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The tokenized real-world asset market has reached $51 billion, up 42% this year, according to Bernstein Research, with private credit emerging as the largest segment at roughly 44% of total value. Private credit has surpassed tokenized U.S. Treasurys, which account for approximately 30% of the market, reflecting growing adoption of blockchain-based infrastructure for loan origination, fund administration, and settlement. This growth demonstrates how tokenization is expanding beyond short-duration government debt into credit markets traditionally harder to access through conventional banking channels, where blockchain infrastructure supports recordkeeping, settlement, transferability, and investor reporting.
Private Credit Drives Tokenized RWA Growth
Private credit structures enable borrowers to raise capital outside traditional banks while providing investors exposure to interest-bearing loans. The blockchain infrastructure supporting these transactions can facilitate loan origination, settlement, and investor reporting, though the underlying credit risk remains tied to borrower quality and loan performance.
Figure Technology Solutions ranked first among tokenized RWA platforms with $18 billion in assets, according to Bernstein, with most of that value tied to private credit. The company has tokenized $5 billion in consumer loans during 2026, with monthly loan volume reaching a record $1.3 billion in April. Figure's Connect marketplace, which links credit supply and demand through blockchain-based infrastructure, accounted for 56% of total loan volumes in the first quarter of 2026.
Securitize and Paxos followed with approximately $4.2 billion each across asset classes including treasurys, commodities, and stocks. Institutional participation is also increasing through tokenized fund structures—BlackRock's tokenized money market fund BUIDL has surpassed $2.5 billion in assets, according to Bernstein.
Market Measurement Challenges
Bernstein's $51 billion valuation is higher than other industry trackers, including RWA.xyz's $34 billion figure. This gap reflects a key measurement issue: providers do not always count the same structures. Some include hybrid onchain and offchain products, special purpose vehicles, and custodian-linked assets, while others use narrower definitions based on directly observable onchain issuance.
Tokenized assets encompass fully onchain tokens, offchain assets represented by blockchain records, fund shares, credit vehicles, and custodian-backed structures. A tokenized Treasury fund with onchain transferability is easier to track than a private credit structure using special purpose vehicles, custodians, or partial blockchain settlement. If analytics platforms exclude hybrid structures, they may undercount private credit and overstate the share of simpler tokenized instruments.
Ross Shemeliak, co-founder of Stobox, stated that private credit is growing because it addresses two market needs simultaneously: investors seek yield, and businesses need capital. He noted that tokenized U.S. Treasurys were the first major institutional success in the RWA market, while private credit offers higher potential returns and more direct exposure to the real economy.
Current Market Composition and Derivatives Activity
Beyond private credit, tokenized U.S. Treasury debt accounts for roughly 30% of the market, while commodities make up another 14%, according to Bernstein. These categories appeal to institutions because they are easier to benchmark, custody, and often simpler to explain within existing regulatory frameworks.
Derivatives are emerging as part of the RWA growth story. Bernstein pointed to rising activity in onchain RWA derivatives through Hyperliquid. RWA-related open interest on Hyperliquid reached $2.6 billion in May, while trading volumes totaled $65 billion in April 2026.
Investor Considerations
The $51 billion valuation indicates that tokenized RWAs have moved beyond proof-of-concept status. For institutions, the primary consideration is whether tokenized RWAs can deliver operational gains without adding legal, liquidity, or counterparty uncertainty. Private credit's rise shows demand is moving toward higher-yielding assets, not just safer treasury products, creating a larger market opportunity while making underwriting, transparency, and enforcement more important.
FAQ
P: Porque é que o crédito privado se tornou o segmento dominante nos RWAs tokenizados?
R: De acordo com a Bernstein Research, o crédito privado representa 44% do mercado de RWA tokenizado de 51 mil milhões de dólares, porque a infraestrutura de blockchain permite a originação de empréstimos, a liquidação e o reporte aos investidores fora dos canais tradicionais do setor bancário. Isto permite aos mutuários angariar capital e aos investidores aceder a empréstimos que rendem juros de forma mais direta.
P: Qual é a diferença entre a estimativa de 51 mil milhões de dólares da Bernstein e as de outros indicadores?
R: Diferentes fornecedores de analytics usam definições distintas de ativos tokenizados. A Bernstein inclui produtos híbridos onchain e offchain, veículos de propósito específico e ativos ligados a custodiante, enquanto algumas plataformas como RWA.xyz (estimativa de 34 mil milhões de dólares) usam definições mais restritas com base em emissão onchain diretamente observável.
P: Que plataforma lidera o mercado de RWA tokenizados?
R: A Figure Technology Solutions classificou-se em primeiro lugar com 18 mil milhões de dólares em ativos, principalmente em crédito privado. A empresa tokenizou 5 mil milhões de dólares em empréstimos ao consumo durante 2026, com o volume mensal de empréstimos a atingir 1,3 mil milhões de dólares em abril.
