The tokenized asset market surged by 40%: new frontiers and future models
The tokenized real-world assets (RWA) sector is showing impressive growth, increasing by 40% since the beginning of the year and reaching the $51 billion mark. This rise occurs against the backdrop of a general correction in the crypto market, highlighting the sustained interest of institutional investors in digital representations of traditional assets.
The number of RWA token holders has grown by 60%, exceeding 917,000 unique addresses. The leaders in tokenized asset volume remain platforms Figure ($18.9 billion) and Securitize ($4.3 billion), which continue to dominate in the areas of private credit and regulated financial instruments.
Market Structure and Key Trends
The majority of the RWA market is occupied by three segments: private credit (47%), U.S. Treasury bonds (30%), and precious metals (9%). Activity is primarily concentrated in two blockchain networks: Provenance (39%) and Ethereum (33%). The most dynamically developing segment has been tokenized equities, which grew by 130% over six months, reaching $1.6 billion.
Analysts highlight three main models of equity tokenization:
- Infrastructure for trading. Brokers, such as Robinhood, acquire shares and hold them as collateral for tokens. This enables 24/7 trading but does not provide the holder with voting rights.
- Settlement layer. Blockchain replaces traditional accounting systems. Projects Figure and Securitize create regulated stacks where investors receive full ownership rights to the assets.
- Hybrid model. Coinbase offers an "exchange for everything," combining tokens for equities, derivatives, and crypto assets for users outside the U.S.
Regulatory Prospects
The further development of the industry directly depends on the SEC's position. The regulator has already approved pilot projects by NYSE and Nasdaq for trading tokenized securities. A key stimulus for growth could be the so-called "innovation exemption," which would allow trading such assets within the U.S.
The monthly transaction volume in the tokenized equities segment reached $5.3 billion in June, more than ten times the figure from September last year ($500 million).
My comment: The 40% growth of the RWA sector amid a general market correction is a clear sign of maturity. Tokenization of traditional assets is becoming not just an experiment but a full-fledged financial instrument capable of attracting capital that previously bypassed cryptocurrencies. The tokenized equities segment is particularly interesting: a 130% increase in six months indicates that investors are increasingly seeking ways to combine blockchain liquidity with the reliability of traditional markets. If the SEC indeed moves forward with the "innovation exemption," we could see explosive growth in this sector within the next 12 months.