What is Real World Asset Tokenization (RWA)? Complete Beginners Guide
August 2nd, 2023

According to Binance Research, the RWA market is estimated to be worth US$16 trillion by 2030, representing a huge opportunity for the blockchain industry. RWAs have also seen increasing adoption and total value locked in DeFi protocols. Recently, Avalanche Foundation invested $50 million to onboard more tokenized real-world assets. The market growth potential for investment in real-world asset tokenization is huge.

So what is Real World Asset Tokenization?

Imagine if you could own a piece of a famous painting, a rare diamond, or a skyscraper. How cool would that be? Well, thanks to a new technology called tokenization, you can! Real-world asset tokenization is the process of converting real-world assets into digital tokens that can be traded on a blockchain. Real-world assets are physical assets such as real estate, cars, collectibles, fine art, gold, and other tangible or intangible assets that have value or physical relevance. The likes of equities, carbon credits, bonds, and anything that is intangible but with a relevant physical existence also qualify.

Tokenization is the process of converting these assets into digital tokens that can be traded on a blockchain. Real World Asset tokenization transforms the ownership of a real-world item into a digital token. These tokens are special because they live on the computer and can be stored, transferred, and even traded with others on a powerful network called the blockchain. Blockchain is like a big digital playground where everyone can see and keep track of who owns what.

Here are some examples of real-world assets:

  • Art: You can own a fraction of a painting by Picasso, Monet, or Van Gogh.

  • Diamonds: You can own a share of a rare and beautiful gemstone.

  • Real estate: You can own a part of a building, land, or property.

  • Gold: You can own a piece of the shiny metal that is used as money and jewellery.

  • Stocks: You can own a stake in a company that makes products or services.

    Some examples of real-world asset tokenization projects are:

  • RealT, allows investors to buy fractional ownership in real estate properties using cryptocurrency. On the Realt.co website, you can buy and sell tokens for real estate properties. You can choose from different properties around the world, such as apartments, houses, or offices. You can also earn rent from your tokens every month.

  • Harbor, which enables investors to buy shares in private companies using blockchain technology.

  • Hamilton Lane: This is a company that helps people invest in private businesses. It partnered with Securitize, another company that helps people create tokens. They made tokens for some of their funds that invest in private businesses. These tokens are cheaper and easier to buy than the funds themselves.

  • Project Guardian: This is a project by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), which is like the central bank of Singapore. It partnered with JPMorgan, DBS Bank, and Marketnode, which are big banks and financial companies. They made tokens for some of their bonds and deposits. These tokens can be used in different ways on the internet, such as lending, borrowing, or earning interest.

The Incredible Process of Tokenization - How does tokenization work?

Let's imagine a beautiful painting, and the artist wants to share it with the world and get some money to create more masterpieces. To do this, the artist needs to work with a platform that can make digital tokens and check that the painting is real and valuable. Once the painting is verified, the platform creates digital tokens that represent pieces of the painting's ownership. It's like cutting the painting into tiny slices and giving each slice a special digital badge. These badges are the tokens! So,

  • First, you need to have a real thing that you want to tokenize. It can be anything that has value, like a painting, a diamond, or a building.

  • Second, you need to have a blockchain. A blockchain is like a big book that records everything that happens on the internet. It is secure and transparent, so no one can cheat or change it.

  • Third, you need to create a token on the blockchain. A token is like a digital certificate that proves that you own a part of the real thing. You can decide how many tokens you want to create and how much each token is worth.

  • Fourth, you need to link the token to the real thing. You can do this by using a smart contract. A smart contract is like a set of rules that tells the blockchain what to do with the token and the real thing. For example, it can say that if someone pays for a token, they get ownership of the real thing.

  • Fifth, you need to sell or buy the token on the internet. You can use a platform that connects buyers and sellers of tokens. You can also trade tokens with other people who have tokens for different things.

    The Market Growth Potential of RWA

    Tokenized U.S. Treasuries have become a popular RWA offering, as they offer higher yields than DeFi stablecoins. Investors can lend over US$600M to the U.S. government via the tokenized treasury market and receive around 4.2% APY. Let me start by sharing some truly captivating numbers from Binance research. The research shared a remarkable report from the Boston Consulting Group, which estimated that the market for tokenized assets will soar to a staggering US$16 trillion by the year 2030. Just imagine that! A 10% share of the entire global GDP at the end of the decade! This astonishing prediction presents a substantial leap from the modest US$310 billion seen in the year 2022.

    Now, what exactly does this entail? Well, this substantial figure encompasses two main components – on-chain asset tokenization, which aligns more closely with the blockchain industry, and traditional asset fractionalization. The latter, for example, includes investment vehicles like exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and real estate investment trusts, which we are already familiar with.

    But, let's put this in perspective, shall we? With a market size of US$16 trillion, the world of tokenized assets will still only represent a small fraction of the overall global asset value. This current estimation of the global asset value stands at a staggering US$900 trillion. If we crunch the numbers, tokenized assets would account for less than 1.8% of that figure, to be exact! And mind you, we are not even factoring in the potential growth of the global asset value in the future.

    However, there's a glimmer of opportunity and hope that awaits the blockchain industry. Capturing even a modest slice of this grandiose US$16 trillion market would undoubtedly be a game-changer for us. The sheer potential for growth and innovation in the realm of tokenized assets beckons us forward. And let me push the boundaries of imagination for a moment. If we dare to dream, one could argue that the true addressable market for tokenized assets is the entire global asset market itself! The reason is that anything, I repeat, anything that is tokenizable could be represented as real-world assets (RWAs) on-chain. The possibilities are vast and boundless.

    Note: The expected growth of the tokenized asset market to $7766.87 million by 2028 with a CAGR of 22.57% from 2021 to 2028. According to a report by MarketsandMarkets Research Private Ltd., the global market for security token offerings (STOs) is expected to grow from $1.5 billion in 2018 to $10.2 billion by 2023.

    What will make the RWA market boom?

    Traditional finance giants are finally waking up to the astonishing potential of the blockchain! They are giddy with excitement, and who can blame them? The idea of putting ownership of assets like precious metals, art, homes, and much more on the blockchain is a game-changer of epic proportions. Imagine this: In the past, you had to trust intermediaries, financial institutions, and authorities to validate your ownership of assets. But not any more! With the blockchain, you become the sole master of your destiny, the true owner of your wealth. Picture this too: Beautiful works of art, those masterpieces that have captivated our hearts for centuries, will now be securely recorded on the blockchain.

    No longer will we need to rely on dusty paper trails and vague provenance. The blockchain will offer an immutable ledger, tracing the history of these treasures with unmatched transparency. And my friends, let's not forget the allure of precious metals like gold and silver. These timeless assets that have stood the test of millennia will now find their place on the blockchain. Their ownership will be effortlessly transferable, and the risk of fraud or counterfeiting will become a thing of the past. But it doesn't end there, not by a long shot! Homes, those sanctuaries we build our lives around, will also join the blockchain revolution. Buying, selling, and transferring property deeds will become seamless, eliminating bureaucracy and red tape that has plagued real estate transactions for ages. Now, you might be wondering why the traditional finance giants are excited about this. Well, my friends, it's simple. They can see the writing on the wall. The blockchain is unstoppable, and those who embrace it will stay at the forefront of innovation. Those who resist may find themselves left behind in the annals of history.

Benefits of Real World Asset Tokenization

Some benefits of real-world asset tokenization include improved liquidity, enhanced accessibility, better transparency, and transaction efficiency

  1. Opening New Doors for Everyone: Real World Asset tokenization is like having a secret key to unlock exciting opportunities. It allows more people, even those with smaller amounts of money, to own a piece of valuable assets like real estate or precious art. It's like being part of a fantastic club with amazing things to share!

  2. Supercharging Asset Owners: Imagine you have an incredible idea to build something incredible, but you need money to make it happen. Tokenization lets asset owners sell these tokens instead of asking people for big piles of money. It's like having a magic vending machine that turns tokens into cash!

  3. Streamlining Asset Management: Remember all those boring papers and middlemen involved in managing valuable stuff? Tokenization gets rid of them! With blockchain technology, everything becomes super efficient and secure, like a digital fortress guarding our assets.

  4. Accessibility: Tokenization makes it easier for anyone to own and invest in real things. You don't need a lot of money or paperwork to buy a token. You just need an internet connection and a wallet to store your tokens.

  5. Liquidity: Tokenization makes it easier for anyone to sell and buy real things. You don't need to find a buyer or seller who wants the whole thing. You can just sell or buy as many tokens as you want, anytime and anywhere.

  6. Efficiency: Tokenization makes it faster and cheaper to transfer ownership of real things. You don't need to pay high fees or taxes to middlemen or intermediaries. You just need to send or receive tokens on the blockchain.

  7. Transparency: Tokenization makes it clearer and safer to track ownership of real things. You don't need to worry about fraud or theft. You can see who owns what and when on the blockchain.

Real-world asset tokenization is important because it allows people to invest in assets that were previously inaccessible. For example, if you wanted to invest in a high-end New York property valued at over $10 million, you would need to have a lot of money. However, with real-world asset tokenization, you can invest in a fraction of the property by purchasing tokens that represent ownership of the property. This makes it possible for people to invest in high-value assets without having to put their entire wealth on the line.

Who can benefit from real world assets?

For asset owners: Tokenization can help them reach more buyers and investors online, increase the value and demand for their assets, and lower their risks and costs of selling or sharing their assets.

  • For asset investors: Tokenization can help them access more assets and markets online, diversify their portfolio and reduce their exposure to volatility, and lower their fees and taxes of buying or investing in assets.

  • For asset users: Tokenization can help them access more services, products, and experiences online, customize their preferences and choices, and lower their costs of using or enjoying assets.

Challenges of Real World Assets: Journey to Digital Utopia

Some challenges of real-world asset tokenization are regulatory compliance issues and lack of standardization

  1. Navigating the Legal Maze: Just like superheroes have to follow rules to keep the world safe, real world asset tokenization faces challenges in different countries and for different types of assets. Following all the laws and regulations can be tricky, but is essential for a smooth digital adventure.

  2. Relying on Trusted Allies: When you play with tokens, you require trustworthy friends to help you. Tokenization platforms, blockchain networks, and custodian services must work together like a superhero team to keep everything safe and fair.

  3. Striving for Technological Perfection: Even the coolest superheroes sometimes face tough battles. Tokenization must overcome technical issues like making sure the playground is big enough for everyone, allowing different systems to talk to each other, and making it easy for everyone to join the digital fun.

  4. Education: Tokenization needs to have more awareness and understanding among people who own and invest in real assets. This can help them see the benefits and risks of tokenization and how to use it properly.

Conclusion: Unleashing the Digital Possibilities

In conclusion, real-world asset tokenization is an innovative way to invest in high-value assets without having to put your entire wealth on the line. Tokenization is a powerful technology that can change the way we own and invest in real things. It can make it more accessible, affordable, and efficient for everyone. It can also create new opportunities and benefits for people who use tokens. Tokenization is the future of asset ownership.

Real World Asset tokenization is a thrilling journey into the world of digital ownership. It transforms real things into digital magic, making them accessible to more people and empowering asset owners. With blockchain as its superpower, it creates a more efficient and secure way to manage valuable assets. It has many benefits but also has some challenges such as regulatory compliance issues and lack of standardization.

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