The tokenized asset market surged by 40%: $51 billion and record growth in the number of holders
The tokenized real-world assets (RWA) sector is showing impressive momentum despite the overall correction in the crypto market. Since the beginning of the year, the capitalization of this segment has increased by 40%, reaching $51 billion. These are not just numbers — they signal a fundamental shift in institutional investors' interest toward blockchain solutions for traditional finance.
The number of holders of tokenized assets has grown by 60%, exceeding 917,000. The leaders in asset volume remain Figure ($18.9 billion) and Securitize ($4.3 billion), confirming their dominant role in shaping market infrastructure.
Market Structure: Private Credit and Treasury Bonds Lead
The majority of RWA is concentrated in three key segments: private credit (47%), U.S. Treasury bonds (30%), and precious metals (9%). The highest activity is observed on Provenance (39%) and Ethereum (33%) networks. The tokenized equities segment deserves special attention, showing explosive growth of 130% over six months, expanding to $1.6 billion.
Analysts highlight three main approaches to tokenization, each with its own advantages:
- Trading infrastructure. Brokers like Robinhood purchase shares and hold them as collateral for tokens. This enables 24/7 trading but does not grant voting rights to the holder — a trade-off between liquidity and ownership rights.
- Settlement layer. Blockchain replaces traditional accounting systems. Projects like Figure and Securitize create regulated stacks where investors receive full ownership rights — this is the path to full decentralization of financial instruments.
- Hybrid model. Coinbase offers an "exchange for everything," combining tokens for stocks, derivatives, and crypto assets for users outside the U.S. This is an attempt to create a universal platform covering all asset classes.
Regulation: A Key Growth Catalyst
The further development of the industry directly depends on the SEC's stance. The regulator has already approved pilot projects by NYSE and Nasdaq for trading tokenized securities, paving the way for mass adoption. A key stimulus could be an "innovation exemption" that would allow trading such assets within the U.S. This is not just a bureaucratic step — it is a potential breakthrough that could attract trillions of dollars in traditional capital.
The monthly transaction volume in the tokenized equities segment reached $5.3 billion in June. For comparison, in September of last year, this figure was only $500 million. Such a tenfold increase in just a few months suggests that the market is on the verge of exponential expansion.
My analysis: The tokenized assets market is clearly transitioning from an experimental stage to a phase of maturity. The 60% growth in the number of holders and the 130% surge in the equities segment are not coincidences but the result of systematic work by infrastructure projects and regulators. However, the key question remains open: can the SEC create clear rules that do not stifle innovation but ensure investor protection? If so, $51 billion is just the tip of the iceberg.