Ondo Finance launched Ondo Global Markets, a platform that allows non-U.S. investors to buy and sell tokenized versions of U.S. stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) onchain on Sept. 3. The service, available on Ethereum at launch, offers more than 100 tokenized assets and plans to expand to over 1,000 by the end of 2025.
The platform provides access to international investors across Asia-Pacific, Europe, Africa, and Latin America. Users in the United States and the United Kingdom are excluded due to regulatory restrictions.
This launch represents one of the largest expansions of tokenized equities to date, bridging traditional securities with blockchain infrastructure while maintaining liquidity and investor protections.
How Ondo Global Markets Works
Ondo Global Markets mirrors the performance of U.S.-listed securities through tokenized representations. Each token is fully backed by the corresponding stock or ETF held with U.S.-registered broker-dealers.
When an international investor purchases a tokenized Apple share (ticker: AAPLon), the platform acquires the underlying Apple stock. The custodian holds the asset, and the investor receives a tokenized version representing full economic exposure.
These tokens are designed as total return trackers, meaning dividends and other corporate actions are reflected in the onchain token’s price. Investors can mint or redeem tokens with stablecoins at the underlying market value during trading hours and transfer them across wallets and protocols 24/7.
Key Features of Ondo Global Markets
Broad Asset Range: Over 100 tokenized U.S. equities and ETFs at launch, scaling to more than 1,000 by year-end.
Asset Backing: Tokens are secured by underlying securities held with regulated broker-dealers.
Inherited Liquidity: Liquidity is drawn directly from traditional exchanges, minimizing slippage.
DeFi Integration: Tokens can be used in lending, borrowing, and collateral protocols.
Institutional-Grade Safeguards: Independent third-party verification of reserves, bankruptcy-remote structures, and a security interest held by a trustee.
APIs for Developers: Wallets and exchanges can integrate tokenized stocks into their apps with a single connection.
Why Ondo’s Model Stands Out
Many tokenized equity products suffer from poor liquidity or limited transferability. Ondo attempts to address these issues by inheriting liquidity from the traditional exchanges of the underlying assets. This design ensures minimal slippage and reduces pricing gaps.
For example, if the price of tokenized Apple stock diverges from the real share price, arbitrage opportunities bring prices back into alignment. This mechanism helps avoid the price dislocation seen in some other tokenized offerings, which at times traded at premiums of 10–15% over real equities.