While broader markets continue to be under pressure, real assets (RWAs) have become one of the few sectors still attracting interest. The market has grown by more than 150% this year. Chris Yin, co-founder and CEO of Plume, also believes that RWAs could grow 10 to 20 times in both value and number of users over the coming year, even if counted cautiously.
In an interview with BeInCrypto, Yin explained why RWAs are attracting more right now. He also discussed why RWAs are likely to remain in focus during the next market cycle.
Why investors are choosing RWAs in 2025
In the fourth quarter, the cryptocurrency market has been under heavy pressure, and many have left the market. Despite this, the RWA sector has managed to attract both retail investors and institutions.
Data from RWA.xyz shows that the number of asset holders has increased by 103.7% in the past month. This suggests that more are active despite weaker market sentiment.
According to Plume's co-founder,
"The RWA market is driven by interest from various sectors for on-chain assets linked to reality. We see a certain stability, as the market is neither clearly down nor up."
As the economy still struggles, Yin says that investors are becoming more cautious about risks and returns within decentralized finance. At the same time, more and more see RWAs as a way to achieve more stable returns.
As lower returns in DeFi continue and uncertainty remains, tokenized government bonds or private credit are becoming increasingly attractive when weighing the risks.
He also pointed to the rapid growth of stablecoins this year as evidence that the market wants more stability. This is particularly true for institutions.
"Stablecoins are the basis for RWA entry; the next step is to create yield coins and opportunities for returns for these RWAs. People want assets with stable, secure, and reliable returns. Stablecoins attract users, and the yields draw both institutions and individuals to these assets," Yin told BeInCrypto.
As investors seek stability, Yin acknowledges that a major concern regarding RWAs is the risk of increased KYC and regulatory compliance requirements.
He still believes that tokenization can actually strengthen the rules. One can embed identification, permissions, and restrictions directly into the asset itself.
Instead of fragmented processes off-chain, issuers can automatically follow regulations in the token itself with rapid verification, automatic reports, and clear tracking.
RWAs are expected to continue to be an important market theme in the next cycle.
Although RWAs have become increasingly popular this year, Yin believes that the sector will remain important for both traditional and decentralized finance in the next cycle.
He says that right now, the largest values within RWA lie in tokenized government bonds. But as the market evolves, Yin expects more private credit and more types of assets.
This could involve tokenized mining rights, for example, oil. Additionally, it could include GPUs, energy infrastructure, and other real-world assets.
"Those who succeed best are those who see new opportunities, not just do more of what has already worked," he commented.
Last month, Coinbase Ventures revealed that they want to invest in RWA-perpetuals in 2026, which shows strong confidence. Yin also noted that the company is positive about RWA-perpetuals.
According to Yin, perpetuals tend to generate greater trading volumes than the spot market because they provide a better user experience. He explained that perps are easy to use, allowing users to take different positions in a straightforward way with leverage.
"We have always said at Plume that to make RWAs work on-chain, you must adapt RWAs to the habits of crypto users. For spot, it’s about making them available to everyone, easy to combine, and easy to sell, which we do with our RWA yield protocol Nest at Plume. Another way for crypto users to engage is through perps, and we strongly believe in this form and what it can achieve for RWAs," he explained.
Yin also highlighted the innovation around yields from real assets. He argued that this is changing how yields are obtained and traded on the blockchain.
As an example, Yin mentioned Pendle. He explained that the protocol's separation of capital and yield has created a new revenue structure from tokenized RWAs.
In addition to individual protocols, Yin argues that RWAs are gaining ground across multiple blockchains.
"Solana's RWA wave shows what happens when yield becomes fast, programmable, and available to millions of users," he said.
Yin said that Solana's speed and capacity make it one of the few networks that can handle high-frequency yield operations at scale. This is becoming increasingly important as RWAs shift from passive income instruments to a more active, tradable yield economy.
"The experiments happening there feel like a preview of the next step for the RWA sector. Tools that bring RWAs to the blockchain in a crypto-focused way are exciting areas. RWA-perpetuals are one category, but also other new asset classes like sports and Pokémon cards through Tradible, as well as new financial tools like insurance via Cork, and many more," he said.
At the same time, Yin emphasized that it is important for regulations and laws to keep pace with developments. He explained that projects that focus on regulatory compliance are likely to succeed in the long run, as governments and large institutions increasingly demand built-in protections and clearer rules when issuing assets on the blockchain.
What can you expect from the RWA sector in 2026?
Looking ahead, Yin pointed out three key factors that could drive the RWA sector to new levels over the next twelve months. First, he mentioned continued increased usage and grassroots growth in RWAs.
Yin stated that the value of RWAs has more than tripled over the past year. Additionally, the number of RWA holders has increased more than sevenfold.
"The Plume mainnet launched and the number of RWA holders more than doubled. I believe it continues to grow rapidly, especially among those who are already using crypto, as RWAs are still a very small part of the total value of the cryptocurrency market," he commented.
Secondly, Yin highlighted greater collaboration from above from institutions and authorities. He argued that governments, financial institutions, and tech companies are now actively investing in tokenization. Although these investments often take time, Yin believes they can ultimately transfer assets worth billions of USD to the blockchain.
Finally, the Plume CEO mentioned that broader macroeconomic factors support the sector.
"The economic conditions mean that people, both on and off the blockchain, are constantly seeking stable returns. Alternative assets are also becoming more important, which together paves the way for more organic growth for RWAs on the blockchain," he told BeInCrypto.
Yin concluded by stating that there is little to suggest that development will slow down, given all the factors in motion. According to him,
"Seeing 10-20 times growth both in value and users next year is what we should at least expect."
RWAs therefore increasingly appear to be a larger shift, and not just a short-term trend in 2026. With increased usage, more asset types, and better collaboration, the sector seems poised to become central in the next phase of blockchain development.
