RWA in DeFi: From Market Growth to Meaningful Access

The discussion around real-world assets (RWAs) in decentralized finance has moved beyond hype and into a more important phase: structure, access, and control. While on-chain RWA activity continues to expand at a rapid pace, the real question is no longer how large the market can become, but who can actually participate in it in a self-custodial way.

In a recent column, Slavik Baranov, CEO at STONfi Dev, examines this issue in depth. His perspective highlights a critical gap in the current market. Ethereum remains the leading network for RWA distribution, but that dominance also exposes a broader concern: whether the sector is becoming concentrated around controlled, institution-led frameworks rather than open, user-owned systems.

This distinction matters. Many tokenized assets today still rely on intermediaries, external custodians, or permissioned access models. In such cases, the assets may live on-chain, but the user experience is still shaped by centralized control. That weakens the core value proposition of DeFi, which was originally built on direct ownership, transparent execution, and open participation.

A new generation of solutions on TON is attempting to close this gap. Products such as xStocks are designed to provide exposure to traditional markets while preserving self-custody. This approach brings tokenized assets closer to native DeFi behavior, where users retain direct control rather than depending on third-party structures.

As the RWA sector matures, the decisive factor will not be tokenization alone, but integration. The platforms that lead the next phase of adoption will be those that allow traditional assets to function as genuine DeFi instruments without compromising the principles of decentralization.

Read the full column on CoinGabbar: www.coingabbar.com/en/guest-po
...