Click to watchBlockchain.com has launched tokenised U.S. stocks in Nigeria through Ondo Finance, allowing users to buy Apple, Tesla, and Alphabet shares directly from their crypto wallets. It’s a major step for the long-running exchange as it moves beyond crypto into dollar-based investing.
It also comes six months after the company opened a physical store in Nigeria, its fastest-growing market in Africa, showing just how central the country has become to its strategy.
Luno and VALR have rolled out similar features in recent months, as crypto exchanges across Africa begin to look beyond trading. Many of these platforms that started out around Bitcoin and Ethereum are now moving toward broader investment access, reflecting how Nigerian users are chasing dollar-backed assets in a shaky economy.
The question now is: why are crypto-native platforms suddenly competing to sell you fractional shares of American companies?
What Ondo x Blockchain is offering
Through its partnership with Ondo Finance, Blockchain.com now lets Nigerians buy tokenised versions of more than 100 U.S. stocks and ETFs directly from their crypto wallets. Users can fund in naira, convert to stablecoins, and trade these tokens, each representing fractional ownership tied to the real value of the underlying stock, at any time.
Ondo Finance, a U.S.-based firm focused on tokenising real-world assets, launched its Global Markets platform earlier this year to bring regulated exposure to U.S. equities on-chain. The integration makes Blockchain.com one of the first global exchanges to connect its retail wallet directly to that system.
To drive adoption, the company is offering an incentive: users who buy at least five tokenised assets worth $10 each can earn up to 25 ONDO tokens, with extra rewards for holding less-traded assets. The rollout builds on months of fast growth in Nigeria, where Blockchain.com says transaction volumes have doubled since February, reinforcing why it’s deepening its local presence.
Why is this happening now?
Three forces are driving this shift among crypto platforms.
First is user demand. Nigerians don’t just want crypto; they want dollar exposure. Whether through USDT, tokenised stocks, or offshore savings, the goal is the same—to protect value against naira volatility. Chainalysis data shows that 40% of Africa’s crypto transactions in 2024 involved stablecoins, highlighting that for many users, crypto has become a tool for protection rather than profit. Tokenised stocks are the next logical step: assets that keep your money in dollars and still let it grow.
Second is regulatory maturity. The 2021–2024 period was basically survival mode: banking bans, peer-to-peer workarounds, and unclear rules. That’s changing. Naira withdrawals are back, the SEC is gradually issuing virtual asset licenses, and firms are more confident about operating locally. Blockchain.com’s Africa GM, Owenize Odia, said recently, “Nigeria is our biggest market and we’re seeing clear direction on how virtual assets should be regulated.” In other words, the climate now supports more complex financial products.
Third is market saturation. The pure “buy and sell Bitcoin” model has reached its limit. Most exchanges offer the same tokens, fees, and interfaces. To stay competitive, platforms need new products that drive engagement and revenue. Stocks, yield assets, and tokenised investments help them diversify and retain users. As Blockchain.com’s Nigeria operations head, Michael Emeeka, put it: “Customers have been asking for broader investment choices beyond crypto. This helps them diversify safely while staying within a secure, compliant platform.”
What this means for the market
Blockchain.com’s rollout comes as Nigerian traders start to move past pure speculation. The frenzy of quick-turn crypto trades is giving way to a quieter demand for stability—assets that hold value and offer predictable returns. Tokenised stocks fit neatly into that shift, blending the dollar exposure users already trust in stablecoins with the growth potential of U.S. equities.
They’re not the first to spot the shift. Luno began offering tokenised U.S. stocks in September, giving Nigerians access to over 60 equities and ETFs directly in naira through partnerships with Kraken’s xStocks and Backed Finance. VALR, Africa’s largest exchange by volume, rolled out its own version—xStocks—a month earlier in South Africa, with plans to extend access to Nigeria. Both are betting on the same evolution: African investors looking for a bridge between crypto convenience and traditional finance reliability.
Blockchain.com’s move suggests that phase two of the market change has begun. What started as scattered experiments by regional exchanges is now drawing in global players to define what “safe digital investing” means in Nigeria.
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