2026-01-21 15:20:30

2026 will be a critical milestone for on-chain finance. The real-world asset tokenization track has completely evolved from last year's experimental phase into a mainstream application at the institutional level.

The most direct signal is the explosive growth in funding scale. Currently, the total value locked (TVL) is approximately in the $20 billion to $40 billion range, but industry insiders generally predict that this year will break through the $100 billion mark, with some institutional forecasts even more aggressive. It’s important to note that 2025 itself saw a 3.4x increase, and this momentum is expected to continue into 2026, making RWA likely to become the strongest on-chain financial growth engine outside of stablecoins.

Behind this wave of market activity is the large-scale entry of traditional financial giants. BlackRock, Franklin Templeton, JPMorgan, and other established asset management firms have already launched or expanded on-chain fund products, such as BUIDL and BENJI. According to industry observers, in 2026, more than half of the top 20 global asset management firms are expected to launch tokenized products. This is no longer a “try it out” attitude but a genuine strategic deployment.

Asset classes are also accelerating their diversification. Early RWA mainly consisted of low-risk assets like U.S. Treasury bonds and money market funds. Now? Private credit, tokenized stocks/ETFs, commodities like gold, real estate, carbon credits, and ESG assets… these higher-yield, higher-risk assets are being tokenized and circulated on-chain one after another. The scope of choices has expanded, and the balance between risk and return has become more flexible.

In simple terms, by 2026, RWA is no longer about “whether to do it,” but about “how to do it better.” The willingness of institutions to participate, the richness of assets, and the maturity of technology are all advancing simultaneously. Those who can seize this wave may gain an early advantage in the new landscape of on-chain finance.

RWA2,9%

BENJI1,68%

ESG-1,48%

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CryptoWageSlave

· 18h ago

Blackstone is really coming, and this wave of RWA taking off is a done deal --- $100 billion? I think that might still be conservative, to be honest --- It only took a year or two from experimentation to mainstream adoption, institutions are really going all out --- After BUIDL and BENJI became popular, the subsequent products are probably lining up to launch --- More than half of the top 20 asset managers are entering this space, this is a clear signal of the endgame --- Early entrants are having a blast this time, is it still possible to get on board now? --- Private credit, real estate, and other high-risk assets are also starting to tokenize, which is pretty exciting --- It's not about whether to do it, but how to do it better — that’s a brilliant statement --- Real strategic planning and just trying it out are completely different things --- I just want to know who will actually benefit from this wave of dividends

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BloodInStreets

· 18h ago

Another wave of the "tide" theory, why does it seem like every time the big players hype up a story, they all use the same rhetoric... The retail investors who try to bottom fish always get their faces slapped. BlackRock's entry indeed changes the flavor, but hyping the 100 billion figure is just too exaggerated; when it actually materializes, a 50% drop would be considered lucky. Institutional positioning is a fact, but when it comes to the tokenization of risk assets... ordinary retail investors just end up being the ones carrying the water for others, be aware of that. Let's wait until the blood is truly drawn before commenting; right now, it's all just fund managers' marketing tricks.

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UncleLiquidation

· 18h ago

A $100 billion dream, but can retail investors get a piece of the pie? --- Does the entry of BlackRock mean stability? But I always feel a bit like being harvested. --- Diversification of RWA sounds good, but is tokenization of real estate really that liquid? --- The 3.4x growth continues until 2026 haha, take it easy, it might be a different scene then. --- Half of the top 20 asset management firms are launching tokenized products? Do retail investors like me still have a way out? --- From trial to mainstream, the speed is indeed a bit frightening. Could it be another bubble? --- Whenever I think of private credit tokenization, I can't help but recall 2008. High returns are often full of pitfalls. --- Whoever can ride the wave first will have the advantage? The problem is most people are the ones being wiped out by the wave.

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