What Are Real-World Assets (RWAs): A Beginner’s Guide

Real-World Assets (RWAs) are exactly that — real world assets. Think real or traditional— like real estate, equities, government bonds, or commodities — that are represented as digital tokens on a blockchain. These tokens don’t automatically give you ownership of the underlying asset, but they can track its price and performance in real time.

Trust Wallet now offers eligible users a way to access these tokenized assets directly in-app — making it easier than ever to explore real-world markets from a self-custodial wallet.

Think of it this way: instead of going through a broker to view or trade a stock, you’re interacting with a blockchain-based token that reflects that stock’s value. It’s about bringing traditional markets into Web3 — while keeping things transparent, fast, and user-owned.

What’s Currently Being Tokenized — and What Makes These Tokens Different

Today, some of the most common real-world assets being tokenized include:

• Public equities like Apple, Tesla, or Alibaba

• ETFs and index-linked instruments

• Government and corporate bonds

• Treasuries, deposits and other interest-bearing products

• Commodities such as gold or oil

• Real estate including real estate funds and credit products

These assets are made available onchain through smart contract–issued tokens, structured by registered or regulated third-party partners. The tokens are designed to reflect real-time market performance — giving users blockchain-based access to familiar financial instruments, all from a self-custodial wallet.

Importantly, these tokens are not the same as owning the underlying asset. They do not represent shareholder rights, dividend entitlements, or legal claims. Instead, they:

• Track the price of the referenced asset

• Live onchain, with transparency and 24/7 access

• Do not automatically represent ownership, shares, or equity

• Are issued as blockchain-based assets, not securities

Why Do RWAs Matter for Web3?

RWAs represent a major step forward for the crypto ecosystem. Until now, most of Web3 has focused on crypto-native assets: tokens, NFTs, and DeFi protocols. RWAs open the door to a new category of value — one that’s familiar, widely used in traditional finance, and increasingly available onchain.

They also help expand access. For users in emerging markets, gaining exposure to global financial markets has historically required complex paperwork, intermediaries, or jurisdiction-based restrictions. RWAs — when implemented responsibly — can help close that gap by enabling broader access to traditionally gated assets.

RWAs + Self-Custody: A Powerful Combination

What makes RWAs even more transformative is how they pair with self-custody.

In self-custodial wallets like Trust Wallet, users retain full control over their assets — no middlemen, no custodians. That means you can explore tokenized real-world value while keeping your keys and funds secure in your own hands.

This is what makes RWAs in Trust Wallet so unique: You get simplicity, transparency, and security — with direct access to a new class of assets.

A Quick Note on Safety and Disclaimers

RWAs are a rapidly evolving space. They’re not the same as stocks or securities, and they come with different risks. At Trust Wallet, we're committed to responsible access — and our RWA features are geo-aware, meaning some users (including those in the US, UK, and EU) are not able to access this functionality. Neither are US Persons from any location.

The tokens users interact with are smart contract–issued assets designed to track price performance. They do not automatically represent actual ownership, dividends, or shareholder rights. You are swapping for a blockchain-based representation — not acquiring the underlying asset.

The examples of asset names listed above are for illustrative and educational purposes only. Trust Wallet does not provide financial advice or endorse any investment activity.

Learn More

Want to see how RWAs work in practice? Learn how RWAs work using Trust Wallet

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Disclaimer: RWA tokens are blockchain-based representations of real-world financial instruments. Access to RWAs is only available in certain regions. RWAs are not available for purchase or sale in the United States, the United Kingdom, or the European Union, and may not be offered, sold, or delivered to any “U.S. Person”. If a U.S. Person does come into possession of one of these assets, whether by transfer, gift, or other means, they may face legal and practical consequences. These can include being required to return the asset (rescission), not being able to resell it, or holding a contract or asset that is void or unenforceable. Asset prices may vary and are subject to market risk. Always DYOR. Powered by third parties. Subject to Terms of Service and the Risk Disclosure.

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Disclaimer: Content is for informational purposes and not investment advice. Web3 and crypto come with risk. Please do your own research with respect to interacting with any Web3 applications or crypto assets. View our terms of service.

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Note: Any cited numbers, figures, or illustrations are reported at the time of writing, and are subject to change.