Real-world asset tokenization is driving institutional adoption, with private credit, tokenized equities, and Treasuries leading the way.
Tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) are expected to reach $50-60 billion in 2026, according to a report by blockchain oracle platform RedStone.
The market has already grown from $5 billion in late 2023 to over $35 billion today, and institutions are increasingly interested in on-chain private credit, tokenized Treasuries, and tokenized equities. Private credit is currently the largest category, at about $19 billion, and is expected to hold roughly 45-50% of the RWA market next year, the report says.
However, tokenized equities are predicted to grow the fastest, with 200-300% growth once U.S. regulatory rules are clarified in mid-2026. Tokenized Treasuries, currently $8.4 billion including BlackRock’s $2.5 billion BUIDL fund, are also expected to see strong growth.
Still, RedStone analysts emphasized that this growth depends on reliable infrastructure.
“RWA tokenization creates unprecedented data challenges. Traditional crypto price feeds update every few seconds based on liquid DEX markets and CEX order books,” the report, which was authored by RedStone co-founder Marcin Kazmierczak, reads. “Tokenized private credit requires NAV calculations for illiquid assets, illiquidity adjustments, third-party valuation verification, and compliance-grade audit trails.”
Other Predictions
RedStone also predicts that AI agents will become major users of on-chain data in 2026, with the AI-agent market reaching $15+ billion.
“AI agents don’t sleep, don’t panic, and operate across dozens of chains simultaneously,” Kazmierczak writes. “They need sub-millisecond latency, multi-chain data availability, confidence intervals for sophisticated risk management, and most critically – zero mispricing tolerance.”
Moreover, the total value locked in decentralized finance (DeFi) is expected to grow from $124 billion today to $150-200 billion in 2026 – but only platforms with strong oracles and risk monitoring will attract institutional money, the report noted.
RedStone says the quality of infrastructure will determine which protocols succeed. The company pointed to the Oct. 10 flash crash, which saw $20 billion liquidated in 24 hours, to illustrate how vulnerable some systems are.
