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Latest Active Strategies analysis and market intelligence from RWA Signal.
6.5
Active Strategies
bizjournals.com·1d ago
Federated Hermes explores blockchain and tokenized funds as CEO calls digital asset efforts 'early stage'
Federated Hermes, a global investment manager with $778.9 billion in assets under management, is actively exploring blockchain technology and the potential for tokenized investment funds. During the company's second-quarter earnings call, CEO J. Christopher Donahue characterized these digital asset initiatives as being in the early stages of development. While the firm has not yet launched a specific tokenized product, management emphasized that they are closely monitoring the evolving landscape to determine how distributed ledger technology can enhance fund operations and distribution. This strategic interest reflects a broader trend among traditional asset managers seeking to modernize legacy financial infrastructure through tokenization. By evaluating blockchain integration, Federated Hermes aims to position itself for future shifts in how institutional and retail investors access financial products. The firm's cautious yet proactive approach highlights the ongoing institutional transition toward digital asset adoption within the traditional finance sector. This development is significant for the RWA market as it signals that major asset managers are moving beyond theoretical research toward potential implementation strategies.
7.5
Active Strategies
RWA perps will outpace tokenization
The financial landscape is shifting as perpetual futures (perps) for real-world assets (RWAs) begin to outpace traditional tokenization in volume and growth. While tokenized assets have reached $34 billion in value, RWA perp volume surged to $347 billion in May 2026, representing a 1,472x increase from early 2025. Platforms like Hyperliquid are facilitating this growth by offering 24/7 trading access, which allows market participants to react to global events outside of traditional market hours. Unlike tokenized spot assets, which face significant legal and regulatory hurdles, perp markets are easier to launch and provide synthetic exposure to commodities and AI equities. Data shows that while spot tokenization maintains a larger user base of 180,845 wallets, perp holders are growing at a faster monthly rate of 33%. The accuracy of these synthetic markets is evidenced by pre-IPO perp pricing, which successfully predicted the Cerebras Nasdaq listing price within 1%. As retail brokerages like Robinhood begin integrating these products, perps are positioned to become the primary vehicle for trading diverse asset classes globally.
7.5
Active Strategies
RWA perpetual futures volume nears Bitcoin on Hyperliquid, Binance
Real-world asset (RWA) perpetual futures have reached a significant milestone, achieving trading volumes equivalent to 99.2% of Bitcoin perpetual volume on major platforms Hyperliquid and Binance. Data from Talos indicates that combined seven-day volume for these RWA-linked derivatives hit $61.7 billion, with tokenized equities and commodities driving the majority of the activity. Tokenized equity contracts represented 57.8% of this volume, while commodities accounted for 28.2%, signaling a shift in investor interest toward traditional assets traded onchain. Hyperliquid specifically recorded $25.1 billion in RWA perpetual volume for the week ending July 19, surpassing all other perpetual categories on its platform. This trend reflects a broader evolution in crypto markets, where participants are increasingly moving away from purely endogenous digital assets toward tokenized versions of stocks and commodities. Industry leaders, including Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire and ICE CEO Jeffrey Sprecher, have highlighted the importance of this transition and the need for regulatory frameworks that support 24/7 onchain trading. While RWA perpetuals currently represent about 7.5% of the broader $821.4 billion crypto derivatives market, their rapid growth suggests they are becoming a foundational component of the digital asset ecosystem.
8.5
Active Strategies
Baillie Gifford Launches First Fully Native UK-Tokenized Fund on Solana
Investment management firm Baillie Gifford has launched the United Kingdom's first fully native tokenized fund, marking a significant milestone in the integration of traditional finance with blockchain technology. The fund is built on the Solana blockchain, demonstrating a shift toward high-performance distributed ledger technology for regulated financial products. BNY, a major financial institution managing £197 billion in assets, is involved in the fund's operations, providing institutional credibility to the initiative. This development aligns with the evolving UK regulatory framework designed to accommodate digital assets and secure investment environments. By utilizing a native tokenization approach, Baillie Gifford aims to set a precedent for future digital asset offerings within the region. The move is expected to inspire confidence among other institutional investors, potentially accelerating the adoption of blockchain solutions across the broader financial sector. As traditional players enter the space, this launch highlights the ongoing evolution of digital assets despite broader market volatility.
8.0
Active Strategies
Fidelity’s Three-Chain Playbook: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and the Onchain Vault Bet
A recently surfaced Fidelity slide deck titled 'Digital assets 101' outlines a strategic framework for financial advisors, identifying Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana as the core investable blockchains. Fidelity categorizes these networks by function, positioning Bitcoin as a reserve asset, Ethereum as a programmable settlement layer, and Solana as a high-performance rail for consumer applications and payments. The document highlights the evolution of asset management, proposing that DeFi vaults—programmable fund wrappers using the ERC-4626 standard—represent the next structural shift after ETFs. By citing Morpho v1 as a practical example of onchain governance, Fidelity illustrates how smart contracts can replace traditional fund administrators. The firm notes that tokenized real-world assets, including treasuries from BlackRock, Franklin Templeton, and JPMorgan, provide the essential liquidity for these vaults. Fidelity emphasizes that Solana’s high throughput and low fees are critical for the frequent rebalancing required by these onchain strategies. This institutional endorsement signals a move toward a multi-chain ecosystem where specialized networks support complex, automated financial products.
7.5
Active Strategies
Mega launches first onchain Turkish Lira carry trade market
Brix Money has launched the first onchain FX carry trade involving the Turkish Lira, enabling users to capture high yields through a new lending market on MegaETH. The protocol utilizes wiTRY, a yield-bearing token backed by regulated Turkish money market funds that currently offer approximately 45% APY. By posting wiTRY as collateral on a Morpho market built by Featherlend, users can borrow USDM to execute a traditional carry trade strategy. The ecosystem, which raised $5.5 million, leverages RedStone for price feeds and LayerZero for cross-chain functionality. While the high yields are attractive, the strategy carries significant risks due to the historical volatility of the Turkish Lira and the potential for cascading liquidations during market stress. Recursive looping allows users to amplify their exposure to these yields, though this simultaneously increases the danger of rapid capital erosion from currency depreciation. This development marks a significant milestone in bringing complex, institutional-style financial strategies into the decentralized finance space.
7.5
Active Strategies
BEST RWA Crypto Tokens August 2026: Top Picks for traders
The RWA sector continues to expand as institutional interest drives the migration of Treasuries, credit markets, and enterprise data onto blockchain networks. This research-focused overview highlights six key projects—Ondo Finance, Chainlink, Quant, Centrifuge, Maple Finance, and Pendle—selected for their live product usage and established institutional partnerships. Ondo Finance is advancing tokenized stocks through DTCC-related pilots, while Chainlink provides the critical interoperability layer for cross-chain data and settlement. Quant facilitates enterprise connectivity for banking systems, and Centrifuge has secured strategic backing from Coinbase to scale its tokenized credit infrastructure. Meanwhile, Maple Finance and Pendle are evolving on-chain lending and yield-trading markets, respectively. Despite this growth, the report emphasizes that RWA tokenization remains a hybrid system reliant on off-chain legal wrappers and compliance frameworks. Investors are cautioned to monitor regulatory developments, token unlock schedules, and counterparty risks inherent in these evolving financial products.
7.5
Active Strategies
Institutional Tokenization Milestone Achieved with XRP Ledger Support
Aviva Investors has officially launched its inaugural tokenized fund share class on the XRP Ledger, signaling a major step forward in the integration of traditional finance with blockchain technology. This initiative leverages Ripple’s enterprise-grade infrastructure to enhance capital market efficiency and transparency, supported by Komainu as the strategic digital asset infrastructure partner. By utilizing the XRP Ledger, Aviva Investors aims to modernize fund distribution and management processes, reflecting a broader trend of institutional adoption within the financial sector. The collaboration underscores the increasing reliance on specialized digital asset infrastructure to bridge the gap between legacy systems and decentralized networks. This development is significant for the RWA market as it demonstrates that major investment managers are actively deploying tokenized products on public-facing enterprise blockchains. While the broader crypto market experiences mixed momentum, this move highlights the growing utility of the XRP Ledger for institutional-grade financial applications. Ultimately, the successful deployment of this share class may serve as a blueprint for future tokenized financial products, potentially driving further institutional interest and demand for blockchain-based asset management solutions.
7.5
Active Strategies
Crypto TradFi grows fivefold to $6.6B as exchanges expand into stocks, commodities: Report
A CoinGecko study reveals that the market capitalization of tokenized traditional assets on centralized crypto exchanges surged from $1.4 billion in January 2025 to $6.6 billion by June 2026. This nearly fivefold growth highlights a strategic shift as exchanges like Binance, OKX, Bybit, Bitget, Gate, and MEXC diversify beyond native digital assets to include tokenized stocks, commodities, and precious metals. While tokenized precious metals initially fueled early market expansion, US equity perpetual futures have since become the dominant driver of trading volume and open interest. The report indicates that derivatives account for the vast majority of activity, as traders favor leveraged products and exchanges avoid the complexities of custodying underlying assets. This trend reflects intensifying competition from both decentralized exchanges and traditional brokerages like Robinhood that are increasingly integrating digital asset offerings. The convergence of these sectors underscores a broader institutional movement toward blockchain-based financial infrastructure. Ultimately, this growth signals a significant blurring of lines between traditional finance and crypto-native platforms as they compete for market share in the evolving RWA landscape.
7.0
Active Strategies
RWA Tokens Post July 2026’s Strongest Crypto Narrative Return
Real-world asset (RWA) tokens achieved a median return of +10.7% during July 2026, establishing the sector as the top-performing narrative within the broader cryptocurrency market. This performance surpassed other major sectors, including Layer 2 solutions, decentralized finance (DeFi), and artificial intelligence-related tokens. The data highlights a growing investor appetite for tokenized assets as they gain traction against traditional crypto-native categories. By outperforming these established narratives, RWA tokens demonstrate a shift in market sentiment toward assets backed by tangible value. This trend suggests that institutional and retail participants are increasingly prioritizing the stability and utility offered by RWA protocols. The sustained growth of this sector underscores the maturation of the tokenization ecosystem as it integrates more deeply with global financial markets. Consequently, the sector's ability to lead in monthly returns signals a potential long-term shift in capital allocation strategies within the digital asset space.
7.5
Active Strategies
Inside the CME and CFTC’s battle over onchain perpetual futures
The CME Group has initiated a lawsuit against the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and its chairman, Mike Selig, challenging the regulator's decision to permit blockchain-based perpetual futures on platforms like Kalshi and Coinbase. CME argues that these perpetual products, which lack expiration dates, are mislabeled and should be classified as swaps, thereby subjecting them to different regulatory and margin requirements. This legal battle highlights a significant tension between a traditional market incumbent and a regulator attempting to foster a more open, on-chain derivatives landscape. The conflict intensified after the CFTC blocked CME’s own proposal for 24/7 crude oil futures, leading to accusations that the agency is failing to provide a level playing field. With the global perpetual futures market reaching $60 trillion in volume, the outcome of this case could fundamentally reshape U.S. financial policy regarding decentralized finance and on-chain assets. The situation is further complicated by the fact that Chairman Selig is currently the sole member of the commission, effectively bypassing the traditional multi-member consensus process. Industry analysts suggest that the legal distinction between futures and swaps will be central to the court's decision, potentially impacting how future on-chain financial products are structured and regulated.
7.5
Active Strategies
Democratizing weather derivatives through tokenization could be crypto's most important real
The current weather derivatives market is structurally fragmented, opaque, and limited to institutional players, leaving the global population largely exposed to climate-related financial risks. Despite over $2 trillion in weather-related economic losses recorded over the past decade, the market for weather derivatives remains small at roughly $25 billion in notional value. Tokenization offers a transformative solution by utilizing smart contracts to automate payouts based on verified climate data, effectively removing the need for manual processing and counterparty risk. By enabling fractional ownership and improved liquidity, blockchain technology can democratize access to these hedging instruments for smallholder farmers and micro-businesses in climate-vulnerable regions. The integration of reliable, real-time data via oracles is essential for this transition, as evidenced by the recent letter of intent between Kweather and the Flare blockchain network. This shift represents a move beyond simple yield-generating assets toward creating functional, accessible markets for managing global climate risk. Ultimately, tokenizing weather derivatives could provide the necessary financial infrastructure to help the global economy navigate increasing physical and transition risks.
8.0
Active Strategies
RWAs become Hyperliquid’s largest trading category
Hyperliquid, a decentralized perpetual exchange, reached a significant milestone as tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) became its largest trading category for the first time. Between July 13 and July 19, RWA trading volume on the platform hit $25.1 billion, representing 52% of the exchange's total weekly volume of $48.2 billion. This surge highlights a structural shift in market demand, with industry experts noting that Hyperliquid's RWA market volume surpassed the combined crypto perpetual volume of all other decentralized exchanges. The growth aligns with broader market trends, as RWA.xyz reports a 32% increase in RWA holders to 1.25 million users and a total tokenized RWA value of $36.7 billion. This shift toward tokenized assets is supported by both crypto-native firms and traditional financial institutions seeking to leverage blockchain for 24/7 trading and settlement. The platform's success has generated $7.6 million in weekly revenue, positioning it as a top-tier crypto application. This trend underscores the increasing integration of traditional financial instruments into decentralized trading environments, moving beyond purely endogenous digital commodities.
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Active Strategies
How Aviva Investors plans to tokenize its funds on XRP Ledger, with RippleX SVP
Aviva Investors, a global asset management firm with £373 billion in assets under management, is exploring the tokenization of its investment funds on the XRP Ledger. This initiative is being developed in collaboration with RippleX, leveraging the blockchain's infrastructure to enhance operational efficiency and fund accessibility. By moving traditional fund structures onto the XRP Ledger, Aviva aims to streamline settlement processes and reduce the administrative overhead associated with conventional fund management. The project highlights a growing trend among major institutional asset managers to integrate distributed ledger technology into their core product offerings. This move is significant for the RWA market as it signals institutional confidence in the XRP Ledger's capability to handle regulated financial products. The collaboration focuses on creating a more transparent and liquid environment for investors by digitizing fund units. As traditional finance continues to explore blockchain integration, such partnerships serve as a blueprint for how legacy institutions can modernize their infrastructure while maintaining regulatory compliance.
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Active Strategies
Tom Lee: Institutional Tokenization Could Revive ETH Price
Fundstrat Global Advisors co-founder Tom Lee suggests that the institutional adoption of real-world asset (RWA) tokenization on the Ethereum blockchain could serve as a significant catalyst for ETH price appreciation. Lee highlights that as major financial institutions increasingly utilize Ethereum for tokenizing traditional assets, the network's utility and demand for its native token will likely expand. This shift represents a transition from speculative retail interest to fundamental institutional integration, potentially stabilizing the asset's long-term value. The integration of RWA protocols allows for the on-chain representation of traditional financial instruments, which enhances liquidity and operational efficiency for global firms. By leveraging Ethereum's security and decentralized infrastructure, these institutions are effectively creating a new layer of demand that differentiates ETH from other digital assets. This trend underscores the growing institutional confidence in public blockchain rails for high-value financial transactions. Ultimately, the maturation of the RWA sector on Ethereum is positioned as a primary driver for future market cycles and institutional capital inflows.
7.5
Active Strategies
SEC's Peirce warns some DeFi vaults, onchain lending may fall under securities laws
SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce has issued a formal warning that decentralized finance (DeFi) vaults and onchain lending strategies may be subject to federal securities laws. The regulatory scrutiny centers on how these products are structured, particularly when professional managers or curators actively rebalance assets or determine investment strategies. Peirce emphasized that moving financial activities onto blockchain rails does not exempt them from existing legal frameworks, noting that tokenized securities remain securities regardless of the underlying technology. The market reacted swiftly to these comments, with Morpho, a major provider of vault infrastructure, experiencing a 5% decline in its token price. Data from Vaults.fyi indicates that the sector has grown to $8.6 billion in assets across 788 curated vaults, serving approximately 1.4 million users. These products are increasingly integrated into mainstream platforms like Coinbase and Robinhood to provide yield on stablecoin holdings. Peirce urged developers to engage proactively with the SEC to ensure compliance, warning that attempts to circumvent securities laws through technical gymnastics could lead to significant legal consequences.
8.0
Active Strategies
RWA Perpetuals Now Capture One-Third of On
RWA perpetuals have surged to capture nearly 35% of total on-chain perpetual trading volume in early Q3 2026, a dramatic increase from just 0.16% in Q4 2025. June volume for these assets reached approximately $118 billion across 652 available markets, with public equities dominating the sector. Currently, public equities account for 46% of open interest, totaling roughly $2 billion in outstanding positions. Traders are increasingly utilizing these instruments to gain leveraged, 24/7 exposure to traditional companies, bypassing the limitations of standard brokerage hours. Infrastructure like Hyperliquid’s HIP-3 framework has facilitated this growth by enabling the deployment of custom markets backed by staked HYPE tokens. While platforms like Kraken and Solana are also expanding their tokenized equity offerings, the rapid adoption introduces unique risks, including oracle manipulation and liquidity gaps during traditional market closures. The recent $18 million exploit of the Ostium protocol highlights the critical vulnerability of relying on external price feeds for synthetic RWA exposure. This shift signifies a major evolution in how capital interacts with traditional assets on-chain, prioritizing synthetic accessibility over direct ownership.
7.5
Active Strategies
Ondo (ONDO) Surges 27% on DTCC Tokenization, SBI Deal
Ondo Finance has experienced a significant market repricing, characterized by a 5.87% price increase over a 25-hour period, building upon a broader upward trend that began in mid-July. This momentum is primarily driven by the integration of Ondo’s tokenized stocks into the DTCC-linked tokenization ecosystem and a strategic partnership with SBI Group to establish a Japan-focused tokenization corridor. The utility of the ONDO token has further expanded as the protocol enabled its tokenized stocks to be used as collateral on Ondo Perps. These developments have shifted market perception of ONDO from a standard governance token to a central asset within institutional-grade RWA infrastructure. High spot trading volume and positive social sentiment suggest a feedback loop where institutional distribution channels reinforce the token's market position. While minor social rumors regarding regulatory status have circulated, the primary price action is attributed to these concrete fundamental catalysts and sector rotation. Ultimately, this performance highlights the growing importance of institutional pipes and distribution in the valuation of RWA-focused digital assets.