Tokenized Gold Accounts for 25% of RWA Growth as Trading Volume Overtakes Gold ETFs

TL;DR:
A new report from cryptocurrency exchange CEX. IO shows that tokenized gold became one of the fastest-growing segments of the real-world asset (RWA) market in 2025.
Key Points:
Background:
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) are investment vehicles that track cryptocurrency prices and trade on traditional stock exchanges. Bitcoin and Ethereum ETF approvals have been major milestones for crypto adoption, allowing institutional and retail investors to gain exposure without directly holding digital assets.
Why It Matters:
ETF approvals are significant because they provide regulated access to cryptocurrency investments for traditional finance investors, potentially bringing billions in new capital to the crypto market. They also signal regulatory acceptance and legitimization of digital assets as an investment class.