RWA sector hits $36.82B market cap with record 32.4% monthly holder growth; HSBC approved for UK sandbox, Abu Dhabi sovereign fund launches tokenized PE fund with Coinbase, and Augustus stablecoin bank raises $180M at $1B valuation.
DeFi & Yields ·
The real-world assets sector expanded to a $36.82 billion market capitalization this week, marking a 3.83 percent increase and a new record high. The holder base grew to 1.254 million accounts, reflecting a 32.4 percent month-over-month surge that added over 300,000 participants—the largest monthly increment documented to date. Conversely, stablecoin trading activity contracted 24.95 percent from the prior month as demand for settlement services declined significantly.
Regulatory and institutional developments accelerated across multiple jurisdictions. HSBC obtained approval to participate in the UK Digital Securities Sandbox, while an Abu Dhabi state-backed fund teamed with Coinbase to establish a tokenized private equity vehicle, representing the first instance of regulated tokenized assets on a US public company's balance sheet. Korea released plans for won internationalization paired with stablecoin regulatory frameworks, and StanChart's Anchorpoint subsidiary prepared to debut a Hong Kong dollar stablecoin imminently.
In financing news, Augustus—a stablecoin clearing and settlement platform—secured $180 million in funding at a $1 billion post-money valuation, with Tiger Global leading the round. The capital infusion underscores investor appetite for tokenized financial infrastructure despite the recent moderation in stablecoin volumes, leaving open how settlement demand will respond to these institutional onboarding efforts.