Tokenization and a More Grounded Bitcoin Outlook
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Beyond stablecoins, exchanges are positioning themselves for the rise of real-world asset tokenization. The onchain RWA market grew to more than $19 billion in 2025, and projections from 21.co estimate it could reach $5 trillion by 2030. Rafique believes once regulators clarify whether tokenized assets are utilities or securities, commodities, equities and precious metals will increasingly move onchain.
This longer-term view is paired with a more restrained outlook on Bitcoin’s role. Rafique sees BTC behaving less like a speculative lottery ticket and more like a macro asset influenced by interest rates and liquidity conditions. His approach reflects OKX’s broader strategy for 2026: building products designed for steady participation across licensed markets rather than chasing explosive, hype-driven cycles.
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2026 will be a wild year in crypto I think