Ondo Finance launched Wednesday its tokenized equity platform dubbed Ondo Global Markets, offering non-U.S. investors access to more than 100 U.S. stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) on-chain. The tokenized equities, has gone live on Ethereum and are backed by securities held at U.S.-registered broker-dealers, the firm said. The offering includes crypto token versions of Apple (AAPL), Nvidia (NVDA) and the QQQ ETF among others. Investors in Asia-Pacific, Europe, Africa and Latin America can mint and redeem shares around the clock during trading days, with access to underlying exchange liquidity. The service is not available for U.S. users. The tokens are designed to move freely between wallets, exchanges and decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols. The firm has also partnered with BitGo, Ledger, Chainlink and other infrastructure providers to support the rollout. Ondo said it plans to expand the selection to more than 1,000 assets by the end of this year and bring the service to Solana and BNB Chain (BNB) with LayerZero-powered interoperability. “We saw stablecoins export the U.S. dollar by bringing it on-chain,” said Nathan Allman, founder and CEO of Ondo Finance. “Now, Ondo Global Markets is doing the same thing for U.S. securities.” The rollout comes as tokenization of real-world assets (RWAs) gains momentum across crypto markets, with projects bringing treasuries, private credit and now equities onto blockchains pursuing broader access and liquidity.
Bluwhale helps Gen Z bridge Web2 and Web3 info with unified dashboard connecting stablecoins, crypto activity, and bank accounts, delivering personalized AI agents for automated asset management and scoring
Bluwhale, the decentralized intelligence network powering AI agents across blockchains, has launched its digital financial health dashboard aimed at Gen Z navigating a hybrid world of digital assets and traditional finance. Bluwhale bridges Web2 and Web3, creating a unified dashboard that connects bank accounts, stablecoins, crypto wallets, staking activity, and DeFi flows. With the introduction of the Whale Score, Bluwhale is rewriting the rules for financial health by combining and analyzing crypto, stablecoins, staking income, digital assets, cash, and traditional investments in real time. The app lets users seamlessly track, benchmark, and gamify their financial standing, while AI agents deliver personalized products and services—all without manual input. It combines digital asset transparency with AI-powered analytics to deliver a dynamic financial health score, reflecting the broader trend among younger users who view wealth not just as an asset—but as a social signal often called “flexing.” Bluwhale aggregates real-time data from wallets, bank accounts and credit cards while encouraging large financial institutions and web3 enterprises to meet Gen Z’s digital expectations. Unlike traditional tools like RocketMoney, which require manual data input or tedious accounting practices, the Whale Score (0–1000) automatically unifies traditional banking data and crypto activity into a gamified financial health dashboard while AI agents manage assets in the background. The system produces a real-time, percentile-ranked financial health score—similar to Apple Health or Whoop—that measures physical health, so consumers can compare their performance with their peers.
Blockchain‑powered Mintland tokenizes premium properties into tradable digital shares starting at $10, disrupting the $300 trillion real estate market with smartphone‑accessible fractional ownership and instant tradability
Mintland, an innovative blockchain-powered platform, has officially launched with the mission to make real estate investing accessible to everyone, regardless of income level or location. By tokenizing premium global properties, Mintland allows investors to own fractional shares of real estate for as little as $10—a move poised to disrupt a $300 trillion industry. Mintland makes real estate ownership accessible by tokenizing global properties, breaking them into digital shares starting at just $10. This innovation allows investors to buy, sell, and trade property shares instantly, without the friction of traditional systems. With Mintland, investors gain access to: Fractional Ownership: Own a share of luxury apartments, commercial towers, and beachfront villas worldwide. Instant Liquidity: Trade property shares like digital assets—no waiting, no middlemen. Borderless Investing: Access opportunities across global markets with nothing more than a smartphone. Mintland investors can earn in three ways: Rental Income: Receive proportional payouts from rental yields; Capital Growth: Benefit from long-term appreciation of property values; Token Growth: Watch the value of $LAND, Mintland’s native token, rise as adoption scales. By introducing blockchain security, transparency, and instant tradability, Mintland bridges the gap between traditional wealth-building strategies and modern financial innovation.
More than three-quarters of financial advisors (78%) surveyed at LPL Financial LLC’s flagship annual conference are already leveraging or plan to use AI tools
More than three-quarters of financial advisors (78%) surveyed at LPL Financial LLC’s flagship annual conference are already leveraging or plan to use AI tools to create capacity in their businesses this year. More than half of LPL advisors surveyed (54%) plan to grow their businesses by upgrading technology systems, including AI and automation tools. When asked what they see as the biggest challenge to their business over the next 12 months, only 12% of the advisors surveyed identified disruptive technology, like AI – compared to challenges such as economic/market volatility (23%) and sustaining growth with their client base (23%). The survey also found that LPL advisors are looking to add wealth management services to grow their businesses, with one-in-five (18%) expecting to expand their offerings of alternative investments and more than a third (37%) hoping to provide additional planning or concierge services such as financial coaching or estate planning. LPL advisors intending to expand up-market to serve higher-net-worth clients are prioritizing adding more wealth planning services to their offering (34%) and cultivating center-of-influence relationships with CPAs and attorneys (24%). Advisors surveyed also reported a wide range of interests from their client base, with clients asking them the most about: market volatility, including tariffs, inflation and geopolitical instability (62%); goals-based financial planning, including retirement readiness (50%); tax optimization (49%); estate and wealth transfer planning (43%); and managing rising costs such as housing or healthcare (28%).
Equita Financial Network launches Succession Advantage; integrating Ellevate’s roadmap and FP Transitions’ valuations, deal structuring, and legal documentation to streamline ownership transitions for women‑owned RIAs
Equita Financial Network (EquitaFN), the only wealth management platform for women owned, fee-only independent financial advisors, announced the launch of its new succession planning solution, EquitaFN Succession Advantage, designed to help member firms secure their futures, preserve business value, and ensure clients are cared for during leadership transitions. Developed in collaboration with Ellevate Advisors and FP Transitions, the offering provides EquitaFN members with access to a comprehensive suite of services that combine personalized planning, tailored implementation, and expert transaction support. Through the new solution, EquitaFN member firms will benefit from: Ellevate Advisors’ Succession Roadmap, which includes readiness assessments, personalized action plans, quarterly implementation milestones, and transition coaching to guide advisors through every stage. FP Transitions’ Valuation and Transaction Expertise, including certified valuations, deal structuring, and full legal documentation support to ensure smooth and compliant ownership transitions. EquitaFN’s Matching Platform (in development for early 2026), giving members access to a curated pool of like-minded successors.
Bloomberg launches Screened Choice indices; a customizable equity benchmark suite letting investors apply values-based exclusions
Bloomberg has introduced the Screened Choice Indices, a suite of equity benchmarks designed to give investors greater control over how they apply values-based exclusions to their portfolios. These market cap-weighted benchmarks allow users to either adopt existing benchmarks or customise them to reflect their specific investment criteria. The indices are built on a rules-based, modular methodology that groups exclusions into six themes, which can be applied individually or in combination to suit investor mandates. The six modules include Core, Fossil Fuels and Non-Renewable Energy, Fossil Fuels Enhanced, Vice Products, Weapons, and Controversial Conduct. At launch, 66 off-the-shelf indices are available, including Bloomberg Select Indices, Bloomberg Select FossilEX Indices, and the Bloomberg Screened Choice Indices. The indices are available in both USD and EUR and cover 11 global regions, including developed and emerging markets. Investors and clients can access the indices directly via the Bloomberg Terminal at {IN EQ }, with research and methodologies provided on the Bloomberg Indices Documentation page.
Gen X doubt their retirement readiness: 54% feel unprepared, target $1.57M (average is $1.26M), 56% fear they’ll outlive savings and 48% plan to keep working post retirement
Northwestern Mutual’s 2025 Planning & Progress Study found that 54% of Gen don’t believe they’ll be financially ready when retirement arrives. The study also found that Gen Xers expect they’ll need $1.57 million to retire comfortably, which is a hefty $310,000 above the national “magic number” average. And their financial worries weigh heavily as 35% of Gen Xers say these concerns keep them up at night at least once a month, versus only 14% of baby boomers. Among those who have set aside money for retirement, the most common response (17%) was that they’ve saved about twice their current annual income. “Many Gen X’ers are juggling responsibilities on both ends, supporting aging parents while still helping their children,” said Jeff Sippel, chief strategy officer at Northwestern Mutual. “They’re also the first generation to truly feel the impact of the move from defined benefit plans to defined contribution plans. “All of this puts more of the burden of financial planning on their shoulders. That’s where a comprehensive financial plan custom-built by a trusted advisor can make a real impact. It can help Gen X’ers get clarity on what they need as they head toward their retirement years and put a realistic game plan in place to get there.” 56% of Gen Xers believe they will outlive their savings, compared with 40% of boomers, according to the research. The study also noted that Gen Xers are the least likely of any generation to expect to leave an inheritance. The study shows Gen X has less clarity than boomers on key financial issues, from the impacts of inflation and taxes on retirement to planning for health and long-term care. Half of Gen Xers say they’ve had a financial blind spot, focusing too much on building wealth without adequately protecting their assets, compared with 35% of boomers. 48% of Gen Xers expect to work during retirement, often out of necessity. One-third plan to work part time in a different job, while one-quarter expect to work full-time elsewhere. By comparison, less than one-third (30%) of boomers say they’ll work in retirement.
Kraken’s new perpetual contract turns crypto trading into sports-style bets; allows users to speculate on crypto price without owning the underlying asset
Cryptocurrency exchange Kraken has launched a new derivatives product, introducing simplified perpetual contracts it calls “Kraken Perps.” The contracts, now available in select regions to eligible clients worldwide, allow users to speculate on crypto price movements without owning the underlying asset. “Perps are trading instruments designed to let users speculate on future price movements, up or down, without owning the asset involved,” the exchange explained. The mechanics remain rooted in derivatives trading. To open a position, users fund trades with collateral from their Kraken balance. At launch, USD serves as the supported collateral, with other assets expected to follow. Traders then choose whether to increase or decrease exposure to a chosen cryptocurrency’s price. The exchange said it will roll out educational resources to help users understand the mechanics and risks involved. Still, the choice of sports betting analogies has prompted debate about whether retail clients will fully grasp the leverage and volatility embedded in such instruments. Kraken Perps are reportedly live in select regions for eligible clients, with plans to expand access. The company framed the product not as a call to day-trade, but as another tool for expressing market views and building portfolio strategies. The contracts, now available on Kraken Pro, operate without expiry, distinguishing them from standard FX products that follow set trading hours or maturities. According to Kraken, the mechanics of the FX perps are modeled on its existing crypto perpetual contracts, aiming to provide a familiar trading experience for its user base.
Coinchange and Utila deliver an institutional‑grade, custody‑agnostic yield‑as‑a‑service, blending enterprise wallet controls with multi‑strategy CeFi/DeFi returns for treasury and fintechs
Coinchange, the digital-asset management platform for institutional yield, announced a strategic collaboration with Utila, the secure, all-in-one digital asset operations platform for institutions. Coinchange has recently joined Utila’s ecosystem and will leverage its institutional wallet infrastructure to power compliant, multi-strategy yield offerings for businesses worldwide. This collaboration enables Utila’s institutional customers to access Coinchange’s comprehensive suite of yield-as-a-service offerings, providing secure, compliant, and customizable digital asset yield strategies for treasury management and portfolio optimization. Coinchange and Utila jointly deliver an approach that combines Utila’s enterprise-grade custody and controls with Coinchange’s institutional yield strategies to provide secure, transparent, and risk-managed returns. Key Value for Utila Clients: Institutional-Grade Yield: Coinchange’s multi-strategy engine delivers risk-managed returns across CeFi and DeFi, designed for treasury, fintech, and institutions. Compliance First: Regulatory-ready architecture aligned with FATF, MiCAensures yield products can be deployed responsibly at scale. Comprehensive Asset Support: Yield generation across USDC, USDT, BTC, ETH, and other major digital assets with daily liquidity and transparent pricing. Flexible Delivery: Custody-agnostic models via Utila wallets let institutions define compliance, reporting, and payout workflows while Coinchange powers the yield backend. Operational Efficiency: Daily liquidity, audit-ready reporting, and seamless treasury integration simplify adoption for financial institutions and fintech platforms.
WisdomTree launches a tokenized private credit fund CRDT with $25 minimum and two‑day redemptions, tracking 35 CEFs, BDCs, and REITs on‑chain.
WisdomTree has launched a new tokenized fund focusing on private credit. The new fund, called the WisdomTree Private Credit and Alternative Income Digital Fund (CRDT), tracks a basket of 35 publicly traded closed-end funds, business development companies, and real estate investment trusts. It’s available with a minimum investment of just $25 and offers two-day redemption. WisdomTree, it’s worth adding, launched an ETF tracking the same benchmark in 2021, the WisdomTree Private Credit and Alternative Income Fund. Private credit, lending done outside traditional banks, has ballooned in recent years as investors chase yield-focused investment options. “It’s really just about bringing the asset class to a whole universe of different investors,” said Will Peck, head of digital assets at WisdomTree. The firm has launched a number of tokenized investment vehicles so far, including ones offering exposure to money market funds, fixed income securities, and equities.