The increasing geopolitical tensions and global macroeconomic uncertainty are changing investment choices in the crypto sector: more and more investors are reallocating capital towards stablecoin and real-world assets (RWA).
That is, real-world assets such as real estate, artworks, and financial instruments, digitized through blockchain technology.
To set this trend in motion was the recent decision by President Donald Trump to introduce new commercial tariffs on April 2, following the January 20 announcement on the imposition of tariffs on goods imported from China.
Such measures, aimed at reducing the U.S. trade deficit and boosting national production, are fueling concerns about a possible global trade war.
According to Juan Pellicer, senior analyst at the crypto platform IntoTheBlock:
“Many investors expected a boost to the economy after Trump’s inauguration, but the rising geopolitical tensions, tariffs, and political uncertainty are encouraging defensive strategies.”
Crypto under pressure, RWAs and stablecoin on the rise
In the last two months, in a context marked by increasing instability, the cryptocurrency market has suffered significant losses. The Bitcoin (BTC) recorded a decline of 19%, while the S&P 500 (SPX) stock index lost over 7%.
This scenario has triggered a clear movement towards assets perceived as more stable. The platform IntoTheBlock has highlighted the growing flow of capital towards stablecoins and tokenized assets.
Although these instruments reside “on-chain”, meaning directly on the blockchain, the ease of transfer and the ability to reallocate capital in real-time contribute to greater volatility even within these supposed safe havens.
However, their relatively low-risk profile makes them currently very appealing. According to the data provided by RWA.xyz, the RWA sector has reached a new cumulative record, surpassing 17 billion dollars on February 3.
Today, the milestone of 20 miliardi now seems close, with less than 0.5% distance from reaching it.
This growth is supported by the increase in liquidity, which makes tokenized real-world assets particularly attractive.
Some industry analysts predict that the aggregate volume of RWA could exceed 50 billion dollars by the end of 2025, thanks to the gradual penetration into the broader global asset market, which is worth about 450 trillion dollars.
The value of RWA, in fact, lies in their ability to connect the digital world to the physical one, offering investors exposure to tangible assets with the advantages of the blockchain infrastructure: transparency, traceability, and global accessibility.
The race for defensive assets has just begun
Within a scenario characterized by threats of further tariffs from the Trump administration, investors are reducing exposure to high-risk markets.
As Iliya Kalchev, analyst at Nexo, points out,
“The appetite for risk remains limited in the face of macroeconomic uncertainty and tariff threats.”
Stablecoins, as known, are cryptocurrencies pegged to fiat currencies, such as the US dollar, and are chosen to protect the value of capital during periods of high volatility.
In parallel, the RWA represent an emerging frontier for those seeking diversification, security, and potentially stable returns in the long term.
In a market still shaken by speculations and unexpected fluctuations, many observers believe that RWA could represent the next big asset class on the blockchain.
Their ability to attract institutional and retail capital, thanks to clearer regulation and greater interoperability between platforms, could be the real turning point.
A look into the future: between commercial war and financial innovation
The economic context outlined by Trump’s protectionist policies and geopolitical instability does not seem destined to improve in the short term.
Although global growth forecasts remain positive, they have recently been revised downwards, increasing the climate of caution among investors and financial operators.
In this scenario, the vision of a world increasingly oriented towards digital strengthens, but with more solid anchors in the real.
Investors, in search of stability and reliable returns, seem to prefer instruments that combine safety, liquidity, and transparency, three characteristics that make stablecoins and RWAs preferential instruments in an era of change.
With blockchain ready to revolutionize the real asset market as well, 2025 could see an explosion of RWAs not only as a defensive tool, but as a protagonist in the redefinition of the global digital economy.
