Ondo Finance has confirmed the sudden passing of its founder and CEO, Nathan Allman, on May 25, 2026. He was 32 years old.
The company announced the news in an official statement shared on social media, describing his death as unexpected. No cause of death has been disclosed at this time.
Nathan Allman was widely regarded as one of the early builders in the real-world asset (RWA) tokenization sector. Through Ondo Finance, he helped push the concept of bringing traditional financial assets such as U.S. Treasuries onto blockchain infrastructure.
Founded in 2021, Ondo Finance grew rapidly under his leadership, becoming one of the most recognized platforms in decentralized finance focused on institutional-grade tokenized products.
Following Allman’s passing, Ondo Finance announced that longtime President Ian De Bode will immediately assume the role of CEO. De Bode had already been overseeing key areas of the company, including strategy, product development, and day-to-day operations.
The company stated that it will continue executing Allman’s vision, emphasizing that its long-term mission remains unchanged.
The news has sent shockwaves through the crypto and blockchain industry, particularly within the RWA and institutional DeFi sectors, where Ondo Finance has been a major player.
Tributes have highlighted Allman’s influence in bridging traditional finance and blockchain systems, as well as his role in shaping one of the fastest growing segments in crypto.
“RIP, pioneer in RWA. Condolences to his family.“ - Changpeng Zhao (founder of Binance)
“Seeing his classic profile photo today eyes closed, thinking and visioning brought tears to my eyes. But he can finally rest now. In his afterlife, I like to think he’s still envisioning how TradFi and DeFi can work together.
My heart and deepest condolences go out to his family, loved ones, and the Ondo team. 🕊️“ - Grace Chen (Bitget CEO)
And lots of others
Nathan Allman leaves behind a significant legacy in digital finance innovation. His work helped accelerate global interest in tokenized real-world assets and contributed to broader discussions around the future of financial markets on-chain.