Binance launches options trading for 1,000 US stocks and ETFs

Binance has expanded its traditional finance offerings by launching options trading on over 1,000 US stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) for eligible users outside the United States. An ETF is a fund that tracks the performance of a group of assets, such as stocks, and trades like a single stock.

The new service is provided through Binance’s Abu Dhabi-regulated broker-dealer, Nest Trading, with orders executed, cleared, settled, and held in custody by US-registered Alpaca Securities. Unlike some existing products, these options are physically settled, meaning users who exercise them receive or deliver the actual underlying shares.

This launch follows Binance’s existing equities offering, which already includes more than 7,000 US stocks and ETFs. The company reports that trading in traditional financial products on its platform has grown quickly, with perpetual futures tied to traditional assets reaching about $433 billion in volume in August—roughly 15 times the total in January.

Growth in tokenized and traditional stock trading

The broader market for tokenized stocks—digital versions of stocks recorded on a blockchain—has also expanded sharply. According to data from RWA.xyz, the distributed value of tokenized stocks has risen to about $2.6 billion, up from roughly $346 million a year ago. Monthly transfer volume has increased by 93% over the past 30 days to $25.1 billion, while the number of holders has grown 157% to nearly 2.5 million.

Other platforms are also expanding their offerings. Coinbase recently brought its tokenized equities to the Base blockchain, giving eligible non-US users 24/7 access to onchain versions of stocks like Apple, Nvidia, Meta, and Alphabet. Kraken opened access to more than 7,000 US-listed stocks for eligible European customers in August, alongside its tokenized stock products. In July, Robinhood launched its own blockchain, Robinhood Chain, along with a new set of stock tokens for users in over 120 countries.

What is confirmed

• Binance now offers options trading on over 1,000 US stocks and ETFs for non-US users.
• The service is provided through Nest Trading and executed by Alpaca Securities.
• Options are physically settled, meaning actual shares are delivered or received upon exercise.
• Binance already offers trading in over 7,000 US stocks and ETFs.
• Traditional finance perpetual futures volume on Binance reached $433 billion in August.
• Tokenized stocks have grown to $2.6 billion in distributed value, with rising transfer volumes and holders.
• Coinbase, Kraken, and Robinhood have also expanded their tokenized or traditional stock offerings.

Why this matters

The expansion shows Binance’s growing focus on traditional financial products, alongside a wider industry trend of blending crypto and traditional markets. Tokenized assets allow users to trade stocks on blockchains, often with added features like 24/7 access or integration with decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols, which enable activities like trading or borrowing without traditional intermediaries.

Sources

• Cointelegraph