Tokenization of Real-World Assets (RWAs) Is Accelerating a Fundamental Shift in Global Finance

Tokenized U.S. Treasuries have surged 415% year-over-year, driven by yield-seeking stablecoin holders and institutional adoption, the two firms report.

As the tokenization of real-world assets (RWAs) accelerates a fundamental shift in global finance, blockchain-based U.S. Treasuries, equities, commodities, and private credit are poised for exponential growth this year, according to a report by market maker Keyrock and tokenization platform Centrifuge.

Keyrock and Centrifuge Analysis: Tokenized RWAs Could Capture 10% of Stablecoin Market by Year’s End

Tokenized U.S. Treasuries have surged 415% year-over-year, driven by yield-seeking stablecoin holders and institutional adoption, the two firms report. Keyrock and Centrifuge project that this sector could reach $28 billion if tokenized products capture 10% of the $210 billion stablecoin market. “We expect tokenized Treasuries to evolve from a niche innovation into a core infrastructure component of global digital finance,” the report notes.

The analysis explains that tokenized equities lag at $15 million TVL but face a pivotal 2025 as regulatory clarity expands. Backed Finance and Ondo Global Markets now enable permissionless access to tokenized S&P 500 exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and corporate shares.

“The democratization of sophisticated financial tools through non-KYC, permissionless protocols promises to unlock trillions in untapped market potential from previously underserved regions and populations,” the Keyrock and Centrifuge study details.

The report highlights that commodities like gold struggle with liquidity gaps despite $1.2 billion in tokenized supply, though synthetic platforms like Ostium Labs aim to capture speculative demand. Private credit leads with $12.2 billion TVL, as Centrifuge’s institutional pools slash securitization costs by 97%.

Regulatory hurdles persist, particularly for equities, but Keyrock and Centrifuge note that bipartisan U.S. legislation and European frameworks like MiCA are easing pathways. The report forecasts that total tokenized RWA assets could hit $50 billion in a 2025 bull case, fueled by institutional uptake and significant decentralized finance (DeFi) integration.

“This movement envisions restructuring global finance by democratizing access, increasing efficiency, and enhancing transparency across asset classes,” the tokenized RWA analysis explains. “Instead of slow settlement pipelines, markets could operate on blockchain rails with near-real-time settlement and verifiable ownership records, reducing counterparty risks and back-office friction.”

With tokenized Treasuries modernizing settlements and private credit democratizing access, Keyrock and Centrifuge position 2.5 as the inflection point for blockchain’s $30B–$50B breakthrough.