Why RWAs Could Be Crypto’s Most Promising Sector in 2026

As broader markets remain under pressure, real-world assets (RWAs) have emerged as one of the few sectors continuing to attract sustained interest. The market has grown by more than 150% this year. Furthermore, Chris Yin, co-founder and CEO of Plume, projects it could expand by 10x to 20x in both value and user adoption over the next year, even under conservative assumptions.

In an interview with BeInCrypto, Yin explained why RWAs are gaining traction at this stage of the market. He also outlined why they could remain a core focus throughout the next market cycle.

Why Investors Are Choosing RWAs in 2025 

In Q4, the broader crypto market has faced considerable pressure, forcing many to exit. Despite this, the RWA sector has managed to attract both retail and institutional interest. 

Data from RWA.xyz showed that the total number of asset holders has increased by 103.7% over the past month. This suggests growing engagement even as market sentiment weakens.

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According to Plume’s co-founder,

As the overall economic downturn persists, Yin stressed that investors are becoming increasingly cautious about the volatility and sustainability of yields across decentralized finance markets. In contrast, RWAs are increasingly positioned as a source of more stable returns. 

With DeFi yields under pressure and economic uncertainty persisting, tokenized treasuries or private credit instruments are beginning to look more attractive on a risk-adjusted basis.

He also pointed to the rapid growth of stablecoins this year as evidence of the market’s broader shift toward stability. This is particularly true for institutional participants. 

As investors continue to gravitate toward stability, Yin also acknowledged that one of the major concerns surrounding RWAs is the perception that it introduces additional KYC and compliance risks.

Nonetheless, he argued that tokenization can actually strengthen regulatory controls. It does so by making identity verification, access permissions, and transfer restrictions programmable at the asset level. 

Rather than relying on fragmented, off-chain compliance processes, issuers can enforce rules directly within the token through real-time eligibility checks, automated reporting, and immutable audit trails.

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RWAs Expected to Remain a Core Market Theme in the Next Cycle 

While RWAs have continued to gain traction this year, Yin said the sector is likely to remain a consistent focus for both traditional finance and decentralized finance in the next market cycle.

He noted that, at present, the majority of RWA value is concentrated in tokenized T-bills. However, as the market matures, Yin expects increased adoption of private credit alongside a broader range of alternative assets.

These could include tokenized exposure to mineral rights, such as oil. Additionally, it could involve GPUs, energy infrastructure, and other real-world resources.

Meanwhile, last month, Coinbase Ventures highlighted RWA perpetuals as one of the categories they are actively seeking to fund in 2026, signaling strong confidence. Yin also revealed that the company has consistently been bullish on RWA perpetuals.

According to Yin, perpetuals often generate trading volumes that significantly exceed those of spot markets, largely due to their superior user experience. He explained that perps are easy to use, allowing participants to take directional positions with ease while also incorporating leverage.

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Yin also drew attention to increasing innovation around real-world yield. He claimed that it is reshaping how yield is accessed and traded on-chain. 

As an example, Yin cited Pendle, noting that the protocol’s separation of principal and yield has introduced a new market structure for tokenized RWA cash flows. 

Beyond individual protocols, Yin said RWAs are gaining momentum across multiple blockchain ecosystems. 

Yin added that Solana’s speed and throughput make it one of the few networks capable of supporting high-frequency yield operations at scale. This capability becomes increasingly important as RWAs evolve from passive income instruments into a more active, tradable yield economy.

Alongside this expansion, Yin emphasized that regulatory and legislative alignment will remain a central priority. He outlined that projects taking compliance seriously are likely to emerge as long-term winners, particularly as governments and large institutions increasingly demand built-in regulatory safeguards and clearer standards for on-chain asset issuance.

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What To Expect From The RWA Sector In 2026

Looking ahead, Yin identified three key growth drivers that he expects to propel the RWA sector to new heights over the next 12 months. First, he pointed to the continuation of bottom-up adoption and growth in RWAs. 

Yin noted that the RWA value has more than tripled over the past year. Furthermore, the number of RWA holders has grown more than sevenfold. 

Second, Yin highlighted increasing top-down alignment from institutions and regulators. According to him, governments, financial institutions, and technology companies are now actively focused on tokenization. While these initiatives typically take time to materialize, Yin believes their eventual rollout could bring billions of dollars’ worth of assets on-chain.

Finally, the Plume executive pointed to broader macroeconomic conditions as a structural tailwind. 

Yin concluded that there is little reason to expect momentum to slow, given the number of catalysts in play. According to him,

Thus, RWAs are increasingly positioned as a structural shift rather than a short-term trend in 2026. With growing adoption, expanding asset types, and stronger alignment, the sector appears well placed to play a central role in the next phase of on-chain growth.