August 07, 2026 – Abu Dhabi has handed tokenized stocks a major regulatory win. The ADGM’s FSRA cleared Ondo Finance’s equities for Binance’s regulated venue. As a result, tokenized Apple and Nvidia shares now trade legally in the UAE.
In Summary
ADGM’s FSRA approved Ondo tokenized stocks on Binance’s regulated MTF.
Nine assets trade at launch, including Apple, Nvidia and the QQQ ETF.
Ondo has booked $11 billion in volume and $600 million in TVL.
Tokenized stocks globally just crossed $1 billion, per RWA.xyz.
ADGM listed the tokens on its deemed securities register.
A first for Abu Dhabi
The Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Abu Dhabi Global Market approved Ondo Global Markets’ tokenized equities. These tokens now trade on Binance’s FSRA-regulated Multilateral Trading Facility. This is the first approval of its kind under the ADGM framework. Moreover, the regulator added the tokens to its official deemed securities list. The order permits UAE financial institutions to deal in token versions of listed equities. Ondo Global Markets issues the tokens from the British Virgin Islands.
What trades on the venue
The launch covers nine public assets. Investors get tokenized versions of Amazon, Alphabet, Apple, Circle, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia and Tesla. In addition, the list includes the Invesco QQQ ETF. However, the products are not direct shares. Ondo issues equity-linked notes tied to the underlying stocks instead. Each token tracks the cash value of one underlying share. Holders may redeem tokens for stablecoins at the current market price. Thus, price exposure mirrors the primary market closely. UAE institutions, intermediaries and counterparties may now trade these tokens freely. The offering also stays open to non-US users.
Ondo’s rapid build-up
The approval caps a fast six-month run for Ondo. The firm has processed more than $11 billion in cumulative trading volume, according to its official announcement. It also holds over $600 million in total value locked. Last year, Ondo won a base prospectus approval across the European Union. Consequently, it can distribute securities publicly in all EU member states. The Binance Alpha listing in February opened the door first. That venue serves earlier-stage and higher-risk products.
A comeback for Binance
In 2021, Binance offered tokenized shares of Tesla and other firms. Yet regulators in the United Kingdom and Germany forced a shutdown. Scrutiny in Europe ended that experiment within months. Now the exchange returns with a compliant structure. It first listed Ondo equities on its Alpha platform in February. Therefore, the ADGM venue adds a regulated layer for institutions.
The market behind the news
Tokenized stocks crossed $1 billion in total value this spring. Moreover, Ondo controls about 58% of that segment, per RWA.xyz data. The wider tokenized RWA market is growing even faster. It rose from $8 billion in early 2024 to $37.6 billion today. Tokenized US Treasuries alone now exceed $16 billion. Gold tokens account for $7.3 billion of that pool. Meanwhile, tokenized equities remain a small but fast-growing slice. They grew from $424 million at mid-2025 to $1 billion now.
The competitive race
Rivals are moving quickly in tokenized equities. Traditional venues like Nasdaq and the NYSE study the sector. Brokerages and crypto exchanges also file for token trading rights. Nevertheless, Ondo holds an early lead with 58% market share. Its EU prospectus and ADGM approval create a regulatory moat.
What to watch next
Volume on the new MTF will signal institutional appetite. More asset approvals could follow on the ADGM deemed securities list. Also, other jurisdictions may copy the Abu Dhabi playbook. Still, tokenized stocks must prove liquidity in stressed markets. Clear rules attract issuers and investors alike. If they do, equities on chains will become routine. Therefore, the model could spread to other financial centers.
