Charles Hoskinson is not shying away from bold forecasts. The founder of Cardano believes cryptocurrency is still in its early stages, despite years of expansion and repeated cycles of boom and bust. He sees the industry poised for something far greater in both scale and scope.
Today, crypto has over 500 million users worldwide, with a combined market value in the trillions—Bitcoin alone is worth around $1.75 trillion. While impressive, Hoskinson argues this is just the beginning. He predicts the sector could grow to 2 billion users and reach a total valuation of $10 trillion, representing a fourfold increase in adoption and more than triple the current market size. He sets a clear timeline for this growth, suggesting it could happen within the next decade, by 2035.
Hoskinson points to real-world asset tokenization (RWA) as the key driver. This involves moving traditional assets like bonds, property, and commodities onto blockchains—a shift that is already underway. Data from RWA.xyz shows nearly $20 billion in assets, including bonds and real estate, have been tokenized, a number that continues to rise even during market downturns.
Hoskinson believes this trend transforms everything. When assets move on-chain, crypto evolves from mere token trading into foundational financial infrastructure. Combined with global payment networks and shared standards across blockchains, he envisions a “unified financial market.” Privacy-focused projects, such as Midnight, which balance compliance and confidentiality, could also encourage institutions to bring significant capital on-chain.
However, Hoskinson’s optimism contrasts with current challenges facing his own network. Cardano (ADA) is ending the year under pressure, with persistent selling, short-lived rallies, and low buying volume. The price remains below key resistance levels, lacking positive momentum, and is hovering near critical support zones. Traders warn that if these levels break, ADA could fall below the psychologically important $0.30 mark. Amid slowed market activity, sellers remain in control.
Critics suggest Hoskinson’s emphasis on cooperation is partly motivated by Cardano’s struggle to attract users at the same rate as other major blockchains. Yet, Hoskinson dismisses the notion of a winner-takes-all outcome in crypto. He believes there is ample wealth and opportunity for multiple networks to grow together, with projects offering real utility naturally gaining users as the market expands. This perspective explains his openness to partnerships, including potential collaborations with ecosystems like XRP and Solana, aiming for shared growth rather than tribal competition.
Whether the industry reaches a $10 trillion valuation remains to be seen. But if real-world assets continue migrating on-chain and global finance increasingly integrates with crypto infrastructure, Hoskinson’s vision may not seem so distant after all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about the topic Is Crypto on Track for a 10 Trillion Future Hoskinson Points to RWA as the Key designed to be clear and helpful for a range of readers
Beginner Definition Questions
1 What does a 10 trillion future for crypto even mean
It means that the total combined market value of all cryptocurrencies and the digital assets built on their networks could grow to 10 trillion For context the total market cap has historically fluctuated between 1 trillion and 3 trillion so 10 trillion represents massive growth
2 Who is Charles Hoskinson and why is his opinion important
Charles Hoskinson is a cofounder of Ethereum and the founder of Cardano Hes a major thought leader in the crypto space When he highlights a trend like RWA it signals to many that this is a serious longterm direction for the industry
3 What are RWAs I keep seeing this acronym
RWA stands for Real World Assets It means taking physical or traditional financial assetslike real estate government bonds commodities or even invoicesand representing them as digital tokens on a blockchain Think of it as creating a digital twin of a real asset
4 How does putting a house or a bond on a blockchain work
A trusted institution legally holds the physical asset They then issue digital tokens on a blockchain that represent ownership or a claim to that asset Each token can represent a share of the asset making it easier to buy sell and trade
Intermediate HowWhy Questions
5 Why are RWAs considered the key to cryptos growth
RWAs could bring massive amounts of traditional capital into the crypto ecosystem The global market for assets like real estate bonds and commodities is worth hundreds of trillions of dollars Tokenizing even a small fraction of that could easily push cryptos total value toward 10 trillion
6 What are the main benefits of tokenizing RWAs
Liquidity Its easier and faster to sell a fraction of a tokenized building on an exchange than to sell an entire physical building