Ondo Finance Launches Layer-1 Blockchain to Tokenize Real-World Assets
Date: 2025-02-07 Author: Henry Casey Categories: BLOCKCHAIN
Real-world asset tokenization platform Ondo Finance has announced the creation of a Layer-1 blockchain aimed at Wall Street firms looking to tokenize traditional financial assets.
Ondo Chain was announced on February 6 at the company’s inaugural summit in New York City. At the event, World Liberty Financial co-founder Chase Herro reportedly said that the platform would create a “strategic reserve” of its assets, including Ondo tokens (ONDO).
Ondo Chain will be developed under the guidance of Ondo’s existing partners, such as BlackRock, PayPal, and Morgan Stanley. In addition, new participants include Franklin Templeton, WisdomTree, Google Cloud, ABN Amro, Aon, and McKinsey.
The new blockchain will offer a wide range of institutional features, including premium cross-collateral brokerage, tokenized asset staking, and wealth management. However, Ondo has not yet specified a launch date for the network.
Ondo Chain will be validated using real asset staking, but within a permissioned model. This will avoid maximum extractable value (MEV) and front running, which is especially important for institutional clients who need guarantees of high-quality trade execution. At the same time, the network will remain accessible to anyone who wants to issue tokens and develop applications.
Strengthening ties between World Liberty Financial and Ondo Finance
The announcement of Ondo Chain coincided with Chase Herro’s announcement that World Liberty Financial plans to create a strategic reserve of the tokens it holds. According to Bloomberg, this will include, in particular, ONDO worth $470,000, purchased on February 6, as well as $270,000 worth of tokens purchased on December 15.
Earlier in December, the company also participated in major digital asset acquisitions, with around $45 million worth of tokens purchased on the market. These included Ether (ETH) and Coinbase Wrapped BTC (cbBTC).
World Liberty Financial's cryptocurrency reserves are currently valued at $35.4 million and include various digital assets.
