Centrifuge Announces ‘Tokenization Outlook 2026’: Expansion of tokenized assets will depend on distribution and composability, not new issuance

by
Alyssa Davidson

Posted: April 1, 2026 6:50 AM Updated: April 1, 2026 6:50 AM

by Anastasia Oh

Correction and fact check date: April 1, 2026, 6:50 a.m.

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Centrifuge, a DeFi protocol focused on real-world assets, announced that it has released its “Tokenization Outlook 2026” survey. Research shows that the market for tokenized assets has moved beyond the question of whether assets can be brought on-chain and towards actually making them useful, scalable, and investable.

The company surveyed operators across issuance, distribution, liquidity and infrastructure and found that its next phase of growth will depend less on the distribution of existing products than on new product launches. According to the data collected, more than four in five respondents (86%) said expanding distribution was more important than increasing issuance. On the supply side, this highlights the broader shift to rail connecting tokenized products to investors, venues, and workflows.

These results reflect a broader shift in market thinking. While issuance is increasingly seen as a solved problem, the more difficult challenge is integration. Respondents said tokenized assets should move more easily across institutional platforms, DeFi lending marketplaces, trading venues, and other channels without requiring new builds each time. Institutional distribution platforms were deemed the most important channel for adoption over the next 12-18 months, followed by DeFi lending, trading venues, and payment rails.

Tokenized Assets Evolve Beyond Treasury Bonds: Composability, Programmability, and Investor Confidence Drive What’s Next

The report also points to more sophisticated end-states for tokenized assets. While tokenized treasury bonds and government bonds dominate the conversation today, operators say the bigger opportunity lies in configurable products and active marketplace use.

Across the survey, respondents identified product components, balance sheet collateral, liquidity and trading as key long-term use cases. Among issuers, collateral use and trading tied for first place, with no one choosing treasury management as their primary use case. The message is that tokenized assets are increasingly seen as tools that can be borrowed, reused, or incorporated into structured strategies, rather than simply held for profit.

In that respect, programmability emerged as the clearest differentiator. Respondents ranked this as the biggest current benefit of on-chain finance ahead of instant payments and expected it to become more important over the next two years. In contrast, payment speed was seen as a temporary advantage that could become the norm as the market matures.

But the survey also makes it clear that technology itself is not the limiting factor. Only 8% of respondents cited technology and security as the biggest bottlenecks in scaling tokenized assets. Instead, regulations and compliance were the top concerns at 44%, followed by liquidity at 32%. These two issues accounted for 76% of the major bottlenecks, suggesting that the real issue is not whether the infrastructure works, but whether the rules and market depth can keep up.

Investor confidence appears to be the missing layer. Respondents said end investors and holders are most important to whether tokenized assets reach real scale, rather than regulators, issuers and distribution venues. The strongest confidence signals were reliable liquidity and repayment, clear investor rights, and competitive returns.

Overall, the survey points to a market that has matured beyond issuance. Centrifuge argues that the next steps will be shaped by deployment, composability, and trust rather than tokenization itself.

As MPost’s resident journalist, Alisa specializes in the broad areas of cryptocurrencies, zero-knowledge proofs, investing, and Web3. With a keen eye for new trends and technologies, she provides comprehensive coverage to inform and engage readers about the ever-evolving digital financial landscape.

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