Global investment giant BlackRock has positioned itself to benefit from the growing importance of digital assets, including Bitcoin, through its substantial stake in MicroStrategy, indicating a new phase of institutional adoption in the cryptocurrency market.
Tokenization of real-world assets on the blockchain is rapidly gaining momentum, offering benefits such as transaction speed, liquidity, cost-savings, and round-the-clock access, with experts predicting it to become a $16 trillion industry by 2030. Over 70% of financial leaders expect to use tokenization in their businesses, with potential impacts on asset trading, real estate transactions, derivatives, and carbon markets. Tokenization unlocks liquidity, enhances security and data protection, reduces transaction costs, and enables programmability and automation, making it a key driver of digital asset adoption and a fundamental shift in business operations.
The demand for illiquid assets is increasing as investors seek higher returns, with tokenization playing a role in enabling this shift, according to experts at a recent event, while surveys indicate that younger generations have a desire for more investment choices. Tokenization is seen as a way to democratize access to investment opportunities by lowering costs and allowing for fractional ownership, which can expand the investor base and generate greater liquidity. Additionally, Generation Z is driving the demand for tokenization and expects more personalized investment options.
Bitcoin is facing challenges in achieving mass adoption in El Salvador due to the educational barrier and the preference for cash among the unbanked population, but initiatives like DitoBanx and Bitcoin Beach are working to create a more accessible and user-friendly bitcoin ecosystem in the country.
SWIFT suggests that interlinking existing systems with blockchains is a more viable solution for short-term market development than combining central bank digital currencies and tokenized assets in a single ledger.
Web3 technologies, such as DeFi and NFTs, are paving the way for the tokenization of real-world assets, which could unlock a new Golden Age in blockchain and traditional finance.
The Tokenized Asset Coalition, consisting of industry leaders such as Coinbase and Circle, aims to promote the tokenization of traditional financial assets on a blockchain to bring the "next trillion dollars of assets" on-chain through education, advocacy, and fostering adoption of public blockchains and decentralized finance.
The value of tokenized real world assets is expected to reach $16 trillion by 2030, with $3 billion in assets already tokenized, bringing efficiencies in payment and settlement and democratizing finance by making global investment opportunities more accessible to the general population through fractionalized investments.
The Federal Reserve has released a paper discussing the benefits of tokenizing real-world assets on blockchains, stating that it has the potential to provide access to otherwise inaccessible markets and improve liquidity.
Despite the prevalence of private blockchains in the banking sector, the co-founder of Chainlink predicts that public blockchain protocols will ultimately become the biggest market for banks' tokenized real-world assets, as they offer diversified collateral and attractive yields. However, financial institutions in the US may proceed with caution due to regulatory uncertainty. On the other hand, European and Asian banks are progressing in this area, with companies such as Citi and JPMorgan exploring tokenization on public blockchains like Ethereum. Franklin Templeton has also embraced public blockchains, recognizing their cost efficiency and rate of innovation. Interoperability and cross-border liquidity are key considerations for banks as they adopt tokenization and explore ways to move assets across chains.
Tokenization, the process of converting asset ownership rights into digital tokens on a blockchain, is disrupting securitization and the financial markets, according to Jenny Johnson, CEO of Franklin Templeton. Johnson highlights the benefits of tokenization, such as enabling payment mechanisms and smart contracts, and cites examples of artists like Rihanna and athletes who can leverage tokenization to monetize their works and future revenue streams.
Blockchain technology is breathing new life into traditional assets as big finance firms invest in token trading and investment platforms, with more than a third of institutional investors in the U.S. and almost two-thirds of high-net-worth investors planning to invest in tokenized assets this year or next.
Tokenization, the process of linking assets to crypto tokens on a blockchain, is gaining prominence and attracting attention from regulators and financial firms as it offers investors access to previously inaccessible markets, improved liquidity, and greater efficiency, although it also introduces potential financial stability concerns and risks of transmitting shocks between crypto and traditional financial markets.
The Stellar Development Foundation and PwC have created a financial inclusion framework to evaluate the efficacy of blockchain projects in emerging markets, with the framework revealing that blockchain solutions can significantly improve access to financial products, lower fees to 1% or less, increase payment speed, and help users avoid inflation.
Swiss tokenization firm Backed Finance has launched the first real-world asset token on Coinbase's Base blockchain, offering a blockchain-based version of BlackRock's short-term US Treasuries ETF, with a 5.25% annual yield, to qualified investors and licensed distributors.
Web3 technologies, including cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and USDC, are driving financial inclusion in Africa and empowering individuals by bridging gaps in traditional financial systems, as exemplified by Nigeria's Korapay, the largest cross-border remitter in the country, which processes billions in payments through crypto assets. The popularity of stablecoins like USDC in Africa can be attributed to economic disparities, currency instability, and the desire for financial independence, allowing individuals to accumulate wealth in stable digital assets and work for internet-native organizations worldwide. However, the dollarization of these economies also poses risks to fragile governments, and the consequences of regulatory actions regarding stablecoins remain uncertain. Nevertheless, the adoption of digital assets in Africa showcases human resilience and innovation in the Global South, paving the way for a more inclusive and equitable financial future.
The development of blockchain-based digital assets has created a challenge for legislators and regulators, who must create a legal framework that balances innovation and financial system integrity, with progress being made through the efforts of industry actors and advocacy communities despite regulatory hostility, lawsuits, and lack of clarity in existing rules.
The market for tokenized assets, including crypto and traditional financial products, could reach $10 trillion by 2030, according to a report by digital asset manager 21.co, as crypto and traditional finance merge through tokenization.
