Latest news with #tokenised stocks
Yahoo
27-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Robinhood's tokenised stocks are seen as ‘next major driver of onchain adoption'
Tokenised debt helped DeFi survive the 2021 to 2022 bear market, but a pivot to tokenised stocks could boost the $115 billion crypto sector's next growth phase. That's according to a Monday report by Wintermute, a crypto market maker, that said market conditions necessary to incentivise the pivot are already emerging. The report said central banks are likely to lower interest rates in the next 12 to 18 months, which could dampen bond yields and other debt instruments. And Robinhood is positioning itself to capitalise on the market shift as the fintech app debuted tokenised stock trading for its users in June. 'Robinhood's timing is significant,' Wintermute said. 'As the yield trade loses momentum, tokenised equities, less dependent on interest rate dynamics, could emerge as the next major driver of onchain adoption.' Tokenised equities don't rely on interest rate gymnastics, the way bonds do. Instead, they offer volatility, growth, community, appeal, and retail excitement. Retail excitement has been noticeably absent from DeFi since the height of its buzz in 2021. Making a splash But for now, tokenised stocks remain a tiny slice of DeFi's real-world asset, or RWA, pie. They account for only $424 million out of the $25 billion RWA market, which is mostly dominated by tokenised credit, Treasuries, and other low-velocity debt instruments. And while Robinhood has made a splash, competition is brewing. Crypto-native rivals like Kraken and Bybit are also ratcheting up their tokenised stock trading offerings, while Ondo Finance has sought regulatory approval to buy Oasis Pro, a regulated broker. Coinbase has also applied to the Securities and Exchange Commission for approval to offer tokenised stock trading. For Wall Street incumbents, tokenised stock trading could upend the status quo and push them to play second fiddle in their own arena, according to Galaxy Digital analysts. Last week, the crypto firm warned that fintech disruptors like Robinhood and crypto-native players like Coinbase and Kraken moving into tokenised equities could reduce titans like the New York Stock Exchange to 'mere custodians.' And traditional firms like JPMorgan, Wells Fargo, and Citigroup are already scrambling to adapt by launching stablecoin and tokenisation platforms. Still, Galaxy Digital analysts say the market edge will lie with participants that not only offer trading but also control the underlying blockchain infrastructure. Crypto market movers Bitcoin is up slightly by 0.1% over the past 24 hours and is trading at $108,832. Ethereum is also up slightly by 0.5% in the same period to $2,575. What we're reading A digital euro will be a poor and crippled substitute to stablecoins — DL News Jack Dorsey Tests Decentralized Messaging App Bitchat — Unchained 3 factors impacting crypto this week — Milk Road Vitalik's EIP-7983 Calls For 16.77M Gas Cap Per Transaction — Unchained Solana bot platform Axiom takes over AI coder Cursor with $150m revenue fuelled by airdrop hype — DL News Osato Avan-Nomayo is our Nigeria-based DeFi correspondent. He covers DeFi and tech. Got a tip? Please contact him at osato@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Finextra
24-07-2025
- Business
- Finextra
Luno launches tokenised blue-chip US stocks for South Africans
Leading crypto platform Luno today announced the launch of international tokenised stocks and ETFs, which will be available for investment in early August 2025. 0 Through Luno, South Africans will have easy access to more than sixty of the world's most valuable US-listed companies and indices, without needing to transfer funds offshore or wait for US trading hours. This first-of-its-kind offering in South Africa enables Luno customers to invest in the largest global equities like Apple, Alphabet, NVIDIA, and the S&P 500, using South African rands without the restrictions of US market trading hours. "Until now, access to global financial markets has been locked behind red tape and legacy systems," said Christo de Wit, country manager for South Africa at Luno. "With tokenised stocks, we're offering South African investors easy access to global investments any time of the day or night." This positions Luno as a global frontrunner in tokenised stocks. While major international exchanges have launched similar offerings in recent weeks, Luno is the first to pioneer this for African markets. A breakthrough in financial access Luno is addressing challenges faced by investors in emerging markets, where multiple layers of fees, significant waiting times, and complex processes often limit traditional investment options. By offering tokenised stocks, Luno removes these barriers while maintaining security and regulatory compliance. Customers can buy Luno's tokenised stocks directly in rand, without needing to convert foreign currency or pay foreign exchange fees. Instant settlement is also available, with no lock-in periods, meaning assets remain liquid. Additionally, investors can access tokenised fractional shares from as little as R20 in the world's most valuable companies. Instead of paying almost R4,000 for an Apple share, for instance, you can buy just a portion, making global investing affordable for all South Africans. 'The introduction of tokenised stocks builds on Luno's mission to create a fairer, more inclusive financial system, one built for the modern African investor,' explains de Wit. How tokenised stocks work The tokenised assets are fully backed by real shares held in regulated custody through Luno's integration with global partners, including Kraken's xStocks and Backed Finance, ensuring trusted infrastructure for users. Tokenised stocks represent digital versions of traditional shares, allowing investors to buy and sell portions of companies through blockchain technology. "This represents a fundamental shift in how we think about investing," explained de Wit. "We're not just digitising old processes - we're reimagining what's possible when you combine improved technology with investor needs." Tokenised stocks will be available to customers in South Africa, with plans to expand to Nigeria and other African markets.
