Luno Launches Tokenized Global Stocks in Nigeria, Opening Wall Street Access to Everyday Investors

For decades, access to global stock markets has been out of reach for most Nigerians. The hurdles were familiar: complex brokerage accounts, high minimum deposits, foreign exchange restrictions, and strict regulations. Even today, fewer than 5% of Nigerian adults actively participate in capital markets, despite a financial inclusion rate of 74%, according to the Central Bank of Nigeria.

That reality is now changing. Luno, one of Africa’s leading crypto platforms, has officially launched tokenized global stocks and ETFs in Nigeria, following a successful debut in South Africa earlier this year. The move makes Luno the first Africa-founded exchange to give Nigerians direct, on-chain access to international equities using their local currency.

With this launch, everyday Nigerians can invest in over 60 of the world’s top companies and funds from Apple and Tesla to Nvidia, Microsoft, and the S&P 500 ETF directly in naira. No foreign bank accounts. No offshore brokers. No waiting for Wall Street to open.

Nigeria’s investing space has long been defined by exclusion. Traditional brokers often require large sums of money and foreign currency deposits to open accounts. Scarcity of dollars, coupled with regulatory bottlenecks, has made global markets an exclusive club reserved for the privileged few.

Luno’s tokenized stocks flip this model on its head. Nigerians can now invest as little as ₦100 (about $0.07) into fractional shares of global companies. The product is fully integrated into the familiar Luno app, allowing users to trade stocks alongside their crypto holdings.

“Global markets have always been an exclusive club, but technology now allows us to break down those walls,” said Ayotunde Alabi, CEO of Luno Nigeria. “With tokenized stocks, we’re giving millions of Nigerians a genuine chance to invest in the same world-leading companies on equal footing with investors anywhere.”

The tokenised stocks are backed one-to-one by real shares held in regulated custody, thanks to Luno’s partnerships with Kraken’s xStocks and Backed Finance, a US firm specializing in tokenization. This ensures compliance and transparency, tying each token directly to a real-world asset.

Fractional investing: Buy small slices of Apple, Tesla, or ETFs starting from ₦100.

24/5 trading: Unlike Wall Street’s limited hours, Luno enables trading around the clock on weekdays, with weekend trading planned.

Instant settlement: No waiting for trades to clear. Assets are available immediately.

Seamless integration: Users manage both crypto and stocks in the same secure app.

Nigeria is the second African market to receive the service, following a rollout in South Africa in July 2025. Within just one month, over 10,000 South Africans invested through Luno’s tokenised platform, underscoring the pent-up demand for easy access to global assets across the continent.

Nigeria, with its young, tech-savvy population and appetite for wealth creation, is a natural next step. If the South African numbers are any guide, adoption in Nigeria could dwarf the pilot phase.

For Nigerians, the timing couldn’t be better. With inflation and naira depreciation eroding local savings, access to dollar-linked global equities provides an important hedge. Tokenized stocks also enable diversification beyond Nigeria’s volatile local markets, giving investors exposure to companies they use every day, from smartphones to streaming platforms.

This innovation also aligns with Nigeria’s broader financial inclusion goals. By lowering entry barriers and removing the need for foreign currency, Luno’s product could unlock participation for millions of first-time investors.

Despite the excitement, there are risks to consider.

Regulatory clarity: Nigeria’s new Investment and Securities Act (2025) classifies digital investment assets as securities, but enforcement is still evolving.

Custodial reliance: The system depends on third-party partners like Kraken and Backed Finance. Any disruption could affect investors.

User education: Many Nigerians are new to tokenization. Without strong education, there’s a risk of misunderstanding or misuse.

Smart contract vulnerabilities: As with all blockchain-based assets, bugs and outages remain possible.

Luno says it has put insurance and strict security vetting in place to mitigate these risks, but investor awareness is crucial.

Tokenised assets represent the next frontier of investing. By turning real-world shares into blockchain-based tokens, platforms like Luno are redefining how Africans access global wealth. Today it’s stocks and ETFs. Tomorrow it could be real estate, bonds, or commodities, all tradable on-chain, in naira, from a mobile phone.

Whether this will disrupt established players like Bamboo, Rise, Chaka, and Trove remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the walls keeping Nigerians out of Wall Street are starting to crumble.

Luno’s launch of tokenised stocks in Nigeria is more than just a new product. It’s a signal of where investing in Africa is heading toward inclusivity, simplicity, and a global mindset. For millions of Nigerians, it could be the first realistic opportunity to own a piece of the world’s biggest companies.