Standard Chartered Forecasts $2T Tokenized Real-World Assets by 2028
Standard Chartered forecasts the tokenized real-world assets market to expand from $35.5B today to $2T by end-2028. It predicts $750B each in tokenized money market funds and U.S. equities, plus $250B in tokenized funds and $250B in private equity, commodities, corporate debt and real estate. The report notes tokenized real-world assets have grown rapidly, reaching $21B in April 2025 and a 545% rise in tokenized U.S. Treasuries, while stablecoin market cap topped $300B in October 2025. Tether Gold (XAUT) market cap surpassed $2.1B in Q3 2025. Drivers include stablecoin liquidity, DeFi banking, robust blockchain infrastructure and Ethereum’s leading settlement role. Regulatory uncertainty ahead of the 2026 U.S. elections remains the main risk. Traders should monitor tokenized real-world assets, stablecoin adoption, Ethereum upgrades and legislative developments as indicators of market momentum.
Bullish
The rapid growth forecast for tokenized real-world assets, driven by stablecoin liquidity and DeFi banking, suggests increased on-chain activity and demand for Ethereum, which underpins most RWA settlements. Milestones like $21B in tokenized assets, a 545% jump in tokenized U.S. Treasuries, and a $300B stablecoin market cap highlight robust momentum. While regulatory uncertainty poses short-term volatility—especially ahead of the 2026 U.S. elections—the long-term outlook remains positive as market infrastructure and legislative clarity improve. Overall, this development is likely bullish for Ethereum and related DeFi tokens.