Which Assets Can Be Tokenized?

Which assets can be tokenized? In today’s blockchain economy, virtually any valuable asset — from luxury real estate to carbon credits — can be digitized and traded as a token. This process, known as asset tokenization, uses blockchain technology to represent ownership or interest in an asset through digital tokens. The rise of Web3 has further accelerated this trend, creating global liquidity, fractional ownership, and access to borderless markets. Investors can now buy and trade fractions of high-value assets — opening up opportunities that were previously only available to large institutions or wealthy individuals.

In this article, we’ll take you on a journey through the types of assets that can be tokenized, highlight impressive real-world examples, and reveal how you can easily get started with Bitget Wallet!

What Is Asset Tokenization?

Asset tokenization is the process of converting ownership of an asset (either physical or digital) into a digital token recorded on a blockchain. Each token acts as a secure, verifiable proof of ownership or claim. This allows the asset to be easily traded, transferred, or used in decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystems.

Source: Scnsoft.com

Definition of Tokenized Assets and Real-World Assets (RWA)

• Tokenized Asset:

  Any tangible or intangible object whose ownership has been represented by a token on the blockchain.

• Real-World Assets (RWA):

  Physical or off-chain assets - such as real estate, commodities, or intellectual property - that have been tokenized for use on a blockchain platform.

For example:

A luxury apartment in New York City can be “divided” into 1,000 digital tokens. Each token represents 0.1% ownership of that apartment. This allows multiple investors to own a piece of the property without going through traditional intermediaries.

Digital-Native Assets vs. Tokenized Real-World Assets

Aspect	Digital-Native Assets	Tokenized Real-World Assets
Origin	Created directly on blockchain (e.g., cryptocurrencies, NFTs)	Physical/off-chain assets converted into tokens
Examples	Bitcoin, Ethereum, NFT artworks	Real estate tokens, gold-backed tokens, carbon credits
Dependence on Off-Chain Data	None	Requires reliable off-chain data via oracles
Legal Ownership	Inherent to blockchain rules	Requires legal agreements and compliance

By connecting assets to blockchain technology, tokenization delivers transparency (public, immutable records), security (cryptographic protection), and efficiency (fast, low-cost transactions). This transformation is already reshaping traditional finance, supply chains, and even the art world.

Read more: A Complete Guide to Asset Tokenization

Why Is Tokenizing Assets Important?

Tokenizing assets isn't just a tech upgrade – it's a fundamental change in how we handle ownership, investing, and moving value in the digital age. Here's why it really matters:

• Liquidity & Global Access

  Tokenized assets can change hands on digital exchanges 24/7. This connects buyers and sellers worldwide, breaking free from the usual limits and opening hours of traditional markets.

• Fractional Ownership

  Think of slicing up big-ticket items – like real estate or fine art – into affordable digital pieces. This opens the door for way more people to become investors in things previously out of reach.

• Transparency & Security

  Every single transaction gets etched onto a permanent, unchangeable digital record (the blockchain). This creates a crystal-clear history of who owned what and when, making fraud much harder to pull off.

• Reduced Counterparty Risk By ditching the usual parade of middlemen, blockchain handles the final settlement directly. This slashes the chances of someone backing out or disputes flaring up between the parties involved.

How Many Types of Assets Can Be Tokenized?

In theory, almost any asset with measurable value can be tokenized, whether it’s a tangible item, a financial contract, or a digital creation. Below are the main categories:

Physical Assets

Physical assets are some of the clearest candidates for tokenization because they address one of the biggest challenges in traditional markets — illiquidity. By converting real estate, gold, or artwork into digital tokens, investors gain fractional ownership, while asset owners unlock access to a global pool of capital.

Examples include:

• Real estate properties (residential, commercial, industrial)
• Precious metals stored in secure vaults
• Fine art, sculptures, and antiques

Financial Instruments

Financial instruments are among the most natural candidates for asset tokenization because they already exist in digital form but remain limited by traditional exchanges, time zones, and settlement cycles. By tokenizing stocks, bonds, or ETFs, investors gain 24/7 trading access, faster settlements, and improved transparency, while issuers reduce administrative and custody costs.

Examples include:

• Stocks and equity shares that can trade globally without market-hour restrictions.
• Corporate and government bonds issued with automated coupon payments.
• ETFs and treasury bills that become instantly transferable across blockchain networks.

Intellectual Property

Intellectual property (IP) faces long-standing challenges around valuation, royalties, and control. Tokenization solves these by embedding ownership rights and royalty streams into smart contracts. Creators can monetize music, films, or patents while retaining control, and investors gain exposure to income-generating assets previously locked behind legal complexity.

Examples include:

• Music copyrights with automated royalty distribution.
• Film rights tokenized for fractional investment in production or distribution.
• Patents and trademarks that generate income through licensing.

Commodities

Physical commodities like gold, oil, or natural gas are traditionally difficult to trade due to storage, transport, and settlement costs. Tokenization simplifies this by representing commodities as digital tokens backed by real reserves. This enables faster, cheaper, and borderless trading while reducing counterparty risks.

Examples include:

• Gold and silver stored in secure vaults, represented as tradeable tokens.
• Crude oil and refined petroleum accessible without physical logistics.
• Renewable energy resources such as natural gas for global investors.

Alternative Assets

High-value collectibles — like vintage cars, fine wine, or luxury goods — are often inaccessible to most investors due to high costs and illiquidity. Tokenization changes this by allowing fractional ownership, making niche markets more democratic and opening new investment avenues for retail investors.

Examples include:

• Rare wine collections securitized into tradeable shares.
• Vintage cars or motorcycles opened to global collectors.
• NFT-backed luxury collectibles blending physical and digital value.

Emerging Real-World Assets (RWAs)

The newest wave of tokenization is unlocking value in assets that previously had no liquid market, from carbon credits to IoT data. These tokenized RWAs not only create efficiency and traceability but also align with global trends like sustainability and the data economy, offering investors access to future-facing asset classes.

Examples include:

• Carbon credits supporting environmental offset programs.
• IoT-generated data streams with monetization potential.
• Renewable energy certificates tied to solar and wind farms.
  
  

Which Assets Have Already Been Tokenized in the Market?

Tokenized assets are no longer theoretical - they are already here, actively bought and traded on blockchain networks around the world. Here are some of the most prominent examples of tokenized assets you can find today:

Real Estate Tokens

Real estate tokenization addresses one of the largest barriers in property investment: high entry costs and illiquidity. By converting properties into digital tokens, investors can buy fractional ownership of luxury resorts or commercial buildings, while property owners unlock faster transactions and access to a global capital base.

Examples include:

• AspenCoin: Offers fractional ownership in the luxury St. Regis Aspen Resort in Colorado.
• Propy: A blockchain-powered platform for property transactions and digital title management.

Learn more in our guide: What Is Real Estate Tokenization?

Commodity Tokens

Commodities like gold and silver are valuable but traditionally hard to trade due to storage and transport challenges. Commodity tokens make ownership easier, secure, and borderless by tying digital tokens directly to real-world reserves. This allows investors to access precious metals with lower costs and higher liquidity.

Examples include:

• PAX Gold (PAXG): Each token represents one troy ounce of gold stored in LBMA-certified vaults.
• Tether Gold (XAUT): Provides digital ownership of physical gold securely held in Switzerland.

RWA Tokens

Real-World Asset (RWA) tokens bridge traditional finance and blockchain, bringing instruments like Treasuries and bonds on-chain. They improve market accessibility, liquidity, and transparency, while also powering decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystems through collateralization and yield strategies.

Examples include:

• Ondo Finance (ONDO): Offers tokenized U.S. Treasuries and bonds for global investors.
• MakerDAO (MKR): Uses RWAs as collateral in its DeFi lending protocol for DAI stability.
• XDC Network (XDC): Enables tokenization of trade finance assets for global commerce.

Read more: Top 10 RWA Tokens

How Does the Asset Tokenization Process Work on Bitget Wallet?

The process of tokenizing real-world assets typically involves the following steps:

• Legal Structuring:

  The physical or financial asset is placed into a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to clearly define ownership rights and ensure compliance with applicable laws.

• Asset Valuation:

  Independent valuation experts conduct inspections, assessments, and documentation to verify both the value and authenticity of the asset.

• Smart Contract Deployment:

  A smart contract is programmed to manage ownership transfers, distribute profits, and ensure regulatory compliance.

• Custody Management:

  The physical asset is securely held by a professional custodian, while the blockchain records immutable, transparent, and verifiable ownership.

The Role of Bitget Wallet in the Tokenization Process

Bitget Wallet does not directly perform the tokenization itself but acts as a gateway for users to easily access, store, and trade tokenized assets.

✅ Secure & Multi-Chain Storage: Bitget Wallet supports storing tokenized assets across multiple blockchains, offering high liquidity and 24/7 accessibility.

✅ Trading Tokenized Stocks (xStock): Users can trade U.S. stocks in tokenized form (Apple, Tesla, Google, etc.) using USDT, USDC, or SOL. These tokens are backed 1:1 by actual shares held by a trusted custodian.

✅ Seamless & Convenient Experience: 24/7 trading, fractional stock ownership, instant settlement, multi-chain support, and a user-friendly interface — even for beginners.

With this role, Bitget Wallet is more than just a storage solution — it’s a launchpad that enables users to enter the global digital asset market, breaking down barriers of geography, time, and capital requirements.

Read more:

• What is xStocks and How to Trade Tokenized U.S. Stocks on Bitget Wallet?
• What is Tokenized Stock? A Complete Guide to the Future of Blockchain-Based Equities

What Are the Benefits of Asset Tokenization?

Asset tokenization is not just a technology trend - it brings practical benefits to both owners and investors thanks to the power of blockchain: transparency, security and high performance.

• Liquidity:

  Turn frozen assets like real estate or expensive art into easily tradable digital tokens.

• Open Global Gateway:

  Investment opportunities expand across borders, operate 24/7, without geographical barriers.

• Fractional Ownership:

  Small investors can "contribute" to million-dollar assets without spending huge amounts of money.

• Absolute Transaction Transparency:

  Every transaction is permanently recorded on the blockchain, building trust and easy to audit.

• Cut Costs & Increase Speed:

  Eliminate intermediaries, make payments almost instantaneous at much lower costs.

For example, a $10 million commercial building could be divided into thousands of smaller tokens, allowing investors around the world to buy it instantly for just a few hundred dollars.

Which Challenges Do Businesses Face When Tokenizing Assets?

Despite its great potential, the tokenization journey still has obstacles that businesses must overcome to ensure compliance and maintain trust:

• International Legal Maze:

  Regulations on asset tokenization vary greatly between countries, making cross-border implementation difficult.

• Security & Hacker Risks:

  Digital tokens are easy targets for cyberattacks if the platform is not extremely well protected.

• Difficult Asset Valuation:

  Determining a fair market value for unique or infrequently traded assets (such as art, rare wines) is a difficult problem.

• Building Trust & KYC/AML Compliance:

  Demonstrating trust requires extremely stringent Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) systems.

Therefore, balancing innovation with legal, technical, and market trust requirements is the key to success.

What Is the Future Outlook for Tokenized Assets?

Tokenized Assets are bridging traditional markets and DeFi, with blockchain-driven tokenization boosting liquidity, transparency, and access—potentially unlocking trillions in RWA value within the next decade.

The Evolution of RWA Tokens in DeFi

DeFi protocols are increasingly integrating tokenized RWA into their lending, borrowing, and yield-generating strategies. In addition to “pure crypto” collateral, many platforms now accept US Treasury bonds, corporate bonds, or tokenized commodity tokens. This helps DeFi reduce volatility and add stable yield-generating assets. As a result, the total value locked (TVL) in RWA-focused protocols has grown by double digits year-on-year - a sign that both institutions and individuals are gradually adopting this trend.

Potential for CBDC & Stablecoin Integration

• CBDCs and regulated stablecoins could become the primary settlement layer for cryptoassets. The combination of programmable RWAs and the stability of CBDCs enables instant cross-border transactions without relying on legacy banking infrastructure.
• For example, crypto-real estate could be paid for instantly with CBDCs, while ownership is updated in real-time on the blockchain.

Market Forecast to 2030

Analysts believe that the crypto market has the potential to reach over $16 trillion by 2030, when it is widely applied to real estate, commodities, securities, and intellectual property. The three main drivers are: legal framework, interoperability, and blockchain scalability solutions. Once these factors converge, asset tokenization will be as popular as current online banking services — opening up opportunities for more comprehensive, transparent, and optimal asset ownership.

Conclusion

Which assets can be tokenized? The answer is surprisingly broad from physical assets like gold bars, real estate properties, and rare collectibles, to rights you can't physically hold – think intellectual property or even carbon credits. And this list isn't static; it's growing practically every year. What makes tokenization so compelling is how it combines real benefits: unlocking liquidity, making investments more accessible, and bringing a new level of transparency. It's genuinely reshaping both blockchain and traditional finance.

If you're curious about diving into this market, choosing a trustworthy platform is essential. Bitget Wallet provides a secure and straightforward way to get started. It lets you securely store, easily trade, and interact with RWA tokens and DeFi protocols – all without the usual complexities of traditional financial custodians.

Download Bitget Wallet today and start unlocking the potential of tokenized investments for yourself.

Sign up Bitget Wallet now - grab your $2 bonus!

FAQs

1. How to tokenize assets?

To tokenize assets, the asset is legally registered, digitized into blockchain tokens, and distributed via a secure platform, enabling trading and ownership transfer.

2. What are examples of tokenized assets?

Tokenized assets include real estate, gold, art, stocks, carbon credits, and intellectual property—making them tradeable and divisible via blockchain technology.

3. Are RWA tokens legal?

RWA tokens are legal in many jurisdictions, provided they comply with securities laws, asset verification rules, and blockchain regulatory requirements.

Risk Disclosure

Please be aware that cryptocurrency trading involves high market risk. Bitget Wallet is not responsible for any trading losses incurred. Always perform your own research and trade responsibly.