Tokenized market poised to skyrocket, projected to surpass $4 trillion milestone within five-year horizon.
Standard Chartered forecasts that tokenized assets will reach $4 trillion on blockchain networks by the end of 2028. Geoffrey Kendrick, the bank's global head of digital assets research, published the projection in a research note released 26 May 2026. Kendrick identifies passage of the US CLARITY Act as the most significant near-term catalyst for accelerating the migration from traditional financial rails.
"Tokenized assets will reach $4T by the end of 2028 (half in stablecoins and half in RWAs)."
— Geoffrey Kendrick, Global Head of Digital Assets Research, Standard Chartered, 26 May 2026
The $4 trillion splits evenly: stablecoins and real-world assetsKendrick divides the $4 trillion target equally. $2 trillion goes to the stablecoin supply and $2 trillion to tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) — instruments such as government bonds, money market funds, and equities issued and settled on-chain. The forecast treats both segments as complementary: stablecoins provide the liquidity layer, while tokenized RWAs provide the yield-bearing collateral.
DeFi protocols stand to capture the bulk of the capitalStandard Chartered argues that mature decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols — not traditional custodians — will process most of the incoming capital. The structural reason is composability: on a shared blockchain ledger, a single asset can simultaneously earn yield, serve as collateral, and remain liquid. Kendrick contends this property has no equivalent in traditional finance.
"Well-established DeFi protocols with strong risk metrics and governance should benefit the most."
— Geoffrey Kendrick, Global Head of Digital Assets Research, Standard Chartered, 26 May 2026
BlackRock's BUIDL fund shows the model already in motionBlackRock's BUIDL — the largest tokenized real-world asset product globally — held approximately $2.5 billion in assets as of April 2026, up from $1 billion at its March 2024 launch. The fund tokenizes US Treasury bills on-chain and pays daily yield directly to investor wallets. Standard Chartered's research cites products like BUIDL as evidence that institutional-grade tokenization infrastructure is operational, not theoretical. "Tokenized assets will reach $4T by the end of 2028 (half in stablecoins and half in RWAs)."
— Geoffrey Kendrick, Global Head of Digital Assets Research, Standard Chartered, 26 May 2026
The $4 trillion splits evenly: stablecoins and real-world assetsKendrick divides the $4 trillion target equally. $2 trillion goes to the stablecoin supply and $2 trillion to tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) — instruments such as government bonds, money market funds, and equities issued and settled on-chain. The forecast treats both segments as complementary: stablecoins provide the liquidity layer, while tokenized RWAs provide the yield-bearing collateral.
DeFi protocols stand to capture the bulk of the capitalStandard Chartered argues that mature decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols — not traditional custodians — will process most of the incoming capital. The structural reason is composability: on a shared blockchain ledger, a single asset can simultaneously earn yield, serve as collateral, and remain liquid. Kendrick contends this property has no equivalent in traditional finance.
"Well-established DeFi protocols with strong risk metrics and governance should benefit the most."
— Geoffrey Kendrick, Global Head of Digital Assets Research, Standard Chartered, 26 May 2026
BlackRock's BUIDL fund shows the model already in motionBlackRock's BUIDL — the largest tokenized real-world asset product globally — held approximately $2.5 billion in assets as of April 2026, up from $1 billion at its March 2024 launch. The fund tokenizes US Treasury bills on-chain and pays daily yield directly to investor wallets. Standard Chartered's research cites products like BUIDL as evidence that institutional-grade tokenization infrastructure is operational, not theoretical. The $4 trillion splits evenly: stablecoins and real-world assetsKendrick divides the $4 trillion target equally. $2 trillion goes to the stablecoin supply and $2 trillion to tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) — instruments such as government bonds, money market funds, and equities issued and settled on-chain. The forecast treats both segments as complementary: stablecoins provide the liquidity layer, while tokenized RWAs provide the yield-bearing collateral.
DeFi protocols stand to capture the bulk of the capitalStandard Chartered argues that mature decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols — not traditional custodians — will process most of the incoming capital. The structural reason is composability: on a shared blockchain ledger, a single asset can simultaneously earn yield, serve as collateral, and remain liquid. Kendrick contends this property has no equivalent in traditional finance.
"Well-established DeFi protocols with strong risk metrics and governance should benefit the most."
— Geoffrey Kendrick, Global Head of Digital Assets Research, Standard Chartered, 26 May 2026
BlackRock's BUIDL fund shows the model already in motionBlackRock's BUIDL — the largest tokenized real-world asset product globally — held approximately $2.5 billion in assets as of April 2026, up from $1 billion at its March 2024 launch. The fund tokenizes US Treasury bills on-chain and pays daily yield directly to investor wallets. Standard Chartered's research cites products like BUIDL as evidence that institutional-grade tokenization infrastructure is operational, not theoretical. Kendrick divides the $4 trillion target equally. $2 trillion goes to the stablecoin supply and $2 trillion to tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) — instruments such as government bonds, money market funds, and equities issued and settled on-chain. The forecast treats both segments as complementary: stablecoins provide the liquidity layer, while tokenized RWAs provide the yield-bearing collateral.
DeFi protocols stand to capture the bulk of the capitalStandard Chartered argues that mature decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols — not traditional custodians — will process most of the incoming capital. The structural reason is composability: on a shared blockchain ledger, a single asset can simultaneously earn yield, serve as collateral, and remain liquid. Kendrick contends this property has no equivalent in traditional finance.
"Well-established DeFi protocols with strong risk metrics and governance should benefit the most."
— Geoffrey Kendrick, Global Head of Digital Assets Research, Standard Chartered, 26 May 2026
BlackRock's BUIDL fund shows the model already in motionBlackRock's BUIDL — the largest tokenized real-world asset product globally — held approximately $2.5 billion in assets as of April 2026, up from $1 billion at its March 2024 launch. The fund tokenizes US Treasury bills on-chain and pays daily yield directly to investor wallets. Standard Chartered's research cites products like BUIDL as evidence that institutional-grade tokenization infrastructure is operational, not theoretical. Standard Chartered argues that mature decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols — not traditional custodians — will process most of the incoming capital. The structural reason is composability: on a shared blockchain ledger, a single asset can simultaneously earn yield, serve as collateral, and remain liquid. Kendrick contends this property has no equivalent in traditional finance.
"Well-established DeFi protocols with strong risk metrics and governance should benefit the most."
— Geoffrey Kendrick, Global Head of Digital Assets Research, Standard Chartered, 26 May 2026
BlackRock's BUIDL fund shows the model already in motionBlackRock's BUIDL — the largest tokenized real-world asset product globally — held approximately $2.5 billion in assets as of April 2026, up from $1 billion at its March 2024 launch. The fund tokenizes US Treasury bills on-chain and pays daily yield directly to investor wallets. Standard Chartered's research cites products like BUIDL as evidence that institutional-grade tokenization infrastructure is operational, not theoretical. "Well-established DeFi protocols with strong risk metrics and governance should benefit the most."
— Geoffrey Kendrick, Global Head of Digital Assets Research, Standard Chartered, 26 May 2026
BlackRock's BUIDL fund shows the model already in motionBlackRock's BUIDL — the largest tokenized real-world asset product globally — held approximately $2.5 billion in assets as of April 2026, up from $1 billion at its March 2024 launch. The fund tokenizes US Treasury bills on-chain and pays daily yield directly to investor wallets. Standard Chartered's research cites products like BUIDL as evidence that institutional-grade tokenization infrastructure is operational, not theoretical. BlackRock's BUIDL fund shows the model already in motionBlackRock's BUIDL — the largest tokenized real-world asset product globally — held approximately $2.5 billion in assets as of April 2026, up from $1 billion at its March 2024 launch. The fund tokenizes US Treasury bills on-chain and pays daily yield directly to investor wallets. Standard Chartered's research cites products like BUIDL as evidence that institutional-grade tokenization infrastructure is operational, not theoretical. BlackRock's BUIDL — the largest tokenized real-world asset product globally — held approximately $2.5 billion in assets as of April 2026, up from $1 billion at its March 2024 launch. The fund tokenizes US Treasury bills on-chain and pays daily yield directly to investor wallets. Standard Chartered's research cites products like BUIDL as evidence that institutional-grade tokenization infrastructure is operational, not theoretical. Cryptocurrencies are highly volatile and involve significant risk. You may lose part or all of your investment. All information on Coinpaprika is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Always conduct your own research (DYOR) and consult a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. Coinpaprika is not liable for any losses resulting from the use of this information.