RWA

On January 8, 2026, House of Doge, the corporate arm of the Dogecoin Foundation, announced partnerships in Japan with abc Co., Ltd. and ReYuu Japan Inc. The plan prioritizes regulated payments, tokenization, and real-world assets, with roles split across investment, local integration, and smart‑contract/regulatory work. It references Japan's "green list" framework and adopts a cautious, utility‑first rollout.

In 2025, Ethereum recorded more than $99 billion in DeFi total value locked and processed $18.8 trillion in stablecoin settlements, highlighting its leading role among Layer 1 networks. Lower fees on both the base chain and Layer 2s, along with expanded infrastructure and institutional participation, supported broader usage of DeFi, tokenized assets, and real-world asset distribution throughout the year.

Tether has registered a trademark in the Russian Federation for its Hadron tokenization platform. According to a review by RIA Novosti of Rospatent records, the application was filed in October 2025 and approved in January 2026, granting rights through October 3, 2035. The move aligns with Russia planning comprehensive crypto rules in the first half of 2026.

On January 10, 2026, BingX launched BingX TradFi, a futures product linking crypto infrastructure to traditional markets. The service offers contracts on more than fifty underlying instruments, including commodities such as cocoa and soybeans, with leverage reaching up to 500x.

BNY Mellon has launched tokenized bank deposits for institutional clients, using an in-house permissioned blockchain to represent onchain cash claims fully backed by the bank. The initiative aims to improve settlement speed, transparency, and liquidity as U.S. regulators in September 2025 outlined plans for around-the-clock capital markets. Positioned alongside similar moves by major banks exploring real-world asset tokenization, the product is initially focused on collateral and margin use cases as part of a broader shift toward always-on finance.

Analysts expect a major crypto bull run at the start of 2026, as capital rotates from stocks and precious metals into digital assets. Against this backdrop, market commentators highlight Solana, Sui, Render and the new low-cap Bitcoin Hyper as notable opportunities, spanning large-cap, mid-cap and early-stage projects. These assets are being evaluated on institutional demand, on-chain activity, technical breakouts and fundraising milestones.

Canton Network is presented as an institution-focused, RWA-centric blockchain that links independent networks called "cantons" and relies on a small, permissioned set of 13 Super Validators for consensus. Its native token, Canton Coin (CC), combines fee-burning with scheduled issuance halvings and complex emission rules that favor Super Validators and designated "featured" applications. With the second halving due in three days, CC's mint rate and distribution schedule are set to change, potentially creating a short-term supply-driven catalyst while leaving longer-term alignment questions unresolved.

BNY announced a system to tokenize bank deposits, with Ripple Prime joining as one of the first institutional users. The tokens represent a direct claim on cash and are designed for instant, programmable transfers around the clock, with the initial focus on collateral and margin workflows.

According to Rex on X, major firms are building positions in Solana, with Forward Industry near $1 billion and others in the hundreds of millions. As of January 2026, analyst Senior said Firedancer went live on mainnet, while Western Union integrated SOL and the spot SOL ETF’s net assets exceeded $1 billion.

Dogecoin futures on BitMEX saw a sharp 4,858% jump in volume to $77.61 million, while the spot price pulled back after a strong start to 2026. DOGE traded around $0.14, posting a modest 0.31% daily gain and 8.36% rise over the week, as traders watched key resistance levels and moving averages. At the same time, House of Doge outlined 2026 expansion plans, including RWA initiatives in Japan and new payment products such as a rewards debit card and embeddable wallets.