Foreign media commentators have noted that the tokenization of real-world assets is moving from proof-of-concept to larger-scale application. The article argues that the assets themselves haven't changed; what has changed is the underlying clearing and holding methods: settlements that previously took days are now completed in seconds; and assets that were previously only accessible to a few institutions are now entering on-chain circulation with lower barriers to entry.
On-chain RWA market size rises to approximately $31 billion.
According to RWA.xyz, as of press time, the on-chain value of tokenized real-world assets is close to $31 billion, up about 15% in the past 30 days. Government bonds remain the largest single category, while gold-backed tokens have also driven growth in commodity-related assets. The article mentions that tokenized stocks, a relatively small sector two years ago, now have a single-quarter trading volume exceeding the total trading volume for 2025.
Private lending becomes an important source of growth
The article argues that private lending is one of the most noteworthy applications currently. This market in traditional finance is estimated at $3 trillion, and over $14 billion in related assets are already actively circulating on-chain. Previously, these assets, which provide direct loans to businesses, were typically only available to large fund managers; tokenization is changing both the ways in which people participate and the efficiency of their circulation.
Structurally, private lending has become one of the largest non-government bond segments in the tokenized asset market. This also means that RWA's growth is no longer solely reliant on low-risk instruments such as short-term Treasury bonds, but is expanding into a wider range of credit assets.
Trade finance scenarios are starting to grow rapidly.
The article also mentions that some public blockchains are building infrastructure around trade finance and institutional asset issuance. Taking XDC as an example, the network's tokenized assets exceeded $1.1 billion in early June 2026, of which about 80% were structured real-world assets.
The article states that XDC's strength lies not only in its scale but also in its design for cross-border trade finance, including settlement in approximately two seconds, near-zero transaction costs, and compatibility with the ISO 20022 financial messaging standard. These capabilities primarily serve the on-chain storage of assets such as invoices, letters of credit, and accounts receivable, helping to shorten financing processes that previously took weeks to just hours.
The Asian Development Bank previously estimated the global trade finance gap at approximately $2.5 trillion. The article argues that this gap stems from a large number of companies being unable to access financing in a timely manner, and that tokenized infrastructure is attempting to penetrate this market.
Institutional adoption is on the rise
The article also cites data showing that 96% of Asian fund managers plan to promote asset tokenization within the next three years. Meanwhile, regulatory clarity is improving in the US, Europe, and Singapore.
Foreign media believe that the funds entering this market are more driven by long-term investment goals than short-term speculative capital. For institutions still observing the market, the current changes are not merely technological experiments, but a signal that financial infrastructure is beginning to restructure.
