Growth of RWA (Regulatory-generated digital asset wrappers) backed by BlackRock fuels the establishment of a fresh accelerator for online financial services.
In the rapidly evolving world of blockchain and cryptocurrency, the tokenization of real-world assets (RWAs) is gaining momentum. However, challenges persist in this market, including regulatory uncertainty, cross-border compliance, fragmented blockchain infrastructure, and limited secondary market liquidity.
Despite these challenges, Chris Yin, CEO of Plume, believes that RWAs are transitioning from a speculative theme to a strategic growth sector. This shift is being facilitated by initiatives like the Ascend accelerator, which is playing a key role in the tokenization of real-world assets.
Operated by Odisea and backed by major players such as Galaxy Ventures, OKX Ventures, Anchorage Digital, and Plume, Ascend supports early-stage startups that build institutional-grade on-chain finance infrastructure. The programme offers funding, mentorship, and strategic guidance, focusing on product architecture, tokenomics, regulatory compliance, investor readiness, and go-to-market strategies to scale RWA platforms effectively for institutional adoption.
Ascend targets startups with live RWA products and meaningful market traction. The programme provides access to a $500,000 discretionary fund and close mentorship from experts who have scaled billion-dollar asset platforms, facilitating a bridge between DeFi innovation and traditional finance demands.
The impact of Ascend on institutional-grade on-chain finance is significant. It is accelerating the adoption of tokenized RWAs, which recently surged to over $25 billion in value and include large tokenized assets like U.S. Treasuries. Ascend is addressing infrastructure and compliance challenges such as liquidity gaps, cross-border risks, and regulatory alignment that institutional investors require for trust and scalability.
Moreover, Ascend is building durable and scalable systems that combine regulated, resilient infrastructure with innovative tokenomics, enabling RWAs to become a core pillar of the emerging digital financial ecosystem. It is facilitating investor and ecosystem readiness by equipping startups with institutional-level fundraising strategies and community activation plans, thus linking on-chain RWAs with mainstream financial markets.
Will Nuelle, General Partner at Galaxy Ventures, emphasizes the importance of helping early-stage teams meet institutional standards. Dora Yue, founder of OKX Ventures, highlights institutional alignment and strong infrastructure as key to the sector's long-term success.
Meanwhile, World Liberty Financial has secured $100m from Aqua 1 for RWA expansion. This expansion comes as global assets under management exceed $400 trillion, yet only a small fraction have been tokenized so far.
Securitize, another player in the RWA market, administers over $2.8 billion in tokenized U.S. Treasuries and holds approximately 70% of the market share in that segment.
The Ascend application period runs from Aug. 4 through Aug. 18, with final selections announced on Aug. 22. The programme runs from Sept. 1 through Oct. 30 and culminates in a demo day for institutional investors and ecosystem leaders.
Estimates for the future tokenized asset market range from $2-4 trillion by 2030 to $30 trillion under more aggressive projections. The appeal of tokenized RWAs lies in reducing settlement delays, fractionalizing high-value assets, embedding compliance rules into smart contracts, and opening access to traditionally illiquid markets.
In summary, Ascend acts as a critical enabler for the maturation of RWA projects, helping them advance from promising startups to robust platforms capable of supporting institutional-scale tokenization of real-world assets and transforming on-chain finance.
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