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Tokenized U.S. Treasuries Rise Over $1B Since 2026 Began

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Crypto Breaking News

Across the on-chain securitization landscape, tokenized US Treasuries are gaining traction as a growing liquidity layer for traditional debt markets. The market for tokenized U.S. government securities has climbed by more than $1 billion since the start of 2026, even as macroeconomic headwinds persist and concerns about rising national debt linger. By the time of writing, the total value of tokenized Treasuries hovered around $10.8 billion, up from roughly $8.9 billion on January 1, according to data tracked by RWA.xyz. The move reflects a broader push toward on-chain representations of real-world assets, catalyzed by institutional participation and new infrastructure that aims to streamline on-chain settlement and custody for government debt.

The tokenized US Treasury market is framed as a real-world asset (RWA) on the blockchain, where each token represents a claim on a pro-rata slice of underlying government securities. This model promises faster settlement, programmable features, and easier cross-border access for investors who want exposure to highly liquid, benchmark-grade debt. The growth is not only about the asset class itself; it signals a sea change in how traditional fixed income can be accessed through digital rails. In a space characterized by volatility, the demand for ultra-liquid, widely recognized collateral has brought a new degree of stability to the on-chain finance ecosystem. In parallel, data from Token Terminal shows the market’s ascent accelerating, with the asset class described as having surged 50x since 2024, underscoring the scale of uptake among on-chain market participants.

Notably, the march of tokenized Treasuries has been bolstered by significant, real-world institutional backing. March 2024 marked the debut of BlackRock’s USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund, commonly referred to as BUIDL, a vehicle designed to bring high-grade liquidity into the digital-asset domain. As of now, BUIDL has extended its footprint to a market cap exceeding $1.2 billion, illustrating how traditional asset managers are applying digital liquidity concepts to convert cash-like assets into tokenized forms that can reside on-chain while preserving regulatory guardrails and oversight. That development highlights the growing willingness of large asset managers to participate in tokenized markets, even as broader crypto markets faced a downturn in late 2025 and early 2026.

Infrastructure and policy developments have kept pace with these market dynamics. In December 2025, the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC), the leading clearinghouse network for global markets, announced plans to launch an asset-tokenization service beginning with US Treasuries. The initiative, described as a Canton-based effort, aims to tokenize a broad spectrum of assets over time, with the first focus on Treasurys. DTCC’s leadership indicated that the service would eventually extend to exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and equities, signaling a broader push to bring regulated, on-chain settlement and post-trade processing to a wider array of asset classes. The DTCC footprint is substantial: the firm settled hundreds of trillions in value across its networks in 2024, underscoring the potential leverage such a platform could wield in terms of liquidity and risk management for tokenized assets.

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Beyond the tokenization service, the macro environment remains a factor shaping demand for tokenized government debt. The tokenized Treasuries narrative has persisted even as the crypto market faced a broad downturn that began in October 2025. Observers point to macro uncertainty, rising US debt levels, and a cautious risk sentiment as a backdrop for the adoption of tokenized RWAs. The World Uncertainty Index, tracked by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, remained elevated through 2025, signaling a demand for liquid, highly credit-rated collateral that can function as a reliable settlement layer in volatile conditions. In this context, tokenized Treasuries—backed by the same cash-like liquidity that underpins traditional money markets—offer an appealing on-chain alternative for institutions seeking efficient liquidity and programmable exposure with robust risk controls.

Industry participants argue that tokenization could unlock new revenue streams for the networks and platforms that mint these assets. By enabling the on-chain representation of US government debt, the market opens opportunities for liquidity providers, market makers, and custody rails to monetize settlement and settlement-related services in a regulated, tokenized framework. Proponents also point to a broader trend where traditional finance is exploring Layer-2 and sidechain solutions to tokenize trillions in RWAs, a narrative that has gained traction in industry discussions and related reporting. While the pace of adoption may vary by jurisdiction and regulatory posture, the underlying demand for asset-backed tokens with deep liquidity remains palpable, potentially shaping how institutions think about cash equivalents in a digital era.

The Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation to launch US Treasury tokenization service

DTCC’s decision to initiate asset tokenization on the Canton network marks a pivotal step in bridging regulated markets with blockchain-enabled post-trade workflows. The project, announced in December 2025, intends to tokenize US Treasuries first, leveraging the Canton pilot to test settlement, custody, and compliance controls in a tokenized environment. While the immediate focus is Treasuries, DTCC’s leadership has signaled that the platform will broaden to a wider range of asset classes, potentially including ETFs and equities as part of a phased expansion plan. This move aligns with a broader industry push to bring regulated, on-chain settlement capabilities to traditional asset classes, reducing settlement risk and enabling programmable liquidity features for high-quality collateral.

DTCC’s scale and reach—settling trillions in transactions across its networks—underscore the potential for tokenization to affect the entire market infrastructure. The firm’s ecosystem is designed to support complex multi-party processes, and the Canton-based exchange of tokenized assets could similarly improve efficiency, transparency, and risk management for on-chain representations of debt and other financial instruments. As tokenized Treasuries begin to circulate on Canton and related rails, observers will be watching for interoperability standards, custody guarantees, and regulatory alignment that will determine how quickly tokenized assets gain broader adoption across institutions and asset managers.

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US Treasuries have long been the backbone of global and corporate finance due to their liquidity and accessibility. With tokenization, the traditional cash-like role of short-dated Treasuries could gain an additional dimension—programmable features, automated redemption and settlement workflows, and potential yield enhancements through structured products built atop tokenized debt. Yet as with any regulatory-adjacent innovation, the path to scale hinges on clear guidance, standardized protocols, and robust risk controls that can reassure both market participants and policymakers alike. Still, the momentum around tokenized RWAs—driven by market data, institutional participation, and infrastructure bets—suggests that the coming years could witness a more visible integration of on-chain representations into mainstream fixed-income trading and settlement.

Why it matters

For investors, tokenized Treasuries offer a familiar, highly liquid exposure channel that can be integrated into digital portfolios with programmable features and potential cost efficiencies in settlement. The on-chain representation of US government debt could enable new liquidity strategies, cross-border access, and more seamless movement of capital between traditional and crypto-native ecosystems.

For networks and platforms, the scale of the market cap growth signals an opportunity to monetize settlement and custody services, while supporting risk-managed access to high-grade collateral. The DTCC’s tokenization initiative illustrates how regulated infrastructure can serve as a bridge between conventional markets and blockchain-based mechanics, potentially driving further adoption across asset classes beyond Treasuries.

From a policy and regulatory perspective, tokenization raises important questions about custody, compliance, and reporting. As more assets move on-chain, regulators will scrutinize how on-chain representations are reconciled with traditional clearing, settlement, and risk-management frameworks. The ongoing collaboration between traditional financial institutions and blockchain-native firms will be essential to establishing algorithms and standards that can sustain growth without compromising resilience.

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Summed up, the tokenization of US Treasuries reflects a broader trend toward institutional embrace of RWAs and on-chain settlement. It is a development that could recalibrate the economics of liquidity provision in digital markets while reinforcing the role of trusted incumbents—like DTCC—in shaping the governance and reliability of tokenized asset ecosystems. The narrative remains nuanced: there is clear momentum and significant capital behind this shift, but it will require careful navigation of regulatory landscapes and interoperability challenges to translate early wins into durable, scalable liquidity for tokenized debt.

What to watch next

  • Timeline and milestones for DTCC’s Canton-based US Treasuries tokenization rollout, including any regulatory approvals.
  • Expansion plans to ETFs and equities on the tokenization platform and the pace of experimentation with additional asset classes.
  • Adoption metrics from institutional participants and observable liquidity improvements in tokenized Treasuries.
  • Regulatory developments or policy clarifications impacting on-chain RWAs and regulated tokenization structures.

Sources & verification

  • RWA.xyz data on tokenized Treasuries and market cap levels (https://app.rwa.xyz/treasuries).
  • Token Terminal data indicating a 50x surge since 2024 for tokenized Treasuries (https://x.com/tokenterminal/status/2003096211583311913).
  • BlackRock’s USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund (BUIDL) and its current market position (https://cointelegraph.com/news/blackrock-buidl-3x-1-8-b-3-weeks-bitcoin-lacks-momentum).
  • DTCC announcements regarding Canton-network-based asset tokenization and planned expansion (https://cointelegraph.com/news/dtcc-tokenize-us-treasurys-canton-blockchain).
  • Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis’ World Uncertainty Index as a contextual gauge for market sentiment (https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/WUIGLOBALWEIGHTAVG).

Risk & affiliate notice: Crypto assets are volatile and capital is at risk. This article may contain affiliate links. Read full disclosure

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Tether Invests $200 Million in Whop to Expand Stablecoin Payments

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Tether Invests $200 Million in Whop to Expand Stablecoin Payments

The investment will bring Tether’s wallet tools to millions of users.

Stablecoin issuer Tether has made a $200 million strategic investment in Whop, an online marketplace, as it looks to expand stablecoin payments into more real-world use cases.

Tether’s USDT stablecoin currently has a market cap of about $183 billion, according to DeFiLlama data, making it the largest circulating stablecoin worldwide.

Whop co-founder Steven Schwartz said in a post on X that Tether’s investment pushed the company’s valuation to $1.6 billion. As part of the deal, Whop will integrate Tether’s Wallet Development Kit (WDK), allowing users to send and receive payments in stablecoins like USDT.

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“In partnership with Tether, we will be scaling infrastructure in real-time for new business models as they emerge across the globe,” Schwartz said on X. “The job is just getting started.”

The deal is part of Tether’s broader push to expand beyond crypto trading and into everyday finance. Specifically, Tether will gain exposure to a platform with over 18 million users and about $3 billion in yearly payouts. Moreover, Whop’s transaction volume has been growing around 25% month over month, according to an official announcement.

“Stablecoins and wallets become most powerful when they are embedded directly into people’s lives, supporting their businesses, activities, families, and individual stories,” Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino said, per the announcement. “Our investment in Whop proudly reflects Tether’s focus on supporting real economic activity by providing efficient digital dollar and wallet infrastructure that can scale to billions of people, across every continent.”

The new funding will help Whop expand into Latin America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region, while also developing new financial tools and AI features for its users. The investment also builds on Tether’s recent expansion efforts, including the launch of its regulated U.S. stablecoin USAT last month.

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3 DeFi Altcoins Explode After BlackRock and Wall Street Deals

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3 DeFi Altcoins Explode After BlackRock and Wall Street Deals

Three major DeFi tokens — Morpho (MORPHO), Uniswap (UNI), and Jupiter (JUP) — rallied sharply over the past week after Wall Street firms Apollo Global Management, BlackRock, and ParaFi Capital struck landmark deals to acquire direct stakes in onchain financial infrastructure.

The moves signal a structural shift, as traditional asset managers move beyond crypto exposure and begin acquiring governance and economic ownership in decentralized trading and lending rails.

Morpho Surges after Apollo Agrees to Acquire 90 Million Tokens

Morpho posted the strongest rally after Apollo Global Management announced a cooperation agreement to acquire up to 90 million MORPHO tokens over four years. The purchase represents roughly 9% of total supply.

The deal gives Apollo governance exposure and positions the firm to support lending markets built on Morpho’s infrastructure. 

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Morpho currently secures about $5.8 billion in total value locked, making it one of the largest onchain lending platforms.

Investors responded quickly. MORPHO is up nearly 30% in a week. 

MORPHO Price Chart. Source: CoinGecko

Uniswap Jumps as BlackRock buys UNI and Integrates Tokenized Fund

Uniswap rallied after BlackRock confirmed it purchased UNI tokens alongside integrating its $2 billion tokenized Treasury fund, BUIDL, onto Uniswap’s institutional trading infrastructure.

The integration allows institutional investors to trade tokenized Treasury exposure using Uniswap’s decentralized exchange rails. 

Meanwhile, BlackRock’s UNI purchase gives the asset manager governance influence over the protocol that now hosts its fund.

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UNI surged sharply late in the week, rallying nearly 20%. 

Uniswap UNI Token Price Chart. Source: CoinGecko

ParaFi Invests $35 Million directly Into JUP

Jupiter also rallied after ParaFi Capital invested $35 million directly into the protocol’s JUP token. 

Unlike typical venture deals, ParaFi purchased tokens at market price with lockups and warrants for future purchases.

The deal marks Jupiter’s first institutional investment and aligns ParaFi with the platform’s expansion into lending, stablecoins, and institutional trading infrastructure.

JUP rose from approximately $0.144 to $0.163 during the week.

Jupiter JUP Token Price Chart. Source: CoinGecko

Together, the deals highlight a broader trend. Instead of simply buying crypto assets, Wall Street firms are acquiring governance stakes in core DeFi protocols.

This transition signals growing institutional confidence in onchain financial rails and helps explain the strong price reactions across lending and trading infrastructure tokens.

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Bitcoin Surges to $69.5K on ETF Inflows, US Macroeconomic Boost

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Cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin Price, Markets, Cryptocurrency Exchange, Bitcoin Futures, Binance, Price Analysis, Futures, Market Analysis, Liquidity, Bitcoin ETF, ETF

Bitcoin (BTC) rallied to a weekly high of $69,500 on Wednesday, surging from lows near $62,400 in less than 24 hours. The rebound aligned with a renewed spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) inflows and firmer macroeconomic sentiment after the recent US policy signals helped steady broader risk markets.

Derivatives data shows that BTC’s open interest is falling and funding rates are staying relatively contained, indicating the move was largely driven by spot demand rather than a buildup of leveraged positioning.

Cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin Price, Markets, Cryptocurrency Exchange, Bitcoin Futures, Binance, Price Analysis, Futures, Market Analysis, Liquidity, Bitcoin ETF, ETF
Bitcoin one-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

Bitcoin receives a macro boost and a positive ETF flip

US President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday evening framed the first 12-months of his leadership as an “economic turnaround for the ages,” highlighting falling mortgage rates and a 1.7% decline in core inflation over the final three months of 2025.

Markets interpreted the remarks as a sign of reduced near-term policy uncertainty following tariff and Supreme Court volatility, lifting the risk appetite across equities and crypto.

The US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $257.7 million in net inflows on Feb. 24, ending five consecutive weeks of redemptions totaling $3.8 billion. Fidelity drew roughly $83 million, and BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust added close to $79 million.

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Related: Bitcoin daily gains near 5% as analysis eyes bullish ‘rotation’ from gold

Bitcoin futures data clears excess downside risk

As Bitcoin trades above $69,000, futures data shows that its aggregated open interest has stabilized around 235,167 BTC, after previously reaching levels above 240,000 BTC earlier in the week.

The drop in open interest suggests that the excess leveraged positioning has already been flushed out during the recent volatility.

Cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin Price, Markets, Cryptocurrency Exchange, Bitcoin Futures, Binance, Price Analysis, Futures, Market Analysis
Bitcoin one-hour chart, aggregated funding rate, open interest, and volume. Source: Velo.chart

At the same time, aggregated funding rates remain slightly negative at -0.0037%. Negative funding indicates that short positions are still paying longs, signaling that traders are not aggressively chasing upside exposure despite the price rally.

This combination of cooling open interest and negative-to-neutral funding points to a market that has reset leverage rather than overheated. The rally toward $69,000 appears to be occurring without an aggressive buildup of long positioning.

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The cumulative volume delta (CVD) has edged higher, showing that spot buyers are stepping in and are one of the primary drivers of this rally. 

Market analyst BackQuant noted that derivatives activity is still playing a large role, and options data shows that dealers, the firms that sell options and hedge their exposure, are holding what’s known as positive gamma.

When gamma is positive, dealers tend to buy as the price falls and sell as the price rises to stay hedged. That behavior can smooth out volatility and slow sharp breakouts in either direction.

Likewise, trader LP also pointed to BTC’s order book dynamics around the $60,000–$63,000 region, where strong bid pressure previously absorbed selling. Since tapping that zone, the price has expanded roughly 8% to the upside. 

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Cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin Price, Markets, Cryptocurrency Exchange, Bitcoin Futures, Binance, Price Analysis, Futures, Market Analysis
Bitcoin orderbook analysis by LP. Source: X

The trader added that if sell pressure builds again at these levels, it may signal a slowdown in buy-side aggression and trigger another lower reversal.

Related: Anchorage buys STRC as Wall Street shorts mount against Saylor’s Bitcoin proxy