Tokenization is moving from theory into the core agenda of major financial firms. Recent views from BCG, McKinsey, and BlackRock all point in the same direction: real-world assets such as bonds, commodities, and property are being brought onto blockchain networks at a faster pace, changing how they trade, settle, and circulate.
Real-world assets move on-chain as settlement shifts from T+2 to near-instant
At its base, tokenization means splitting an asset into units and representing ownership or rights through digital certificates on blockchain. That structure allows assets with long sale cycles, including property and fine art, to be traded around the clock through tokens. The source also notes that processes traditionally handled by notaries, land registries, or banks can in part be automated with smart contracts.
In traditional finance, stock trades usually settle in two days. Tokenization is aimed at T+0 or near-real-time transfer, which stands out as one of the clearest efficiency gains. The article compares that shift to the move from depositing cash at a bank to viewing balances in a digital account, except the same logic is now being extended to equities, gold, houses, and bonds.
Ethereum hosts 61.4% of tokenized assets, with $206.2 billion transacted
According to Token Terminal, Ethereum now hosts 61.4% of all tokenized assets. That gives public blockchains a visible role in the expansion of real-world asset issuance and trading. The total value of tokenized assets transacted on Ethereum has reached $206.2 billion.
Compared with the same period a year earlier, the market capitalization of these assets on Ethereum has risen by more than 40%. The numbers point to fast expansion. For blockchain networks, this is not only growth in one product category; it also signals rising demand for on-chain issuance, settlement, and digital representations of ownership.
BCG projects a 50-fold increase and a $16.1 trillion opportunity by 2030
A joint report from BCG and ADDX offers the most aggressive forecast in the source material. By 2030, tokenization could grow 50-fold, creating a $16.1 trillion business opportunity. The report frames tokenization as a major stage in the ongoing transformation of traditional finance, with asset management and liquidity at the center.
The same report says more than half of global assets are still held in illiquid formats. Those assets often trade at a discount to liquid ones. In that view, tokenization matters because it can improve transferability and market access, reconnecting hard-to-trade assets with more active trading venues.
McKinsey sees tokenized financial assets approaching $2 trillion
McKinsey uses a more conservative range, but the market size remains large. Its estimate says the value of tokenized financial assets could approach $2 trillion by 2030. The report highlights fractionalization, higher transparency on blockchain, and stronger liquidity through secondary markets as key drivers.
Several details stand out. First, fractionalization lowers entry barriers and opens access to assets that smaller investors would normally struggle to reach. Second, blockchain can improve oversight for hard-to-track assets such as carbon credits. Third, McKinsey expects cash and deposits to represent the largest share by 2030, with potential volume of $1.1 trillion, while loans and securitization could reach $0.3 trillion. The report also says central bank digital currencies, or CBDCs, sit at the center of this transition.
BlackRock keeps pressing the tokenization case, with Larry Fink focused on instant transfer and lower costs
BlackRock CEO Larry Fink has repeatedly spoken in favor of crypto assets and tokenization since 2023. The source says BlackRock’s move into crypto services for clients was seen as a turning point for Bitcoin. Fink argues that Bitcoin has a distinct ability to price risk, and he expects tokenization to become deeply embedded in daily financial activity.
In annual CEO letters and media interviews, Fink has described tokenization as the direction finance is taking. He has criticized the inefficiency of the current T+2 system and argued that tokenization can enable instant transfer, improving capital efficiency while cutting costs. For asset managers, broader access, faster processing, and lower expenses are the clearest commercial attractions.
BlackRock’s 2026 trends report also says Ethereum offers exposure to the growth of digital infrastructure, innovation in the crypto ecosystem, and the potential upside from tokenization becoming a core part of the financial system. The language differs across institutions, but the message is consistent: tokenization is no longer a niche crypto discussion and is taking a clearer place inside mainstream finance.