A New Era of Financial Access: Why Real-World Asset Markets Matter More Than Ever

Published by Medici Bank

This week, Robinhood announced a landmark proposal to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) advocating for the creation of a regulatory framework for the tokenization and secondary trading of real-world assets (RWAs). The move signals a shift in how financial markets are evolving—not only technologically but structurally—toward greater access, liquidity, and inclusion.

At Medici Bank, we see this as more than a tech play. It is a pivotal step toward the democratization of finance—the idea that quality financial products and capital access shouldn’t be reserved for institutions or the ultra-wealthy. The rise of RWA markets has the potential to unlock capital, expand credit, and improve market efficiency for both investors and operating businesses—especially in underserved segments.

What Are RWAs and Why Do They Matter?

Real-world assets (RWAs) include tangible and intangible off-chain assets such as private credit, real estate, invoices, royalties, equipment leases, and even U.S. Treasuries, tokenized and represented digitally on blockchain-based platforms. The tokenization of RWAs allows these assets to be traded more efficiently, fractionally owned, and settled with greater speed and transparency.

Until recently, most of these markets were either opaque, highly intermediated, or completely inaccessible to retail investors and small businesses. RWA tokenization changes this.

Secondary markets for RWAs, like the one proposed by Robinhood, create the infrastructure necessary for real liquidity—allowing investors to enter and exit positions, and enabling issuers to raise capital more dynamically than traditional private placements allow.

Financial Inclusion and RWA Markets

The emergence of tokenized RWA markets can provide meaningful economic empowerment for traditionally underserved sectors:

• For investors: Fractional ownership and 24/7 access to asset classes such as real estate income streams or small business receivables make it possible for retail investors to participate in opportunities previously reserved for institutional capital.

• For issuers: Small and mid-sized businesses can tap into broader and more diverse funding sources, leveraging their future receivables or asset portfolios in markets with better price discovery and settlement mechanics.

• For markets: Enhanced liquidity and data transparency lead to more accurate valuations, lower borrowing costs, and more effective risk distribution across a wider pool of participants.

This isn’t speculative crypto hype. This is the digitization of actual financial infrastructure.

The Role of Regulation: Enablement, Not Avoidance

As a licensed financial institution, Medici Bank strongly believes that regulatory clarity is essential to the sustainable adoption of RWA markets. The path forward must include regulated entities—banks, broker-dealers, custodians, and transfer agents—operating within clear rules that protect investors and preserve systemic integrity.

The recent Robinhood proposal rightly calls for the SEC to provide a comprehensive, principles-based framework that recognizes the unique nature of tokenized assets while ensuring continuity with existing securities laws. Regulation should not be a roadblock; it should be a foundation. Allowing licensed entities to participate in and support RWA infrastructure is critical for the following reasons:

• Credibility and trust: Investors need to know that asset origination, custody, and execution are handled by institutions with oversight and fiduciary accountability.

• Safety and soundness: Core financial services such as settlement, reporting, and compliance monitoring require licensed operators with the controls and capital to manage risk.

• Scalability and interoperability: Regulated market participants can bridge on-chain innovation with off-chain systems, enabling real-world usage and institutional adoption.

Expanding Credit, Liquidity, and Opportunity

The financial system cannot be modernized without addressing the gaps in access and efficiency that plague traditional markets. Secondary markets for RWAs hold the key to expanding liquidity—giving borrowers more attractive financing options and enabling investors to deploy capital with greater precision.

At Medici Bank, we support a future in which financial infrastructure is programmable, compliant, and inclusive. Tokenized RWAs, traded in regulated secondary markets, bring us closer to that vision.

The Robinhood announcement is a milestone—but the road ahead will require collaborative design, regulatory engagement, and institutional integrity. We’re ready.