VALR, Africa’s largest crypto exchange by trade volume, has launched xStocks on its platform enabling customers to gain price exposure through tokenisation of leading US-listed equities such as Tesla, Nvidia, Robinhood, Circle, and Coinbase.
With this move, VALR says it becomes the first crypto exchange in the region to offer tokenised equities, marking a significant step towards financial inclusion and simplified investment opportunities across Africa.
xStocks, launched by Backed in May 2025, are 1:1-backed tokenised representations of US-listed equities and ETFs, providing price exposure to token holders. However, the xStocks tokens do not confer ownership rights, voting rights, or other shareholder rights and privileges to token holders.
These tokens can be traded on VALR’s Spot market against TetherUSD (USDT) or against other crypto assets including Bitcoin and Ethereum – or even the South African rand – via the Simple Buy/Sell terminal. Additionally, xStocks can be deposited and withdrawn via the Solana network, ensuring seamless and efficient transactions across the crypto ecosystem.
This launch reflects a growing global trend of tokenising real-world assets, further bridging the gap between traditional finance and the crypto economy. By offering xStocks, VALR empowers its users to diversify their portfolios with price exposure to some of the world’s most prominent companies, fostering greater access to global markets and simplifying investment strategies.
The introduction of xStocks follows VALR’s recent launch of the Garrington Capital USD Private Credit Token (USDPC), a yield-bearing crypto asset, as part of its broader VALR Invest initiative.
Farzam Ehsani, Co-Founder and CEO of VALR, commented: “The launch of xStocks on our platform represents a pivotal moment in advancing access to innovative products that brings choice and inclusion to people in South Africa – with a plan to make the product available to the continent and globally in the near future,” says Farzam Ehsani, co-founder and CEO of VALR. “By blending crypto and traditional finance, we are forging a financial system that brings down barriers and serves many more with unprecedented ease.
“This initiative not only strengthens VALR’s global profile, but also reaffirms our commitment to bringing innovation and progress to our community of VALR users,” Ehsani adds.