ONDO Braces For Second Cliff Unlock As Tokenized Stock Trading Surges

Ondo Finance enters a critical week as the countdown to its second major cliff unlock intensifies.

Market participants are closely tracking the approaching January 18, 2026 release, which is expected to inject nearly $780 million worth of $ONDO into circulation. The scale of the unlock, representing 57% of the circulating supply, places unprecedented pressure on liquidity, pricing dynamics, and investor sentiment.

At the same time, Ondo Global Markets is experiencing historic usage surges, with multiple million-dollar tokenized stock trades occurring across its platform. The parallel between looming supply expansion and record transactional activity has become the dominant storyline shaping market expectations.

The scheduled unlock marks the second major release following the January 2025 event that triggered a steep market correction. Since that first cliff unlock, $ONDO has fallen more than 60%, a decline widely attributed to supply pressure rather than fundamental weakness. Analysts note that the token remains particularly sensitive to inflationary events, largely due to previous low-float conditions that amplified volatility.

Data shared this week across social platforms, including early warnings from Tokenomist.ai, highlights growing concerns around market depth and liquidity absorption heading into January 18. The scale of the unlock dwarfs daily average volume, raising fears that even moderate selling could accelerate downward momentum if demand fails to grow proportionately.

Market watchers are now reassessing risk scenarios. Some traders expect hedging through derivatives markets, while others anticipate aggressive repositioning from early investors who gain liquidity access after extended lock-ups. Observers point out that unlock-driven behavior has been the most influential variable in $ONDO price performance over the past year, and remains the primary factor shaping forward projections.