MarketsShareShare this articleCopy linkX (Twitter)LinkedInFacebookEmailCiti forecasts a substantial increase in the tokenized securities market, projecting it to reach $5.5 trillion by 2030.
According to Citi, stablecoins alone could create a demand for $1 trillion in onchain U.S. Treasury bills and $2.6 trillion for tokenized stocks.
By Olivier Acuna|Edited by Aoyon Ashraf Jun 1, 2026, 6:57 a.m. 3 min readMake preferred on
Citibank's report suggests a bullish scenario for tokenized securities could reach $8.2 trillion by 2030. (Citibank)Key Insights:
- Citi estimates that the tokenization of real-world assets will expand from a current market value of $17 billion to as much as $5.5 trillion by 2030, with possible projections ranging from $2.7 trillion to $8.2 trillion based on the pace of adoption.
- Key market players such as DTCC, Nasdaq, and the owner of NYSE are integrating tokenization into their primary trading systems, while increased usage of stablecoins alongside improved U.S. regulations facilitates immediate on-chain settlements.
- The report anticipates that tokenization will predominantly occur in mainstream public markets including U.S. Treasuries and stocks, with traditional and digital systems coexisting for an extended period, benefiting large "structural orchestrators" that manage both asset classes and payment infrastructure.
The process of putting tangible investments on the blockchain, known as tokenization, is transitioning from a pilot phase to practical application.
Citi's recent report titled "Tokenization 2030: Wall Street On-Chain," shared with CoinDesk ahead of the Proof of Talk event in Paris, indicates that the total market for these digital assets is currently valued at $17 billion.
Nonetheless, Citi anticipates this market will grow to $5.5 trillion by 2030 in their base case. Depending on the speed of adoption, estimates could range from a conservative $2.7 trillion to an optimistic $8.2 trillion, according to Citi.
The report highlights a pivotal moment: "You’re observing the full force of American financial power and the global reserve currency transitioning on-chain at scale," Citi mentions in the report. "The integration of tokenization by DTCC and NYSE into capital markets signals a tipping point."
Citi identifies three significant trends propelling this multi-trillion-dollar shift.
Firstly, traditional entities managing global stock exchanges are embedding this technology into their established trading platforms.
In early May, the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) announced plans for limited production trades of tokenized securities starting in July, with a broader rollout set for October. Nasdaq is developing a framework for firms to issue blockchain-based shares, potentially launching as early as 2027. The Intercontinental Exchange, which owns the NYSE, also plans to introduce tokenized stocks.
Moreover, Nasdaq has received regulatory approval to facilitate the issuance and trading of certain stocks in this digital format.
Secondly, the rise of reliable digital currencies is providing the crucial component needed for instantaneous settlement of these trades. The standard stablecoin market is projected to expand to $1.9 trillion by 2030, working in conjunction with digital bank deposits to enable simultaneous asset and cash exchanges. The report estimates that the increase in stablecoins alone could lead to a demand of around $1 trillion for U.S. government bonds, as stablecoin issuers back their digital currencies with actual bonds.
Thirdly, regulatory clarity is improving, with significant U.S. digital asset legislation advancing towards a Senate vote. On May 14, the Senate Banking Committee successfully ended a four-month impasse, approving the Clarity Act with a bipartisan vote of 15-9, moving it forward in Congress.
The Citi report emphasizes that the anticipated growth will primarily take place in mainstream public markets, such as U.S. stocks and government bonds, rather than in private markets, which are typically less liquid and evolve more slowly.
Citi predicts that by 2030, 10% of the U.S. Treasury bill market and 3% of the U.S. public stock market will be tokenized. If merely 10% of average U.S. investors transition to these new digital trading platforms, it could generate $2.6 trillion in demand for digital stocks.
Conversely, complex sectors like private credit and private equity are estimated to reach a considerably smaller market size of $100 billion globally by 2030.
This transition is expected to be gradual, as Citi points out, noting that both legacy and emerging financial systems will likely need to operate in parallel for some time.
The report draws a comparison to the gradual adoption of electronic toll collection systems like E-ZPass. Toll roads did not instantly become fully automated; instead, states constructed wider roads with additional lanes for both cash and automated drivers, leading to extra costs and confusion before a complete transition to the automated system occurred.
Ultimately, this new framework will provide a significant advantage to "Structural Orchestrators"—large banks and investment firms that manage both the real assets and the digital payment systems necessary for transactions, enabling them to execute trades entirely within their own networks.
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