Tokenized Real-World Asset Deposits Hit $7.4B Triple YoY

Tokenized real-world assets have surged in popularity within decentralized finance, with deposits on DeFi platforms reaching $7.4 billion in the second quarter of 2026, more than triple the amount from the same period last year. This growth stands in stark contrast to the broader DeFi ecosystem, where total deposits declined by approximately 15% over the same timeframe, according to a joint report from CoinShares and Token Terminal.

The report, published on August 6, 2026, frames the divergence as a sign of sector maturation. Jean-Marie Mognetti, CEO of CoinShares, stated that when an asset class grows during a downturn in its host ecosystem, demand is being driven by financial utility, not market cycles. The data indicates a transition toward more active use of tokenized assets as collateral, yield-generating instruments, and trading products in on-chain markets, moving beyond mere issuance.

Yield-bearing stablecoins and tokenized Treasury funds were the dominant categories driving deposit growth. Sky Protocol's sUSDS led the category during the quarter, followed by BlackRock's USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund (BUIDL), which has become a key source of on-chain...