Tokenization of Assets Explained: What It Means for Consumers and Businesses in the USA

Tokenized real-world assets reached over $24 billion in mid-2025, marking a 308 percent growth over three years as the industry shifts from experimental to operational. US Treasuries represent the second-largest category at $8.2 billion, with major players like BlackRock’s BUIDL on Ethereum and Franklin Templeton’s BENJI on Stellar driving institutional adoption. Tokenization functions by issuing blockchain-based smart contracts that represent ownership of underlying assets, enabling 24/7 settlement and peer-to-peer transfers without traditional intermediaries. This evolution allows corporate treasurers and pension funds to rebalance portfolios outside of standard banking hours while maintaining regulatory compliance. Despite the technological efficiency, the market currently prioritizes assets that were already liquid, such as government debt and money market funds, to ensure viable secondary market activity. The integration of major custodians like BNY Mellon and Citi provides the necessary infrastructure to satisfy US auditors and regulators. Ultimately, tokenization acts as modernized plumbing that reduces settlement times from days to minutes, providing a scalable foundation for future financial operations.