Tokenized Assets' $2T Growth Hinges on Liquidity Breakthroughs: Securitize's View

The projected $2 trillion market for tokenized real-world assets by 2030 according to Elliptic's analysis represents a colossal institutional opportunity. Yet this growth potential remains heavily constrained by fundamental liquidity issues rooted in current market structure. Most tokenized projects operate as "buy-and-hold" ventures precisely to avoid the regulatory burdens imposed by Central Securities Depositories (CSDs) under UK and EU law, directly limiting secondary market activity and creating fragmentation. This regulatory avoidance strategy, while reducing compliance costs today, inherently restricts the tradability needed for deep liquidity pools.

Corporate digital asset treasuries (DATs) demonstrate strong demand for digital assets, with over 200 U.S. public companies collectively holding $115 billion in Bitcoin, Ethereum, and altcoins by September 2025 according to DLA Piper's report. However, their massive scale actually underscores the liquidity barrier. These treasuries require seamless entry and exit capabilities – the very capability hampered by the current scarcity of active secondary markets for tokenized assets. The $150 billion valuation of the DAT market in 2025 reflects institutional interest, but their liquidity needs clash with an infrastructure where most assets sit idle due to regulatory caution.

While blockchain enables fractional ownership and compliance automation, operational complexity and validator risks further deter active trading. The path to resolving this liquidity crunch lies in regulatory evolution, specifically frameworks that facilitate controlled secondary trading environments without forcing projects back into traditional, burdening CSD models.

Without overcoming this fragmentation, the $2 trillion vision remains largely theoretical for most institutional capital seeking liquid exposure.

Liquidity Solutions Powering Adoption Velocity

The persistent liquidity gap has long constrained traditional asset classes like collateralized loan obligations. Tokenization platforms like Securitize are directly tackling this barrier. Their STAC CLO fund, launched on Ethereum with BNY Mellon, offers instant settlement and fractional ownership of AAA-rated CLO tranches – features absent in legacy markets. This model unlocks access for smaller capital pools, supported by a potential $100 million anchor investment from Grove Capital. While the tokenized RWA market could swell to $18.9 trillion by 2033, this liquidity infrastructure is the essential engine making such growth possible. Securitize's existing $4.5 billion in tokenized assets, including BlackRock's BUIDL fund, demonstrates tangible early traction.

Regulatory frameworks are rapidly evolving to support this shift. The EU's MiCA rules, alongside emerging U.S. and Asian regulations, now prioritize transparency and institutional-grade services for digital assets. This creates a clearer pathway for tokenized products to enter mainstream markets. Parallelly, liquidity providers are deploying new tools to combat market fragmentation. Cross-chain bridges enable seamless asset movement across different blockchains, while AI-driven analytics improve real-time yield strategies and risk assessment. These innovations reduce volatility and expand accessibility – crucial for institutional adoption.

Despite these advancements, operational complexity remains a significant hurdle. The underlying infrastructure for onchain liquidity management demands sophisticated technical coordination. While regulatory clarity and LP innovations are necessary steps, friction persists in the mechanics of multi-chain operations and real-time settlement validation. Scaling liquidity solutions will require continued refinement of these systems while navigating jurisdictional variations. The $18.9 trillion opportunity represents not just market size, but the cumulative reward for overcoming these technical and regulatory intricacies.

Liquidity Progress as the Growth Catalyst

Building on earlier growth catalysts, liquidity emerges as a critical enabler for tokenized assets. Regulatory frameworks, such as the EU's MiCA and emerging U.S. and Asian rules, have started to provide clearer standards for digital assets. Meanwhile, liquidity providers are responding to fragmented markets by deploying cross-chain bridges, AI-driven analytics, and hybrid models. These innovations are enhancing stability and efficiency, and by pooling liquidity across multiple chains and using dynamic fee structures, they are compressing spreads and improving price discovery.

A $100 million anchor investment from Grove for Securitize's tokenized CLO fund aims to enhance liquidity through faster settlement and fractional ownership. Securitize has already tokenized $4.5 billion in assets, including BlackRock's BUIDL fund, and plans a $1.25 billion SPAC listing to scale its market infrastructure. These developments signal institutional confidence, though the path to the $2 trillion tokenized asset projection hinges on overcoming liquidity fragmentation.

Liquidity fragmentation remains a critical constraint. As of December 2024, tokenized real-world assets reached $13.5 billion, but most projects remain buy-and-hold structures to avoid regulatory hurdles requiring Central Securities Depositories. Operational complexity and validator risks further hinder broader liquidity, keeping price discovery imperfect despite technological advances. While cross-chain integration and regulatory progress are positive steps, the final barrier to massive adoption is resolving fragmentation.