What are xStocks? The complete guide to accessing Apple, NVIDIA and Tesla from Bitso

For decades, investing in companies like Apple, Tesla or NVIDIA from Argentina meant navigating a maze: opening a brokerage account, waiting days for approval, dealing with currency restrictions, and trading only on weekdays during New York market hours.

That's changed. With Bitso's xStocks, you can access the value of the world's biggest companies directly from your app, using crypto you already own, 24 hours a day.

In this guide we'll explain exactly what xStocks are, how they work, what makes them different from a traditional stock, and how to get started today.

What is an xStock?

If you've ever used a stablecoin like USDC or USDT, you already understand the concept. A stablecoin tracks the price of the dollar: it's always worth $1 USD, no matter what happens in the crypto market. If the dollar holds its value, so does your USDC. An xStock works the same way — but instead of tracking the price of the dollar, it tracks the price of a stock.

AAPLx tracks the price of Apple. TSLAx tracks the price of Tesla. NVDAx tracks the price of NVIDIA. If the reference price rises 5%, your xStock rises 5%. If it falls, it reflects that too.

Each xStock is backed 1:1 by the underlying asset. That means for every AAPLx in circulation, there is one AAPL share held in custody by the issuer. Reserves are audited and verifiable on-chain.

That said, there's something important to understand: an xStock is not a stock in the legal sense. It doesn't make you a shareholder, doesn't give you voting rights in the company's decisions, and doesn't represent a direct ownership stake. It's a digital token that mirrors the price behavior of the underlying asset — just like a stablecoin mirrors the price of the dollar, without you owning the Federal Reserve.

xStocks are issued by Kraken, a company specializing in tokenized financial assets. Bitso integrates them within its existing infrastructure, so the buying experience is identical to purchasing any other crypto on the platform.

The bottom line: an xStock gives you price exposure to a global company, from your crypto app, without needing a brokerage account — just like a stablecoin gives you exposure to the dollar, without needing a U.S. bank account.

How do xStocks work?

1. 1:1 price tracking.Each xStock is designed to replicate the price of the underlying asset in real time. If you buy 1 AAPLx when Apple is trading at $200 USD, the value of your position will move exactly in line with Apple's market price. Just like 1 USDC always equals $1 USD, your AAPLx always reflects what Apple is worth.

2. Buy and sell inside Bitso.xStocks are purchased with USDC or USDT, the same way you'd buy any other crypto on Bitso. The experience is identical: search for the asset, enter the amount, confirm the trade. The transaction is instant — no waiting period, no pending confirmation. No new account required. When selling, you can choose to receive either USDC or USDT.

3. Dividends: reinvested, not paid in cash.When a company pays dividends, xStocks don't credit them in cash or any other currency. Instead, the issuer reinvests the equivalent into the underlying asset and updates the token's multiplier. The result: your xStock balance increases automatically to reflect the dividend value, without you having to do anything.

For example: if you hold 1 AAPLx with a multiplier of 1.0 and Apple pays a dividend equivalent to 0.1 shares, your balance updates to show 1.1 AAPLx. The total value of your position is the same, just expressed in more units — as if the dividend had been automatically reinvested into more tokens.

4. No voting rights.Because xStocks are tokens that replicate the price of stocks — not actual shares — they don't give you any voting rights in company decisions. You won't receive shareholder meeting notices or be able to influence the corporate direction of Apple or Tesla. You have price exposure, not ownership.

5. Available 24/7 and 24/5.Traditional stock markets close at 4pm New York time. xStocks have more flexible trading hours depending on the asset.

Which xStocks are available?

These are the 10 xStocks available at launch:

All available from $5 USD, purchased with USDC or USDT.

How is an xStock different from a traditional stock?

When does an xStock make sense? When you want fast price exposure to a global company, using crypto you already hold, without opening new accounts or waiting for approval.

How do I buy my first xStock on Bitso?

Step 1 — Open Bitso and make sure you have USDC or USDT.xStocks are traded exclusively with digital dollars. If you don't have any, you can buy USDC or USDT directly inside the app.

Step 2 — Search for "xStocks" in the search bar.Inside the Markets section, you'll find the xStocks category. You can search directly for "AAPLx", "TSLAx", or the company name.

Step 3 — Enter the amount and confirm.Select the amount you want to invest. You can start from $5 USD. The transaction is instant, no waiting period.

Step 4 — Track your position in your portfolio.Your xStock appears in your Bitso portfolio alongside your other assets. You can view the real-time price and sell whenever you want, choosing to receive USDC or USDT.

If you have more questions, check out Help Center article.

Ready to get started?

If you already have USDC or USDT in Bitso, you can access your first xStock today. No brokerage account. No paperwork.