While Ethereum currently leads the tokenized asset space, XRPL’s recent infrastructure upgrades and low-cost performance are positioning it to close the gap.
Mercado Bitcoin, one of Latin America’s largest cryptocurrency platforms, has unveiled plans to tokenize over $200 million worth of permissioned real-world assets (RWAs) on the XRP Ledger.
This marks one of the region’s most ambitious blockchain tokenization projects to date and reflects the company’s growing focus on global expansion.
The tokenized assets will include fixed-income and equity-based instruments. The initiative is designed to improve access to regulated digital products across South America and Europe.
According to Silvio Pegado, Ripple’s LATAM managing director, the integration highlights the growing trust institutions place in public blockchain networks.
“Across Latin America, we’re seeing forward-looking institutions explore how tokenization can improve access and efficiency in financial markets. Mercado Bitcoin’s integration with the XRPL shows how public blockchain infrastructure is being trusted by institutions and is becoming a reliable foundation for bringing regulated financial products to the market,” he said.
Tokenization refers to the process of issuing digital versions of traditional assets — such as securities or bonds — on blockchain networks. Analysts believe the market for tokenized assets could exceed $600 billion by 2025 and climb toward $19 trillion by 2033.
A report from Ripple and Boston Consulting Group attributes this growth to rising institutional demand and improvements in blockchain infrastructure.
Notably, several traditional financial institutions, such as BlackRock and Guggenheim Partners, have already shown interest in this space. This further validates the role that tokenized assets will play in the global financial system in the future.
Considering this, several blockchain networks are racing to secure a share of the market to meet these evolving demands.
Ethereum currently leads the sector with $7.5 billion in tokenized asset value. In comparison, data from RWA.XYZ places XRP Ledger at number 10, hosting about $157 million in tokenized assets.
Despite the gap, Ripple executives say that XRPL’s infrastructure could help it close the distance in the near future.
Pegado noted that XRPL’s consistent performance is a key strength. He also pointed out that the network’s low-cost, high-speed structure meets the needs of institutions seeking compliant blockchain environments.
“With the kind of infrastructure the XRPL offers, it’s now possible to bring these [RWA] assets onchain in a way that meets institutional expectations for cost, speed, and compliance,” Pegado said.
Moreover, the network’s recent upgrades could further accelerate its adoption for asset tokenization.
XRPL’s recent introduction of an Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)-compatible sidechain opens the door to Ethereum-native decentralized applications.
In addition, the introduction of features like batch transactions, cross-chain interoperability, permissioned decentralized exchanges, and token escrow aims to improve the overall user experience. These upgrades are also designed to enhance the network’s appeal to institutional participants.
