The total value locked in DeFi protocols could reach $2.7 trillion by the end of 2030, according to Jeffrey Kendrick, head of digital asset research at Standard Chartered, as reported by Cointelegraph.
Kendrick forecasts a 37-fold increase in the sector, driven primarily by real-world assets (RWA) and the development of on-chain protocols.
Kendrick noted that currently, only 3% of stablecoin supply and 10% of RWA are utilized in DeFi. By 2030, the use of such assets in protocols could rise to 30%.
Scaling the market to $2.7 trillion will require a ninefold increase in tokenized value within DeFi. However, industry experts point to potential challenges. Axis CEO Chris Kim warned that issuing the same asset on different blockchains creates fragmented liquidity and increases costs.
Ondo Finance’s Director of Sales Oya Celiktemur believes that tokenization alone does not “magically” make illiquid assets liquid.
Standard Chartered also identified Uniswap as a potential hub for RWA trading. Kendrick emphasized that institutional players will choose this platform for its reputation and security. He stated that partnerships with traditional finance could help Uniswap close the market cap gap with Coinbase.
Earlier, in June, Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan stated that advisors have shifted their focus from Bitcoin to stablecoins and RWA.
