Ascend Accelerator Empowers Institutional Tokenized RWAs
Ascend is a nine-week accelerator launching to scale institutional on-chain finance by supporting early-stage tokenized RWA startups. Operated by Odisea and backed by Plume, Galaxy Ventures, OKX Ventures, and Anchorage Digital, the program will select six to eight teams with live products, offering expert mentorship on tokenomics, compliance, product architecture, go-to-market strategy, and community growth, plus access to a $500,000 discretionary funding pool. The tokenized RWA market has surged from $15.2 billion at the end of 2024 to $24 billion by June 2025 and reached $25.5 billion by July, driven by BlackRock’s BUIDL and Franklin Templeton’s BENJI tokenized U.S. Treasuries. With over 200 active tokenization projects and 40 major institutions on board, Ascend aims to strengthen the infrastructure and regulatory foundations needed for sustainable growth. Applications run from Aug. 4–18, with the program taking place Sept. 1–Oct. 30 and culminating in a demo day for institutional investors.
Bullish
The launch of Ascend accelerator represents a bullish catalyst for the tokenized RWA sector and broader on-chain finance market. By funneling institutional capital, mentorship, and compliance expertise into early-stage projects, Ascend addresses key infrastructure gaps and regulatory hurdles that have historically limited RWA growth. Similar programs in DeFi—such as specialized incubators for lending protocols—preceded surges in platform adoption and token value. In the short term, positive sentiment around backed startups and high-profile partners like Galaxy Ventures and OKX Ventures could lift RWA-related tokens and DeFi indices. In the long term, improved product architecture and legal frameworks may attract institutional allocators managing trillions in assets, driving sustained demand for tokenized RWAs and reinforcing market stability. While regulatory uncertainty and liquidity constraints remain, the structured support from Ascend should enhance project resilience and investor confidence, underpinning a bullish outlook.