Tokenization beyond finance: Real-world assets will be crypto’s next engine | Opinion

The hype burned bright and fast—memecoins and NFTs once powered crypto, stealing the spotlight in this realm. But, like a car running dry, the speculative fuel driving these cryptocurrencies has burned out. Could tokenized real-world assets take their place?

In short, yes. As memecoins lose appeal and NFTs cool off, there is a vacuum in crypto for more grounded, plausible innovations—those that rethink value and link crypto to the real world. RWA will fill this space.

Even Solana (SOL), once a memecoin hotspot, is now quietly pivoting toward utility—with tokenized funds, debit cards, and institutional infrastructure like ETFs and RWAs onboarding becoming the new foundation beneath its playful surface.

It’s a quieter force, yet one which is transformative: backed by intrinsic value, compatible with regulation, stable. The crypto is also powerful enough to extend beyond tech, linking to the real economy through tangible assets. This gives it the potential to drive the next wave of crypto adoption, quite literally making 2025 the year crypto got real.

Powering crypto’s growth: Why RWAs?

Memecoins are humorous, but they are also speculative digital assets that can swing wildly and lack intrinsic value. In contrast, we are seeing a shift in the crypto ecosystem away from flashy trends towards RWAs. They flip the playing field, and the reasons behind that are numerous.

Real-world applications. As the name suggests, RWAs connect crypto to the real world; they embed physical value onto blockchains. Representing tangible assets—think real estate, infrastructure, commodities, or even records of deals—they ground crypto and connect it to the living, breathing economy. Tokenization will reach $2 trillion by 2030, driven by stocks, real estate, bonds, and gold.

Backed by intrinsic value. RWAs are physical, not just digital or speculative, assets. Their value is tied to these effects, making them more attractive in uncertain times.

Familiar and stable. The crypto market can be highly volatile. RWAs, however, offer familiarity, stability, and regulatory compatibility. This promises to drive adoption amongst institutional investors.

Changes across the RWA field

We’re not the only ones taking note of the potential RWAs pose: major players are already experimenting with tokenizing assets, including firms like HSBC, Bank of America, and Visa. The range of these assets is in itself striking—U.S. Treasury bonds, commercial real estate, and carbon credits are all included in tokenization projects. The pull of RWAs is clear for all to see: improved liquidity in markets that have traditionally been opaque or illiquid, fractional ownership, and 24/7 trading.

Secure RWA tokenization is made increasingly feasible by emerging blockchain infrastructure, like compliant smart contracts and decentralized oracles. Similarly, rapid changes are being made to regulatory frameworks worldwide, from the U.S. to the Middle East; this is providing clearer guidelines for asset-backed tokens in many jurisdictions. All of this means that change in the RWA sphere is happening widely and at pace.

The tech is evolving in another direction still, towards democratizing developmental and environmental goals. Tokenized RWAs have the potential to transparently fund critical areas, such as affordable housing, agriculture, green infrastructure, and global development. This means that RWAs aren’t expected to be exclusive, but could have wider benefits.

Agriculture stands out as a truly global industry—every nation, regardless of political or economic stance, participates in food production and trade. Tokenized RWAs in this space can streamline cross-border transactions and ultimately strengthen the global food supply chain.

Looking forward: Hurdles faced by RWAs

RWAs are emerging as a serious contender to drive the next wave of crypto adoption, marking a cultural and strategic shift in crypto from hype-driven speculation to down-to-earth, utility-focused applications.

That’s not to say that there are no challenges in adopting RWAs. Legal uncertainty, valuation accuracy, and the need for cross-chain interoperability are all issues that must be resolved for the tech to be more widely accepted. RWAs also suffer from limitations in the ability to pair fiat into RWA products.

Despite these hurdles, there’s no denying the fact that RWAs represent a seriously credible alternative to current cryptocurrencies. They offer a path for crypto to reconnect with real economic value and mainstream adoption, and it’s clear that major players are choosing this route.

This is crypto’s grown-up phase

As flashy trends fade, RWAs may become the foundation of a more mature, impactful crypto ecosystem. The crucial marker of RWAs is their ability to embed physical value onto blockchains—real estate, commodities, energy, infrastructure—giving RWAs massive leverage because they link crypto to things people can touch, measure, and regulate.

The days of hype-first products are numbered. Useful, valuable, and understandable applications will drive the next wave of crypto adoption. RWAs offer exactly that—real utility tied to the real world. In the end, it’s not about turning everything into a token. It’s about turning the right things into tokens—and helping them move smarter, faster, and more freely than ever before.

Henry Duckworth

Henry Duckworth is the founder and CEO of AgriDex, an integrated agricultural digital marketplace. Henry comes from a multigenerational farming family in Africa. He became the youngest commodities trader at Trafigura, one of the largest commodities suppliers. Shortly after, he was a vice president at Scipion Capital, one of Africa’s leading investment managers. Henry’s experience with the inefficiencies of agricultural markets and finances gave rise to AgriDex, a digital marketplace aiming to become the world’s first choice for selling, moving, buying, and investing in agricultural trade.