ONDO Finance 2025 News Roundup: Major Updates in Bridging TradFi and Blockchain

Ondo Finance, a leading Decentralized Finance (DeFi) protocol specializing in real-world asset (RWA) tokenization, has made significant moves in 2025, reinforcing its position as a pioneer in bridging traditional finance (TradFi) and blockchain technology. 

From January to July 2025, the platform has rolled out transformative initiatives, forged high-profile partnerships, and achieved key milestones that underscore its ambition to democratize access to institutional-grade financial products. 

This comprehensive news roundup, based on updates from Ondo Finance’s official X account and other credible sources, details the company’s most prominent developments during this period. 

Below, we explore these updates, their implications, and what they mean for the future of tokenized assets.

Ondo Finance’s 2025 Journey: A Snapshot

Ondo Finance, founded in 2021 by Nathan Allman and Pinku Surana, focuses on tokenizing real-world assets, such as U.S. Treasuries and stocks, making them accessible on blockchain networks. Its flagship products, such as USDY (a yield-bearing stablecoin) and OUSG (tokenized U.S. government bonds), have gained traction among retail and institutional investors. The company’s governance token, $ONDO, powers its decentralized autonomous organization (DAO), enabling community-driven decision-making.

Over the past 6 months, Ondo Finance has pursued an aggressive growth strategy, achieving a Total Value Locked (TVL) exceeding $1 billion, launching new platforms, and securing regulatory advancements. This article breaks down these developments, uncovering the protocol’s progress and its impact on the DeFi and TradFi landscapes.

Key Developments in 2025

Ondo Global Markets: Tokenized Stocks Take Center Stage

Ondo Finance declared 2025 “the year of tokenized stocks” and announced the upcoming launch of Ondo Global Markets, a platform set to debut in summer 2025. This initiative aims to bring over 100 U.S. equities onchain initially, with plans to scale to thousands by year-end. The project aims to address challenges such as limited liquidity and price dislocations in early tokenized stock models, establishing a new standard for tokenized securities. 

Additionally, Ondo Finance has partnered with leading players in the blockchain industry, including the Solana Foundation, 1inch, Bitget Wallet, Trust Wallet, and others, to ensure the initiative's success. 

“As we plan ahead for the launch of Ondo Global Markets — our platform to bring US stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds onchain for non-US investors — we are excited to work together with the leading players in the industry to make the future of Wall Street 2.0 a reality,” Ondo Finance shared in its X announcement. 

The platform’s launch is a significant step toward making traditional equities accessible on blockchain, offering investors enhanced liquidity and 24/7 trading capabilities. By leveraging blockchain’s transparency and efficiency, Ondo Global Markets could redefine how investors interact with U.S. stocks, a market valued at over $50 trillion.

Ondo Catalyst Initiative: A $250M Push for RWA Tokenization

In one of its most ambitious moves, Ondo Finance launched the Ondo Catalyst initiative, a $250 million commitment backed by Pantera Capital to fund RWA tokenization projects. 

Announced on X, this initiative aims to accelerate the adoption of tokenized assets, from real estate to government bonds, by supporting developers and projects in the DeFi ecosystem.

The $250 million fund, one of the largest dedicated to RWA tokenization, signals strong institutional confidence in Ondo’s vision. 

Acquisition of Oasis Pro: A Regulatory Milestone

On July 4, 2025, Ondo Finance announced the acquisition of Oasis Pro, a SEC-registered broker-dealer, Alternative Trading System, and Transfer Agent. This strategic move grants Ondo access to critical U.S. securities licenses, enabling the tokenization of regulated securities. Further, it aligns with Ondo’s goal of bridging TradFi and DeFi while ensuring compliance with U.S. regulations.

OKX Wallet Partnership for Global Markets

Ondo Finance partnered with OKX Wallet to integrate its tokenized stocks, ETFs, and other assets into the OKX ecosystem upon the launch of Ondo Global Markets. The collaboration allows OKX users to access Ondo’s tokenized assets, expanding the platform’s reach to millions of crypto users worldwide.

This partnership emphasizes Ondo’s strategy to leverage major crypto exchanges for broader adoption, enhancing the accessibility of its tokenized products.

Cross-Chain Settlement with JPMorgan and Chainlink

On May 14, Ondo Finance achieved a landmark milestone by facilitating the first cross-chain settlement of tokenized U.S. Treasuries on a public blockchain, in collaboration with JPMorgan (via its Kinexys platform) and Chainlink. The transaction involved Ondo’s Short-Term U.S. Government Treasuries Fund (OUSG) on the Ondo Chain testnet, utilizing Chainlink’s cross-chain infrastructure for secure Delivery versus Payment (DvP) transactions.

This milestone demonstrates Ondo’s ability to connect TradFi infrastructure with public blockchains, thereby reducing settlement risks and enhancing scalability. It also highlights the growing acceptance of tokenized assets among major financial institutions.

USDY Expansion Across Blockchains

Ondo’s USDY, a yield-bearing stablecoin backed by U.S. Treasuries, saw significant expansion in 2025. On April 19, Ondo announced USDY’s deployment on the Stellar network, broadening its accessibility. On May 2, USDY was enabled for bridging between Solana and EVM-compatible chains via LayerZero, supported by a decentralized verifier network (DVN) for transaction validation.

These integrations enhance USDY’s interoperability, making it available to institutions and users across multiple blockchain ecosystems, including Stellar, Solana, and Ethereum-compatible chains.

Mastercard Partnership: Tokenized Assets on Payment Rails

In February, Ondo Finance became the first provider of tokenized RWAs on Mastercard’s Multi-Token Network. This partnership enables the integration of tokenized U.S. Treasuries into traditional payment systems, making them accessible to a broader institutional audience.

The collaboration with Mastercard, a global leader in payments, marks a significant step toward mainstream adoption of tokenized assets, bridging blockchain with everyday financial infrastructure.

Leadership Boost: Patrick McHenry Joins as Vice Chairman

Ondo Finance strengthened its leadership by appointing Patrick McHenry, former Chairman of the U.S. House Financial Services Committee, as Vice Chairman. McHenry’s expertise in financial policy enhances Ondo’s credibility and regulatory navigation capabilities.

This high-profile hire signals Ondo’s commitment to aligning with U.S. regulatory frameworks, crucial for its tokenized securities offerings.

Ondo Chain and Nexus: Infrastructure for Institutional Markets

Ondo launched Ondo Chain, a Layer 1 blockchain designed for institutional on-chain markets, and Ondo Nexus, a platform that provides liquidity for third-party tokenized Treasuries. These infrastructure developments aim to enhance capital market accessibility and scalability.

Ondo Chain and Nexus lay the technological foundation for Ondo’s vision of bringing global capital markets onchain, supporting both institutional and retail investors. The Layer 1 blockchain is currently in its testnet phase, and it was crucial to the successful completion of a cross-chain Delivery versus Payment test transaction as outlined above. 

Institutional Custody with BitGo and Zodia Custody

Ondo’s USDY became available on BitWatson’s BitGo for institutional custody on February 6, with Zodia Custody announcing support for USDY and plans for OUSG in May. These partnerships enhance the security and institutional appeal of Ondo’s tokenized assets.

Implications for the Future

Ondo Finance’s 2025 achievements position it as a frontrunner in RWA tokenization, with initiatives such as Ondo Global Markets, alliance, and Ondo Catalyst, as well as partnerships with Mastercard, JPMorgan, and OKX, driving mainstream adoption. The acquisition of Oasis Pro and regulatory engagements signal a commitment to compliance, critical for scaling tokenized securities in the U.S.

The company’s focus on interoperability, with USDY and OUSG available across Stellar, Solana, and other blockchains, enhances its global reach. As tokenized assets gain traction, Ondo’s infrastructure developments, such as Ondo Chain and Nexus, could redefine capital markets, making them more accessible and efficient.

These integrations and partnerships have also had a positive impact on its native asset and ecosystem. As of writing, Ondo Finance’s $ONDO token trades at approximately $0.8029 with a market cap of around $2.5 billion and a TVL exceeding $1 billion, according to Coinmarketcap. 

However, challenges remain, including regulatory uncertainties and market volatility. Ondo’s proactive approach to compliance, combined with its robust partnerships, mitigates these risks, setting the stage for continued growth.

Conclusion

These updates demonstrate Ondo Finance’s leadership in RWA tokenization and its vision to bridge TradFi and DeFi. The imminent launch of Ondo Global Markets, the $250 million Ondo Catalyst initiative, and strategic acquisitions, combined with infrastructure like Ondo Chain, position Ondo as a transformative force in finance.

For the latest updates, follow @OndoFinance on X or visit ondo.finance. As Ondo continues to innovate, 2025 could mark a turning point for tokenized assets in global markets.