Tokenization to Reach $4T by 2028, DeFi to Benefit Most: Standard Chartered

Standard Chartered has released a report predicting that tokenized assets will balloon to $4 trillion by 2028, with decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols emerging as the main beneficiaries, rather than Ethereum or Solana.

Key Forecasts

• Non-stablecoin tokenized assets: Expected to reach $2 trillion.
• Stablecoins: Also projected to reach $2 trillion.
• Primary beneficiaries: DeFi protocols, not Ethereum or Solana.

Analyst Rationale

Standard Chartered analysts believe the growth of tokenization will be driven by adoption by major financial institutions like BlackRock (NYSE: BLK), which has launched tokenized funds. However, the existing infrastructure of Ethereum and Solana may not be the most suitable to accommodate this volume of assets, opening the door for specialized DeFi protocols.

Context

The forecast comes amid growing institutional interest in tokenization. BlackRock (BLK) has been among the pioneers in this space with its tokenized fund. Standard Chartered's outlook aligns with broader trends in the financial sector toward asset digitization.

What It Means for Investors

The projections indicate significant growth opportunities in tokenization, but caution that current networks like Ethereum and Solana may not be the primary beneficiaries. Investors should monitor emerging DeFi protocols that could capture increasing market share.