Ondo Finance, a leader in tokenized real-world assets (RWA), has acquired blockchain infrastructure developer Strangelove Labs to strengthen its technical capabilities amid intensifying competition in the RWA market. The undisclosed deal, announced on July 15, 2025, aims to position Ondo as a vertically integrated platform by combining Strangelove's expertise in interoperability protocols, SDK frameworks, and custom chain deployments with Ondo's financial product innovation.
Strangelove CEO Jack Zampolin will join Ondo as Vice President of Product, bringing experience from multiple layer-1 blockchain ecosystems. The acquisition accelerates Ondo's plans to launch its own blockchain network, specifically designed to address RWA challenges like scalability, cross-chain compatibility, and institutional compliance. Nathan Allman, Ondo's CEO, emphasized: "This reinforces our commitment to building foundational infrastructure to bring financial markets onchain."
The move responds to growing competition from both crypto-native firms like Centrifuge and Maple Finance and traditional financial institutions. Strangelove's team, known for work in the Cosmos ecosystem, will enable omnichain asset issuance capabilities, differentiating Ondo from rivals limited to single networks. Despite regulatory hurdles and limited institutional adoption beyond pilot programs, Ondo anticipates surging demand for tokenized U.S. Treasuries, real estate, and other RWAs.