RWA Volume Surges Past $7B Amid DeFi Slowdown

CoinShares and Token Terminal have released a joint report on real-world assets (RWAs), revealing significant growth in RWA volume despite a slowdown in DeFi deposits. According to the report, RWA volume reached $7.4 billion between April and June 2026, up from $2.3 billion a year earlier.

The report also notes that aggregate DeFi deposits fell by approximately 15% over the same period. This divergence points to demand driven by the financial utility of assets, rather than just market cycles.

Yield-bearing assets have become the main collateral for lending platforms and decentralized exchanges. By the end of Q2, RWAs accounted for about 6% of all deposits in DeFi, up from roughly 1.7% a year earlier.