The market for tokenized real-world assets (RWA) surged by 40%: new records and structural shifts
The market for tokenized real-world assets (RWA) continues its steady growth, despite the overall correction in the cryptocurrency market. Since the beginning of the year, its capitalization has increased by 40%, reaching $51 billion. This impressive figure indicates the maturity of the sector and the growing interest of institutional investors in blockchain solutions for traditional finance.
A key driver of growth has been a sharp increase in the number of token holders — up 60%, to over 917,000 unique addresses. The leaders in terms of attracted assets remain the Figure platform ($18.9 billion) and Securitize ($4.3 billion), which demonstrate sustained demand for tokenized instruments.
Structure and Dynamics of the RWA Market
The main share of the RWA structure is occupied by private credit (47%), U.S. Treasury bonds (30%), and precious metals (9%). The most active development is observed on the Provenance (39% of total transaction volume) and Ethereum (33%) networks. However, the fastest-growing segment turned out to be tokenized equities: their volume increased by 130% over six months, reaching $1.6 billion.
Analysts highlight three key tokenization models shaping the future of the industry:
- Infrastructure for 24/7 trading. Brokers, such as Robinhood, purchase shares and hold them as collateral for tokens. This allows trading around the clock, but holders do not receive voting rights.
- Settlement layer on the blockchain. Projects like Figure and Securitize replace traditional accounting systems, creating regulated stacks where investors receive full ownership rights.
- Hybrid model from Coinbase. The platform offers an "exchange of everything," combining tokens for equities, derivatives, and crypto assets for users outside the U.S.
Regulatory Prospects and the Future of the Market
Further development of the sector directly depends on the SEC's stance. The regulator has already approved pilot projects by NYSE and Nasdaq for trading tokenized securities, which is an important signal. According to experts, a key stimulus will be the introduction of an "innovation exemption" that would allow trading such assets within the U.S. 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.
Expert commentary: The 40% growth of the RWA market amid a correction in the crypto market is a clear signal that institutional investors are increasingly using blockchain for traditional financial instruments. Special attention should be paid to the 130% surge in the tokenized equities segment: this is a harbinger of a massive transition from classical exchange mechanisms to decentralized platforms. If the SEC continues to ease regulations, we could see RWA capitalization exceed $100 billion within the next 12 months.