The post RWAs Surpass DEXs for Fifth in DeFi TVL as Bitcoin Relinquishes Gains appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com.

Real-world assets (RWAs) have overtaken decentralized exchanges (DEXs) to claim the fifth-largest spot in DeFi by TVL at $17 billion, per DefiLlama data. Surging from outside the top 10 earlier in 2025, this growth reflects strong institutional adoption driven by tokenized Treasurys and private credit. RWAs DeFi TVL surged to $17 billion, surpassing DEXs and ranking fifth behind lending, liquid staking, bridging, and restaking. Tokenized US Treasurys and private credit fuel the expansion amid higher institutional interest. Tokenized commodities like gold hit nearly $4 billion market cap, boosted by gold and silver rallies. RWAs DeFi TVL reaches $17B, overtaking DEXs as top 5 category per DefiLlama. Tokenized Treasurys, private credit drive surge amid institutional inflows. Explore 2025 trends and 2026 outlook. Stay ahead in DeFi evolution. DeFi sectors by total value locked. Source: DefiLlama (X/Twitter) How have RWAs become the fifth-largest DeFi category by TVL? Real-world assets (RWAs) DeFi TVL has skyrocketed to $17 billion, eclipsing DEXs and securing the fifth position behind lending, liquid staking, bridging, and restaking, according to DefiLlama. This marks a dramatic rise from $12 billion in Q4 2024 and positions RWAs well ahead of their year-start standing outside the top 10 categories. Institutional interest, fueled by balance-sheet incentives and regulatory clarity, has propelled tokenized Treasurys and private credit to the forefront of this expansion. At the onset of 2025, RWAs were not even among the top DeFi TVL categories tracked by DefiLlama. Fast forward to December, and the sector’s TVL has ballooned significantly, impressing analysts across the industry. DefiLlama highlighted this unprecedented climb, attributing it to practical yield-bearing opportunities on-chain. The convergence of traditional finance (TradFi) assets with blockchain infrastructure has unlocked billions in locked value, transforming RWAs from experimental tokens to core DeFi components. This surge coincides with broader market dynamics, including higher-for-longer interest…

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Filed under: News - @ December 30, 2025 1:14 am