Crypto Exchanges Enter the Stock Market
In a historic move for both crypto and traditional finance, the world's two largest crypto exchanges OKX and Binance
have both launched stock trading products within days of each other in late February/early March 2026. This opens US stock markets to hundreds of millions of crypto users worldwide who previously couldn't access them.
OKX: Stock Perpetual Futures (17 Contracts)
Official Announcement
On February 25, 2026,OKX officially announcedthe launch of USDT-margined perpetual futures for selected stocks. The rollout happened in phases:
Phase 1: (Feb 25): TSLA, MSTR, HOOD
Phase 2: (Mar 4): NVDA, MU, SNDK, GOOGL, MSFT, AAPL,
META, QQQ, SPYSource: FinanceFeeds
How OKX Stock Perpetuals Work
According toOKX's official product documentation: Type: USDT-margined perpetual contracts
Settlement: USDT (no actual shares involved) Leverage: 0.01x to 5x
Trading hours: 24/7 Funding rate: Every 8 hours to anchor price to spot
Corporate actions: OKX may adjust contracts for stock splits, mergers, etc. Asreported by BitPinas, OKX now offers 17 equity perpetual contracts including individual stocks AND ETFs (QQQ for Nasdaq 100, SPY for S&P 500).
CoinPedia notedthat the 5x leverage ceiling is conservative by crypto standards (where 20-100x is common), likely reflecting regulatory caution and the different volatility profile of equities.
What This Means for Traders
Trade Apple, Nvidia, Tesla, Microsoft, Google, Meta 24/7 even when US markets are closed
No brokerage account needed just an OKX account with basic KYC
Start with as little as $1 thanks to fractional contract sizes 20% fee rebate available through referral links
Binance: Tokenized Stocks via Ondo Finance (10 Tokens)
Official Announcement
On February 24, 2026,Binance officially announcedthat Binance Alpha now supports Ondo Tokenized Securities. AsCoinDesk exclusively reported, this marks Binance's first tokenized stock listing since it discontinued the product in 2021 following regulatory warnings.
Available Ondo Tokens on Binance
The Block reportedthat Binance lists 10 Ondo tokenized securities: AAPLon
Apple GOOGLon
Alphabet/Google TSLAon
Tesla NVDAon
Nvidia AMZNon
Amazon METAon
Meta MSFTon
Microsoft QQQon
Invesco QQQ ETF (Nasdaq 100) CIRCon
Circle And more
Regulatory Approval
On March 3, 2026,CoinDesk reportedthat Abu Dhabi's financial regulator (ADGM) approved Ondo Finance's tokenized equities for trading on Binance's regulated platform
the first time ADGM has approved tokenized securities trading. AsCoinMarketCap covered, Ondo had previously received EU approval in November 2025.
Key Difference: Ondo vs OKX Approach
FeatureOKX Stock PerpetualsBinance (Ondo Tokens) TypeDerivatives (perpetual contracts)Digital securities (backed by real shares)
SettlementUSDTOn-chain tokens Actual share ownershipNoPotentially yes (via Ondo)
DividendsNoPossible pass-through LeverageUp to 5xNo leverage
RegulationExchange-levelADGM + EU approved Available stocks1710
Why This Matters for International Investors
Previously, buying US stocks required: Opening a US brokerage account (complex KYC, SSN requirements)
International wire transfers ($25-50 fees, 3-5 day wait) Limited to US market hours (Mon-Fri 9:30am-4pm ET)
Now, with OKX and Binance: Simple crypto exchange KYC (passport from any country)
Deposit USDT via P2P with local bank transfer (minutes, not days) Trade 24/7, including weekends and holidays
Start with just $1
How to Get Started
On OKX (Recommended for active traders)
Register on OKX using our referral link get 20% fee rebate
Complete KYC with your passport or ID Deposit USDT
Go to Trade > Perpetuals > Stock Tokens
On Binance (Recommended for long-term holders)
Register on Binance using our referral link get 20% fee rebate
Complete KYC Buy Ondo tokenized stocks on Binance Alpha
Official Sources
OKX: Stock Perpetuals Product DocumentationOKX: List Perpetual Futures for Selected Stocks
Binance: Alpha Now Supports Ondo Tokenized SecuritiesCoinDesk: Binance Brings Back Tokenized Stocks
CoinDesk: Ondo Wins Abu Dhabi ApprovalFinanceFeeds: OKX Launches Perpetual Futures
