Standard Chartered: DeFi volume will reach $2.7 trillion by 2030
The decentralized finance (DeFi) sector is poised for massive growth: the total value locked (TVL) in protocols could reach $2.7 trillion by the end of 2030. This represents a 37-fold increase from current levels, with tokenized real-world assets (RWA) and the evolution of on-chain protocols serving as the main catalysts for this surge.
Analysis shows that currently only about 3% of stablecoin supply and 10% of RWAs are utilized in DeFi. By 2030, this share could grow to 30%, requiring a ninefold increase in tokenized value within the ecosystem. This forecast is based on the dynamics of institutional adoption and growing demand for programmable financial instruments.
Risks of Liquidity Fragmentation
However, the path to trillion-dollar volumes is not without obstacles. Issuing the same asset on multiple blockchains creates fragmented liquidity, increasing operational costs and complicating capital management. Moreover, tokenization itself does not "magically" turn illiquid assets into liquid ones—this requires developed secondary markets and pricing mechanisms.
Particular attention should be paid to the Uniswap platform, which is seen as a potential hub for RWA trading. Institutional players are likely to choose it due to its high reputation and proven security. Partnerships with traditional finance could help Uniswap narrow the market capitalization gap with centralized giants like Coinbase.
My expert opinion: Standard Chartered's forecast is ambitious but realistic, provided regulatory barriers are overcome and tokenization is standardized. The market is already moving in this direction—consultants are shifting focus from Bitcoin to stablecoins and RWAs. However, investors should remember that 37-fold growth implies not only opportunities but also increased volatility in the early stages.