to trade over 100 tokenized stocks and ETFs with a minimum investment of one dollar. Gracy Chen, CEO of Bitget, noted that the partnership "brings high-potential global investments to the crypto market without the hassle of traditional access methods." The tokens track the price and dividends of their underlying assets and are supported by liquidity from traditional equity markets through Ondo's Global Markets infrastructure.

Despite the optimism surrounding tokenized equities, the sector has faced regulatory and operational challenges. Some offerings have drawn criticism for limited shareholder rights and fragmented regulatory frameworks. For example, the World Federation of Exchanges (WFE) has raised concerns about market integrity risks associated with tokenized equities, particularly as platforms like Coinbase and Robinhood explore similar services. Ondo Finance's approach, however, emphasizes transparency, regulatory alignment, and institutional-grade custody, which may help mitigate some of these concerns. As the market evolves, the success of tokenized equities will depend on continued innovation, regulatory clarity, and investor demand.

Source: [1] Ondo Finance Rolls Out Tokenized U.S. Stocks, ETFs as ... (https://www.coindesk.com/business/2025/09/03/ondo-finance-rolls-out-tokenized-u-s-stocks-etfs-as-equity-tokenization-ramps-up) [2] Ondo Finance Rolls Out Tokenized U.S. Stocks, ETFs as ... (https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/ondo-finance-rolls-tokenized-u-133026277.html) [3] Users Outside US Can Now Trade Ondo Finance's ... (https://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/users-outside-us-can-now-trade-ondo-finances-tokenized-stocks-on-bitget-platforms/)