Ondo Abandons Independent Public Blockchain Roadmap, Launches New Execution Network to Build On-Chain Architecture with Exchange-Grade Performance

Ondo Finance has announced the launch of its new Ondo Network, a high-performance execution layer designed to combine centralized exchange (CEX)-level transaction speed with the non-custodial, secure settlement capabilities of blockchain. Ondo CEO Ian De Bode stated that the Ondo Network is an evolved version of the original Ondo Chain plan. The company will not operate two separate networks; instead, it has adjusted its roadmap from building a full blockchain to focusing on an execution layer architecture. According to the introduction, Ondo initially planned to comprehensively tokenize real-world assets (RWAs) via Ondo Chain. However, after developing the Ondo Perps perpetual contract trading platform and communicating with users, the company found that the core bottleneck in the current market is not asset settlement, but transaction execution efficiency. The Ondo Network adopts a modular architecture that separates execution, validation, and settlement. It uses secure hardware-isolated execution environments to boost transaction speed while retaining key blockchain features: user self-custody of assets, verifiable transactions, and permissionless access. Currently, Ondo Perps is the first application built on this network, supporting 24/7 trading of perpetual contracts for stocks and commodities, and allowing tokenized real-world assets to be used as collateral. Ondo added that the network will also support other high-performance, privacy-protective, verifiable execution applications in the future, such as spot trading, lending, and structured products. Additionally, the launch of Ondo Network will not change the positioning of the ONDO token. The CEO said that ONDO will remain the governance and incentive token for Ondo’s RWA ecosystem and market infrastructure. As the network gradually decentralizes, ONDO will be used to coordinate the incentive mechanisms for validators, observers, and other ecosystem participants.