.webp)
The tokenization market entered 2026 with significant momentum. According to the latest CoinGecko RWA Report 2026, the total value of tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) reached $19.3 billion by the end of Q1 2026, marking a 256.7% increase compared to the beginning of 2025.
While tokenized treasuries continue to dominate the sector, the report highlights a rapid expansion across commodities, tokenized stocks, ETFs, and derivatives, showing how the industry is evolving beyond early-stage experimentation into a more mature financial infrastructure layer.
Tokenized Commodities Reach $5.5 Billion
One of the strongest growth areas during the quarter was tokenized commodities, which expanded from $1.43 billion to $5.55 billion. According to CoinGecko, this growth was largely driven by gold-backed assets such as PAXG and XAUT.
The report notes that tokenized commodities briefly surpassed $6.6 billion in February before stabilizing later in the quarter. Gold-backed tokens accounted for the vast majority of the sector’s expansion, reflecting growing demand for digital exposure to physical assets during a period of continued macroeconomic uncertainty.
Tokenized Gold Trading Volume Surpasses Entire 2025
Trading activity around tokenized gold accelerated sharply in Q1 2026.
CoinGecko reports that tokenized gold spot trading volume reached $90.7 billion during the first quarter alone, already exceeding the total trading volume recorded during the entirety of 2025.
The report attributes this growth to:
- increasing accessibility through centralized exchanges
- stronger investor demand for gold exposure
- rising interest in on-chain commodity trading infrastructure
PAXG and XAUT remained the dominant products in the category throughout the quarter.
Tokenized Stocks Continue Expanding
Another notable trend from the report is the continued growth of tokenized equities.
After launching in mid-2025, tokenized stocks scaled to nearly $500 million in market capitalization by the end of Q1 2026. Tech-related assets such as tokenized Tesla, Nvidia, Alphabet, Circle, and MicroStrategy shares led the category.
At the same time, tokenized stock trading volumes also increased rapidly. CoinGecko recorded $15.1 billion in spot trading volume for tokenized equities during Q1 2026, surpassing the total volume recorded during the second half of 2025.
While these numbers are still relatively small compared to traditional equity markets, the pace of growth highlights increasing interest in 24/7 on-chain access to traditional financial assets.
Tokenized ETFs and RWA Derivatives Gain Momentum
The report also highlights growing traction for tokenized ETFs and RWA perpetual markets.
Tokenized ETFs grew to approximately $300 million in market capitalization by the end of Q1 2026, supported by a broad range of products entering the market.
Meanwhile, RWA perpetual trading volume surged to $524.8 billion during Q1 2026 alone, significantly exceeding the $313 billion recorded throughout all of 2025.
This growth reflects increasing demand for:
- programmable financial products
- 24/7 trading access
- on-chain exposure to traditional asset classes
Institutional Momentum Continues Building
CoinGecko’s report describes 2025 as a “watershed year” for tokenization, driven by improving regulatory clarity and increasing participation from traditional financial institutions.
As competition grows across the RWA ecosystem, the market is increasingly shifting toward:
- compliant infrastructure
- scalable distribution
- asset interoperability
- operational tooling for tokenized products
The rapid expansion across commodities, treasuries, equities, ETFs, and derivatives suggests that tokenization is continuing to evolve into a broader financial infrastructure movement rather than remaining a niche blockchain use case.
For companies building wallet infrastructure, compliance systems, asset management tools, and investor onboarding experiences, the continued growth of RWAs signals a major long-term opportunity as traditional assets increasingly move on-chain.
To read the full CoinGecko Q1 2026 RWA Report and explore the complete market data, insights, and sector breakdowns, visit the official report here: https://www.coingecko.com/research/publications/rwa-report-2026
.png)
