RWA

On December 28, 2025, Bitfinex Securities' Head of Operations Jesse Knutson projected strong 2026 growth in tokenized real‑world assets led by emerging markets. He cited on‑chain capital formation and fractional ownership as catalysts, contrasted developed‑market Treasuries with developing‑market real estate and commodities, and said the market could reach one trillion dollars within the next decade despite legal, liquidity, and interoperability hurdles.

On-chain figures from TradeFi.Network show that tokenized real-world assets on the XDC Network have reached $717 million, with $345.3 million now deployed via VERT Capital in USDC-based private credit pools. This concentration suggests institutional capital is favoring larger, targeted allocations on XDC, where low-cost, permission-aware infrastructure supports private credit markets that Moody's estimates exceed $1.6 trillion globally.

In 2025, meme coins and AI underperformed, with average YTD losses of -31.6% and -50.2%. DeFi fell -34.8% and DEX tokens declined -55.5%, while Layer 2s dropped -40.6%. In contrast, RWA gained +185.8% on average, driven by Keeta Network's 1,794.9% rally, and Layer 1s rose 80.3%.

Bitfinex operations head Jesse Knutson expects emerging markets to lead real‑world asset tokenization in 2026, citing the ability to leapfrog legacy plumbing and use stablecoin settlement. He projects the sector could reach several trillion dollars over the next decade, with growth hinging on major issuers moving from pilots to commercial products.

According to Joseph Chalom, co-CEO of Sharplink Gaming, Ethereum’s total value locked could increase tenfold in 2026 as stablecoins, tokenized assets and institutional infrastructure migrate on-chain. He projects the stablecoin market could climb from roughly $308 billion to $500 billion by the end of next year and expects tokenized real-world assets to reach $300 billion in 2026. Ethereum’s current TVL is around $68.2 billion, while Ether trades near $2,924 after a 12% decline over the past year despite these adoption trends.

Blockchain-based tokenized commodities have climbed to a combined market value of $3.94 billion, supported by record-breaking moves in gold and other precious metals. Gold-backed tokens such as Tether Gold and Paxos Gold dominate the segment, while Ethereum remains the leading network for real-world asset tokenization by onchain value.

Ethereum is heading into 2026 with analysts and industry leaders highlighting rising institutional adoption, expanding stablecoin and tokenized real-world asset markets, and major scaling upgrades as potential growth drivers. Forecasts for next year include possible tenfold increases in Ethereum’s TVL and RWA AUM, alongside protocol changes that target higher throughput and improved decentralization, even as Ether’s price remains under pressure near $2,900.

On 27 December 2025, Tom Lee argued that Ethereum is being valued as financial infrastructure as tokenization and stablecoin settlement expand on its network. He said ETH could reach $7K–$9K by early 2026 if institutional adoption persists, citing moves by firms like Robinhood, BlackRock, and DTCC plans tied to U.S. Treasury systems.

On December 27, 2025, Fundstrat's Tom Lee reiterated a bullish path for Ethereum, targeting $7,000–$9,000 in early 2026 and a longer‑term move toward $20,000 driven by asset tokenization. Sharplink's Joseph Chalom expects Ethereum's TVL to grow tenfold in 2026 and says current TVL is approximately $68 billion as institutional adoption accelerates.

CoinGecko's 2025 report identifies Real-World Assets as the year's leading crypto narrative, with an average 185.8% YTD return across tokens including Figure Heloc, LINK, XLM, XAUT, and BlackRock's BUIDL. Keeta Network climbed 1,794.9% YTD, while L1s averaged 80.3%. Memecoins and AI lagged, with -31.6% and -50.2% average returns.