The CEO of ConsenSys also supported the model of crypto treasuries and commented on the wave of hacks in DeFi.
Ethereum co-founder and ConsenSys CEO Joseph Lubin stated that the global economy is gradually moving on-chain. He made this remark at the Consensus 2026 conference, according to CoinDesk.
“We are moving towards a world where virtually the entire economy will be tokenized,” Lubin noted.
He explained that tokenization has ceased to be an experiment — it first established itself in stablecoins and then spread to treasury bonds and other real assets.
Traditional financial institutions and regulators are increasingly viewing blockchain as the infrastructure for the capital market, he emphasized.
Ethereum as the Foundation for Tokenization
In a conversation with The Block, Lubin estimated the volume of traditional financial assets at around $700 trillion. He believes Ethereum is structurally ready to accommodate a significant portion of this flow, thanks to its neutrality, security, and compatibility with EVM.
This is also facilitated by the network's original architecture, which allows for the issuance of assets without creating a separate blockchain for each one.
Lubin linked the future growth of Ethereum to the on-chain transition of stocks, treasury bonds, ETFs, and other financial instruments.
Ethereum already leads in tokenization activity for RWA: the platform holds over 50% of the segment, which exceeds $31 billion.
Source: RWA.xyz.Treasury Companies
Lubin described the model of crypto treasuries as a "valuable, powerful, and important construct for the digital asset space and traditional finance."
🔥-side with @ethereumJoseph and @robbieklages live from MainStage pic.twitter.com/4eihBoYDYM
— #Consensus2026 → Miami (@consensus2026) May 5, 2026
Companies accumulating Ethereum and Bitcoin could become a source of long-term capital for the ecosystem, he believes. Among successful examples, ConsenSys CEO highlighted Strategy, BitMine, and SharpLink.
Such structures are beneficial if they do not abuse leverage, can withstand volatility, and are focused on developing foundational networks.
Lubin distinguished these firms from "superficial copies." He believes that launching treasury companies based on "weak" tokens or short-lived ecosystems could harm the projects themselves.
DeFi Hacks and the Role of AI
The Ethereum co-founder also commented on recent incidents in the DeFi sector, including the hack of the Kelp protocol. ConsenSys and Lubin previously sent 30,000 ETH to the DeFi United fund, created to restore the collateral for rsETH.
The expert does not view these attacks as evidence of a failure in decentralized finance. He stated that early financial infrastructure is undergoing a painful strengthening process, and attackers are effectively revealing weaknesses in protocols.
According to Lubin, the coming year will remain unstable. However, advancements in artificial intelligence will help create more reliable software, he is confident.
Quantum Risks
The CEO of ConsenSys also addressed the topic of quantum computing. He noted that Ethereum's transition to quantum resistance is already embedded in the existing scaling roadmap and will become a "byproduct" of planned improvements.
The situation with Bitcoin is more complex, Lubin added. He believes the community will eventually need to set a deadline for phasing out vulnerable address types. Such a transition could spark disputes over ownership rights — especially concerning old inactive coins.
Previously, the community was already upset by developer Jameson Lopp's initiative, which proposed freezing assets vulnerable to quantum computers. Approximately 1.7 million BTC are at risk.
Recall that last September, Lubin predicted a 100-fold increase in Ethereum's price due to mass adoption by institutional players.