Ondo Abandons Blockchain to Focus on Execution Speed

Ondo Finance has unveiled a new execution layer called the Ondo Network, designed to deliver trading speeds comparable to centralized exchanges while preserving self-custody and on-chain settlement.

The move marks a strategic shift away from Ondo Chain, which was initially built to provide dedicated blockchain infrastructure for tokenized financial assets. However, after developing Ondo Perps and working with customers, the company concluded that execution speed was the biggest bottleneck preventing on-chain markets from competing with traditional exchanges.

Ondo is targeting a different audience than Hyperliquid, which rebuilt crypto exchanges, or Robinhood Chain, which brought retail users on-chain. Instead, it's creating infrastructure for institutions, asset managers, and issuers bringing real-world assets (RWAs) on-chain, effectively rebuilding capital markets.