Bitcoin, tokenized assets, and DeFi could drive cryptocurrencies up to $28 trillion by 2030, according to ARK Invest

Source: Yellow Original Title: Bitcoin, tokenized assets, and DeFi could drive cryptocurrencies up to 28 trillion dollars by 2030, according to ARK Invest

Original Link: https://yellow.com/es/news/bitcoin-los-activos-tokenizados-y-las-defi-podrían-impulsar-las-criptomonedas-hasta-28-billones-de-dólares-para-2030-según-ark-invest Digital assets could reach a combined market capitalization of 28 trillion dollars by 2030, primarily driven by the adoption of Bitcoin (BTC), the expansion of tokenized real-world assets, and the growth of decentralized finance applications, according to ARK Invest.

ARK’s analysis presents the next phase of crypto market growth as a story of capital formation rather than a speculative cycle, with increasing value anchored in institutional ownership, on-chain financial infrastructure, and settlement efficiency.

Bitcoin as the largest contributor

Bitcoin represents the largest individual component of ARK’s digital asset valuation framework.

The report estimates that only Bitcoin could account for 20 trillion dollars of the total market value by 2030 in ARK’s base scenario.

ARK notes that Bitcoin’s supply is structurally limited to 21 million coins, with more than 94% already mined.

The report highlights that Bitcoin spot ETFs trading in the U.S. and public companies collectively hold about 12% of the circulating supply, compared to around 9% a year earlier.

The increasing presence of Bitcoin in institutional portfolios has coincided with a decrease in its volatility.

ARK reports that Bitcoin’s annualized volatility fell below 50% in 2025, compared to levels above 80% during early adoption phases.

Tokenization expands on-chain asset value

ARK identifies tokenized assets as the second-largest contributor to the growth of the digital asset market capitalization.

The report estimates that tokenized financial assets could represent $7 trillion in on-chain value by 2030, including stablecoins, tokenized deposits, and blockchain-based financial contracts.

Only stablecoins processed over $33 trillion in transaction volume in 2025, surpassing the combined volumes of Visa and Mastercard networks, according to data cited in the report.

ARK states that tokenization reduces settlement times from days to minutes, decreasing capital costs and increasing market efficiency.

DeFi applications add incremental market value

Decentralized finance accounts for the remaining part of ARK’s $28 trillion estimate.

The report shows that DeFi protocols secured over $120 billion in total value locked by the end of 2025, up from $55 billion two years earlier.

ARK emphasizes that DeFi growth is increasingly linked to lending, settlement, and collateralized asset applications, rather than speculative trading.

DeFi protocols linked to Bitcoin and Layer 2 networks represent a growing share of this activity, according to the report.

Market structure changes support valuation

ARK adds that the growth in digital asset market capitalization is driven by measurable adoption metrics rather than new token issuance.

The report highlights that Bitcoin ownership has expanded to over 400 million users worldwide, while on-chain transaction settlement continues to absorb functions traditionally handled by banks and clearinghouses.

As a result, ARK presents the $28 trillion figure as a reflection of digital assets absorbing parts of the global monetary value, capital market infrastructure, and financial service activity, which are already measured in tens of trillions of dollars.