Why Tokenized Stocks Could Be Bigger Than Stablecoins w/ Ian De Bode

Tokenizing global equities represents a transformative shift in financial infrastructure, moving assets from traditional, fragmented systems onto blockchain rails to enhance liquidity, accessibility, and 24/7 mobility. Ian De Bode, Chief Strategy Officer at Ondo Finance, highlights that while current tokenized stock models often suffer from de-pegging and liquidity gaps, a robust, bankruptcy-remote structure—backed by real-world assets and direct connectivity to traditional exchanges—is essential for institutional and retail adoption. With approximately 500 million people globally lacking access to U.S. capital markets, tokenization offers a scalable solution to bypass high fees and entry barriers. As the industry matures, the integration of tokenized stocks into decentralized finance will enable automated investment strategies and greater capital efficiency, eventually compelling traditional financial institutions to adopt 24/7 settlement systems to remain competitive.