2026: Real-World Asset Tokenization Moves from Pilots to Liquid Markets
ChainUp and MAS‑licensed exchange 1exchange (1X) say 2026 is the turning point for real-world asset (RWA) tokenization as the sector shifts from proof‑of‑concept minting to delivering sustained market liquidity. Institutional signals—such as NYSE plans for 24/7 blockchain trading of tokenized stocks and Nasdaq’s proposal to the SEC to integrate tokenized assets—validate demand for infrastructure that supports high‑speed execution, automated compliance and on‑chain delivery‑versus‑payment (DvP) settlement. Key themes for 2026: programmable trust (embedding compliance and risk controls into smart contracts), unified post‑trade lifecycle via blockchain‑native atomic settlement, and tokenized asset mobility across chains and jurisdictions using MPC custody. Capital is concentrating in regulated hubs—Singapore, Dubai and the EU—where legal certainty supports yield‑bearing RWAs like private credit and fixed income. ChainUp and 1exchange argue that operationalizing on‑chain settlement, modular market structures and continuous secondary‑market liquidity will convert RWA tokenization from experimental pilots into scalable institutional markets.
Bullish
This announcement is bullish for crypto markets focused on institutional infrastructure and tokenized assets. Evidence: major market operators (NYSE, Nasdaq) exploring tokenized trading and ChainUp/1exchange forecasting a structural pivot toward liquidity, programmable compliance and atomic settlement. Short-term impact: selective positive flows into infrastructure, custody (MPC) and exchange tokens or equities tied to tokenization projects as traders position for increased institutional activity. Volatility may rise around regulatory developments and product launches. Long-term impact: if adoption of on‑chain DvP, modular market architectures and cross‑chain mobility materializes, RWAs could unlock large new on‑chain capital pools (private credit, fixed income), increasing demand for settlement, custody and liquidity-provision services—supporting valuations of infrastructure providers and lowering trading frictions across markets. Risks that temper the bullish view include uneven jurisdictional regulation, operational integration challenges, and potential SEC or local regulator pushback; these could delay liquidity formation and cause episodic negative price reactions, but the overall trend favors growth in institutional crypto use cases.