The financial world is on the cusp of monumental change. As traditional assets migrate into digital form, an entirely new paradigm of wealth and liquidity emerges. Holders of XRP now find themselves positioned at a potential inflection point—one where the tokenization of real-world assets could transform passive holdings into active streams of value.
The Tokenization Surge on the XRPL
The XRP Ledger (XRPL) is increasingly recognized as a serious infrastructure for tokenizing real-world assets (RWAs). Its rapid settlement times (3-5 seconds) and extremely low fees render it suitable for high-volume institutional use. According to recent data, the ledger’s RWA value rose from around $5 million at the start of 2025 to over $118 million by July.
Prominent advocate Ben Malena has publicly projected that this tokenization wave represents a $300 trillion opportunity for XRPL participants. His posts repeatedly emphasize XRPL’s infrastructure readiness and the scale of wealth about to flow in. While his tone is bullish, readers should distinguish between vision and verifiable forecasts.
Infrastructure: Why XRPL Stands Out
Three technical features set XRPL apart in the tokenization race. First, settlement speed and near-zero fees make it economically viable for high-frequency, high-value asset flows.
Second, the ledger supports native token issuance with compliance controls such as KYC/AML flags built in. Third, XRPL’s built-in decentralized exchange and maturity favor institutions rather than purely speculative protocols.
Reality Check: Market Size & Risks
Academic and industry studies forecast the RWA market reaching tens of trillions of dollars by 2030, not necessarily hundreds. One estimate places it near $16 trillion. Key challenges remain: regulatory clarity, custody infrastructure, and ensuring secondary-market liquidity. Your average XRPL tokenized asset might still lack robust trading activity.
What Could This Mean for XRP Holders?
If XRPL becomes a dominant infrastructure for RWAs, XRP demand could rise due to its network-effect utility and settlement role. That scenario might open new passive-income pathways for holders.
But it remains contingent on several factors: large-scale institutional adoption, seamless regulation across jurisdictions, and meaningful asset turnover. Without those, the headline vision may lag.
Final Thought
The promise of tokenization via XRPL is compelling. Ben Malena’s vision of dramatic wealth for XRP holders captures one extreme of the narrative. Yet the path from infrastructure readiness to universal asset migration is complex.
For discerning investors, the focus should be on emerging partnerships, regulatory signals, and on-chain volumes—not purely on speculative headlines.