Citi anticipates that digital assets will represent 10% of global financial volume by 2030.

CitiBank predicts that cryptocurrencies will dominate 10% of the global financial market by 2030 thanks to tokenization and stablecoins.

What would happen if the money we know today merged with the technology of the future? For decades, the global financial system has operated under an established model, but the unstoppable advance of Technology is rewriting the rules. 

Bitcoin was the beginning; but today, blockchain technology is catalyzing a revolution that could completely redefine the concept of money and assets.

In this context of transformation, CitiBank, one of the most influential banking institutions globally, has launched a forecast that may seem bold, but is backed by data and trends. Its recent report anticipates a future where cryptocurrencies and other digital assets are not a passing fad, but a dominant force that will capture 10% of the global financial market for the 2030 year.

The digital future of finance, according to Citi

By 2030, digital assets, including both cryptocurrencies and tokenized instruments, could reach up to 10% of the total volume in the financial markets. This projection, based on the report Securities Services Evolution 2025 Citi's not only represents a significant number, but also demonstrates a profound transformation in the way financial assets are conceived, negotiated and safeguarded. 

El report stresses that what once seemed like a marginal innovation is now clearly emerging as a structural change driven by a combination of technological advances, stronger regulatory frameworks, and growing demand from institutional investors.

The digitalization of the financial system is now a rapidly expanding reality. Each new use case and technological integration accelerates this evolution, while traditional market players adopt more flexible and connected models. In this context, Citi's report goes beyond simple numerical predictions and builds a coherent story about how digital assets are redefining the ecosystem, transforming both the infrastructure that supports operations and the experience investors experience. 

Digital assets are becoming institutionalized

For years, cryptocurrencies were seen as a threat to the traditional financial system. Their decentralized nature, volatility, and lack of regulation made them a difficult phenomenon to integrate. However, that narrative has changed. 

According to Citi, the current focus of cryptocurrencies is not on replacing the existing system, but on optimize itCryptocurrencies and digital assets are being embraced by institutions, not as a fad, but as a strategic tool to improve efficiency, liquidity, and operational speed.

The institutionalization of cryptocurrencies is reflected in the evolution of platforms, which have ceased to be simple exchanges and have become comprehensive financial services providers. Trading, custody, financing, and collateral management now coexist in a single environment, designed to meet the regulatory and operational standards required by the institutional market. This transformation not only validates the potential of digital assets but also redefines the role of financial intermediaries in the digital age.

Citi highlights that this integration is being driven by a specific need: the post-trade process automationInstitutions are looking to reduce friction, minimize risk, and accelerate operational cycles. In this sense, digital assets offer a solution that combines traceability, programmability and efficiency. So it's no longer about speculation, but about functionality.

Stablecoins: The New Standard for Payments and Liquidity

One of the most notable elements of Citi's report is the role that bank-issued stablecoins will play in the evolution of the financial system. 

Citi presents these stable digital assets as the mechanism of digital money more balanced, capable of offering mobility, automation and efficiency without sacrificing security or regulatory compliance. In other words, bank stablecoins could become the new standard for payments, liquidity management, and intraday financing.

The bank's analysts' vision responds to a growing need in the markets: to have instruments that allow money to be moved instantly, securely, and programmably. And, in this sense, stablecoins allow transactions to be settled in real time, reduce operating costs, and optimize the use of collateral. Furthermore, their integration into permissioned networks, that is, private blockchains designed to comply with KYC and AML, ensures that they can operate within solid regulatory frameworks.

As part of this evolution, Citi emphasizes that there are already pilot projects and concrete use cases in which stablecoins are being used for inter-institutional payments, trade settlements, and position financing. Therefore, the potential is enormous, especially if interoperability between public and private networks is achieved, something that projects like Chainlink and Canton Network are trying to achieve.

Asset Tokenization: Funds, Bonds, and Private Markets Enter the Digital Age

Beyond cryptocurrencies and stablecoins, Citi's report places special emphasis on the tokenization of traditional assets. This process—which involves representing financial instruments in digital format on a blockchain—is gaining traction in segments such as fixed income, funds, and private markets. The reason is simple: tokenization allows improve access, liquidity and operational efficiency, especially in assets that have historically been difficult to trade.

Citi estimates that More than two trillion dollars in non-exchange assets could be tokenized by 2030This figure includes everything from corporate bonds to investment fund shares, real estate assets, and private equity. Tokenization not only facilitates trading, but also enables fractionate assets, reduce input costs and automate processes such as dividend distribution or regulatory compliance.

Use cases are already underway. BlackRock, UBS, and ChinaAMC have launched tokenized funds that allow investors to access traditional products through digital platforms. These funds operate on permissioned blockchains, ensuring security and regulatory compliance. They also allow for a more seamless user experience, with automated subscription, redemption, and reporting processes.

In this sense, tokenized assets are not just a technological innovation, but a functional evolution of the market.

Evolving financial infrastructure: custodians and IMFs adapt to the new paradigm

One of the most interesting aspects of Citi's report is how traditional players—custodians, market infrastructures (MIFs), and clearing houses—are responding to this transformation. Far from being displaced, they are adopting blockchain technology to offer more agile, secure, and connected services. In other words, rather than resisting change, they are leading the evolution.

Custodians, for example, are redefining their role. According to the Citi report, they are no longer limited to storing assets, but are becoming network nodes, capable of managing tokenization, interoperability, and connectivity between multiple blockchains. This allows them to offer digital custody, key management, transaction validation, and regulatory compliance services in decentralized environments.

IMFs are also evolving. Some are developing their own DLT networks to offer real-time settlement and clearing. Others are integrating third-party solutions to connect with digital platforms. In all the cases cited by the bank, the goal is the same: to maintain relevance in an ecosystem that demands speed, transparency, and resilience.

Overall, Citi emphasizes that this evolution does not imply a rupture, but rather a convergence. Traditional infrastructures are adopting the best of blockchain technology—automation, traceability, efficiency— without abandoning the principles that have guaranteed stability for decades. This combination could lead to a more robust, inclusive financial system, prepared for the challenges of the future.

Towards a hybrid, digital and interoperable future

In short, Citi's projection is a clear sign that the financial system is entering a new phase, where digitalization is not an option, but a necessity. 

Digital assets—in all their forms—are redefining how financial instruments are conceived, traded, and safeguarded, and they're doing so from within, with the support of institutions, regulators, and platforms that understand that change isn't imposed, it's built.

For market players, this evolution poses both challenges and opportunities. Adapting will require investment, strategic vision, and execution. But it will also open new doors to More accessible products, more efficient processes and more resilient business modelsIn this sense, understanding the narrative Citi is putting forth is key to anticipating what's coming.

The bank assures that the financial future will be hybrid, digital and interoperable, and if its projections are met, digital assets will not be a separate category, but an integral part of the entire systemAccording to Citi, the transformation is already underway, and what remains to be defined is how, who, and how quickly will embrace the change.