How to trade NVIDIA 24/7? An article explaining the differences between Gate stock tokens and traditional stocks

If you are already accustomed to trading cryptocurrencies with USDT on Gate, you must have recently noticed the platform's "stock token" products—tracking the price fluctuations of top global companies like Tesla, Nvidia, Microsoft, and Apple. Now, you can easily participate in these markets within the crypto world.

But are Gate's stock tokens truly equivalent to the stocks you hold in traditional brokerages?

The answer is no. Stock tokens are digital assets based on blockchain technology, anchored to the real stock prices. They can be simply understood as "digitized tokens that track the prices of real stocks." Holding stock tokens does not mean owning the actual stocks, so they do not confer voting rights, dividend rights, or other shareholder privileges. There are fundamental differences between them and traditional stocks across multiple dimensions.

Trading Hours: 24/7 vs 6.5 Hours Daily

The traditional US stock market only offers about 6.5 hours of trading each day, with full closure on weekends and holidays. When major earnings reports or macroeconomic news are released outside trading hours, investors can only passively wait for the market to open, missing optimal entry and exit opportunities.

In contrast, Gate's stock tokens leverage blockchain infrastructure to enable truly continuous 24/7 trading. During US market closures, market makers reference prices from other active markets, index futures trends, and overall market sentiment to provide continuous bid and ask quotes for the stock tokens. For example, in January 2026, after Meta's earnings report, its stock token METAX on Gate surged by 6.43% intraday, with a quote of $717.95—at that moment, it was 4 a.m. Eastern Time, when traditional brokerages cannot trade, but Gate users had already completed their transactions and settlements.

It is important to note that liquidity for stock tokens varies across different trading sessions: during US market hours, prices are highly synchronized with low volatility; pre-market, after-hours, and close-of-day periods tend to have reduced liquidity, which may lead to larger price swings.

Settlement Efficiency: T+0 Instant vs T+1

Traditional stock transactions rely on clearinghouses and banking hours for settlement. Even though the US SEC has shortened the settlement cycle from T+2 to T+1, overnight risks and market shocks still pose challenges for investors.

Gate's stock tokens utilize blockchain technology to achieve T+0 instant settlement. When you sell a token like AAPLx (Apple token), USDT is immediately credited to your account, and ownership of the token transfers on-chain in real time. The transaction, clearing, and settlement processes are compressed into a single step, enabling capital efficiency at an unprecedented speed compared to traditional financial markets.

Deposit and Withdrawal Methods: USDT Direct Entry vs Multiple Fiat Barriers

For cross-market investors, one of the biggest pain points in traditional stock trading is capital channels. Converting crypto assets to fiat, transferring to overseas bank accounts, and then to brokerage accounts is time-consuming and involves exchange rate losses and compliance hurdles.

Gate stock tokens are traded directly with USDT. Whether it's Tesla, Apple, or Amazon, all stock tokens are priced and settled in USDT. Profits earned during crypto bull markets in BTC can be used to buy US stock assets directly without converting back to fiat; all gains and losses are settled in crypto assets, bypassing fiat deposit and withdrawal processes. One account, one password, one fund pool—significantly improving cross-asset allocation efficiency.

Investment Threshold: Fragmented Buying vs Whole Shares Constraints

In the traditional US stock market, some high-priced stocks exclude many small investors. For example, Nvidia (NVDA) has long maintained a high share price in the hundreds of dollars, making whole-share purchases costly.

Gate stock tokens support fractional holdings. In the Gate xStocks section, users can buy fractional shares with as little as $10, enabling truly democratized global asset allocation. Currently, over 60 tokenized stocks are available on Gate xStocks, covering a wide range from "Big Tech" giants to popular ETFs, allowing investors to build diversified portfolios with minimal capital.

Trading Strategies: Spot + Derivatives + Leverage vs Mainly Spot

Traditional US stock trading mainly involves buying and holding spot shares, with derivatives like options being more complex and having higher entry barriers.

Gate stock tokens inherit the trading DNA of the crypto market. The platform offers both spot tokens (usually ending with x, e.g., TSLAx, AAPLx) and perpetual contracts, supporting up to 20x leverage for long or short positions. This suits different risk preferences. As of April 13, 2026, Gate has added over 30 perpetual contract products for stocks and ETFs, covering tech giants, aerospace and defense leaders, consumer brands, and core ETFs.

By April 2026, Gate's global registered users exceeded 53 million, with peak daily TradFi trading reaching over $20 billion, covering more than 350 asset types including metals, stocks, indices, forex, and commodities. Stock tokens, as a core part of Gate's TradFi strategy, have accumulated over $140 billion in trading volume, with a monthly market share of 89.1%.

Underlying Rights: Price Mapping vs Shareholder Identity

This is the most fundamental difference and also the most common misconception among investors.

Owning traditional stocks means you hold a stake in the company, with full shareholder rights such as voting, dividends, and residual assets in bankruptcy liquidation.

Owning Gate stock tokens does not mean owning the actual stocks, so they do not carry voting rights, dividends, or other shareholder privileges. The industry-standard approach for stock tokens is a "pooled account" structure: regulated third-party institutions (such as broker-dealers or custodians) hold the real shares and issue blockchain-based tokens representing securities rights. Token holders hold an indirect claim to the underlying assets, not direct ownership. Essentially, stock tokens are price-tracking tools suitable for participating in market movements rather than long-term value investing.

Regulatory Trends: The Most Important Variable in 2026

In May 2026, the US SEC introduced the highly anticipated "Innovation Exemption" framework for tokenized stocks. This framework classifies tokenized securities into two categories: first, those led by issuers following full securities procedures; second, those issued by third parties unrelated to the listed companies, which can generate on-chain tokens without company approval. Led by SEC Chairman Paul Atkins, this move is seen as a key step in shifting SEC regulation from enforcement to a rule-based, innovation-friendly approach.

However, the exemption plan was delayed in late May, as the SEC is weighing opinions from stock exchange officials and other market participants, especially concerns over "third-party issuance of tokens without company authorization." While the exact timeline remains uncertain, the trend of tokenized stocks serving as a bridge between traditional finance and crypto is irreversible.

Summary

Gate stock tokens and traditional stocks each have their suitable scenarios; there is no absolute advantage of one over the other.

If you prioritize 24/7 trading, T+0 instant settlement, low capital thresholds, and flexible leverage strategies, Gate stock tokens are undoubtedly a more efficient choice. As of April 2026, Gate supports over 60 tokenized stocks and more than 30 perpetual contract products, with over 53 million registered users and assets covering more than 350 types in TradFi. Its ecosystem depth and breadth are industry-leading.

But if you value shareholder rights—including voting, dividends, and corporate governance participation—traditional stocks remain irreplaceable. Additionally, liquidity, pricing mechanisms, and regulatory environments for stock tokens are still evolving. Investors should assess their risk tolerance and make rational, cautious allocations accordingly.