Ondo: Tokenized Equities Could Break Through if TradFi Moves to 24/7 Trading

Market interest in tokenized shares has accelerated and Ondo Finance says its platform sits at the center of that shift. Since launching its stock-token product the firm has accumulated significant on-chain value and high cumulative trading volume, outpacing many rivals and narrowing the gap between crypto-native instruments and conventional equities. Ondo issues tokenized instruments that are collateralized by broker-held positions and designed to move freely across crypto wallets, with identity checks required primarily at issuance. That structure lets these instruments participate in decentralized trading venues without the transfer restrictions that hamper other models. A key technical strength is the platform’s rapid mint-and-burn mechanism, which lets large orders be created or redeemed quickly and helps prices stay aligned with underlying brokerage quotes. Yet a structural mismatch remains: decentralized markets operate nonstop while regulated stock markets close on weekends, complicating hedging and market-making around stock tokens. Ondo highlights exchange plans to support round-the-clock settlement as a pivotal development; if major exchanges extend trading windows, liquidity pools could become more reliable and market-makers less exposed. The company is doubling down on stocks and ETFs with clear pricing and deep liquidity, sidelining less-transparent assets like certain real estate tokens. Ondo is also expanding asset coverage, adding blockchains and integrating with crypto venues that aim to offer brokerage-like services to retail users. By positioning itself as infrastructure — the plumbing that powers tokenized equity trading for other platforms — Ondo is targeting a middle role rather than trying to displace incumbent retail brokers. The commercial implications are broad: smoother liquidity would lower trading costs for large participants, broaden access for investors in underbanked regions, and make tokenized equities a practical collateral and settlement layer for DeFi. Regulatory and operational coordination between TradFi and crypto platforms will remain the decisive variable as the market scales.