Three Applications for US Stock Exposure via Crypto Assets
The development of blockchain technology is opening alternatives for Indonesian investors to gain exposure to assets related to US company stocks through the digital asset ecosystem.
One such mechanism is the tokenisation of stocks, or tokenised stocks, which are digital assets designed to follow the value of specific shares. This product differs from direct share ownership through a securities firm that provides access to the US stock exchange.
One of the stocks attracting significant global investor attention is Tesla, the US electric vehicle company, which exhibits highly dynamic price movements. For investors wishing to gain exposure to Tesla shares through the digital asset ecosystem, several platforms serve as viable options, including Pintu, Bittime, and Tokocrypto.
However, investors must pay close attention to the characteristics of each product, as not all digital assets linked to specific companies are tokenised stocks.
- Pintu
Pintu is one of the platforms offering tokenised stock products to provide exposure to several global companies. Through this product, users purchase digital tokens whose value is designed to track the underlying stock. Consequently, this product differs from purchasing shares directly through a broker or securities firm in the United as.
Available tokens include NVDAX, which tracks NVIDIA; AMZNX for Amazon; AAPLX for Apple; TSLAX for Tesla; GOOGLX for Alphabet; and METAX for Meta. Pintu stated that these tokenised stocks are supported by a 1:1 underlying asset ratio, with the underlying assets held by a licensed custodian.
The product also allows transactions to be conducted 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Pintu noted that users can purchase tokenised stocks with amounts starting from approximately Rp11,000. This ease of transaction amount and timing is a key difference from conventional stock trading, which follows exchange trading hours.
Nevertheless, investors must remain mindful of risks such as stock price fluctuations, digital asset risks, issuer risks, liquidity, and the differences in rights between token holders and direct shareholders.
- Bittime
Bittime is a digital asset platform also involved in the development of the Real-World Assets (RWA) ecosystem. The tokenisation of RWA allows real-world assets to be represented as digital tokens running on a blockchain network. This concept is evolving as part of the integration between traditional asset markets and blockchain technology.
However, investors need to ensure the characteristics of every product available on the platform. RWA products do not always signify tokenised stocks. Before conducting transactions, investors should verify information regarding the underlying asset, the token issuer, the blockchain network, the pricing mechanism, transaction fees, liquidity, and asset withdrawal terms. Product availability may also change according to platform policies and market conditions. Therefore, information regarding an asset should be checked via official applications or channels before transacting.
- Tokocrypto
Tokocrypto is one of the crypto asset trading platforms in Indonesia that provides a variety of digital assets. For investors seeking exposure to US company stocks through digital assets, it is vital to distinguish tokenised stocks from crypto assets that merely use a company’s name or have certain associations with it.
Before purchasing a token, investors need to know whether the asset has shares as its underlying, who the issuer is, how the underlying asset is stored, and what rights are attached to the token. Additionally, aspects such as trading costs, spreads, and liquidity must be considered. Tokens with low liquidity have the potential for larger buy and sell price spreads, which can increase risk when an investor intends to sell the asset.
Understanding Product Characteristics
The emergence of tokenisation provides an alternative for investors seeking exposure to global companies through digital asset infrastructure. However, investors must understand that buying tokenised stocks is not always the same as buying shares directly. Ownership structures, investor rights, underlying asset storage mechanisms, token issuers, and available protections may differ.
Therefore, before transacting, investors should examine official documents and information regarding the product they intend to purchase. An understanding of the underlying asset, tokenisation mechanism, costs, liquidity, volatility, and issuer risk is essential so that investors do not merely focus on the potential profit from stock price movements. Thus, Pintu, Bittime, and Tokocrypto can be part of the options for exploring the development of digital assets and tokenisation, provided that the availability and characteristics of products on each platform are checked regularly before making decisions.