Ondo Finance is taking another swing at breaking down Wall Street’s walls. The blockchain-native firm announced Ondo Global Markets, a new platform for tokenized US stocks and ETFs, powered by brokerage API provider Alpaca.

The launch marks a big step in bringing traditional equities into the blockchain world, where investors can buy, transfer, and even use tokenized assets in decentralized finance (DeFi) apps—something that would have been unthinkable in the days of T+2 settlement cycles and country-specific trading restrictions.

What’s On Offer

Right out of the gate, Ondo Global Markets offers over 100 tokenized US stocks and ETFs, with plans to scale that list to 1,000+ before year’s end. The platform promises:

• 24/7 transfers: Tokenized equities can move peer-to-peer like stablecoins.
• DeFi integration: Stocks and ETFs can be plugged into smart contracts and automated strategies.
• Liquidity parity: Access liquidity “similar to traditional exchanges,” according to Ondo.
• Fully backed assets: Each token is backed 1:1 with US stocks and ETFs held by US broker-dealers and independent custodians.

For now, the service is rolling out across Asia-Pacific, Africa, and Latin America, regions where traditional access to the $63 trillion US securities market is often out of reach. Support for Ethereum is live today, with Solana and BNB Chain integrations on deck.

Why It Matters

Tokenization has long been hyped as the bridge between traditional finance and blockchain. A recent McKinsey report projects tokenized markets could balloon to $2 trillion by 2030, spanning everything from real estate to equities. But barriers—regulatory red tape, settlement friction, and high fees—have slowed adoption.

Ondo and Alpaca are betting that seamless tokenization of familiar assets like S&P 500 ETFs will finally unlock demand. “Working with Alpaca allows us to tokenize US stocks and ETFs with the speed, accessibility, and programmability of blockchain,” said Ian De Bode, CSO of Ondo Finance.

Alpaca CEO Yoshi Yokokawa framed it more broadly: “The future of finance lies in bridging traditional and decentralized markets.”

The Bigger Picture

Ondo isn’t alone in chasing this market. Platforms like Securitize and Hashnote are also experimenting with tokenized securities, though Ondo’s focus on making equities behave like stablecoins could resonate with DeFi natives. If successful, it could blur the line between stock trading and crypto yield farming—while offering global investors a workaround to geographic and platform restrictions.

Still, hurdles remain. Regulatory clarity on tokenized equities is murky, and widespread adoption will depend on whether institutions buy into the model. But for now, Ondo Global Markets may be the clearest attempt yet at making US securities tradable, transferrable, and programmable worldwide.