DeFi lending is gaining more attention from institutions as tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) are increasingly being used as collateral for stablecoin loans, according to Binance Research. Decentralized lending protocols, which automate lending and borrowing through smart contracts and eliminate the need for banks, have seen significant growth, rising over 72% in total value locked (TVL) from $53 billion to over $127 billion this year.

This growth is largely due to the growing adoption of stablecoins and tokenized assets. Binance Research noted that these lending protocols are well-positioned to attract institutional interest, especially with products like Horizon from Aave Labs, which allows the use of tokenized RWAs for stablecoin loans. Major platforms like Maple Finance and Euler have also contributed to this growth, achieving remarkable increases of 586% and 1,466%, respectively.

As tokenized assets become more common in finance, a new wave of financial products is expected to emerge, making capital markets more efficient and accessible. Some RWAs, like tokenized private credit and US Treasury bonds, represent a significant portion of the $27.8 billion in total RWAs onchain. However, using US Treasuries as collateral for leveraged crypto trading poses new risks across markets, leading to potential challenges for DeFi protocols, according to a report by Moody’s.

As DeFi lending grows and tokenized RWAs gain acceptance, the landscape of decentralized finance is evolving, bridging traditional finance with new financial technologies and presenting both opportunities and risks.