Tokenized RWAs, stablecoins and trust to draw funds in 2026

At the Hong Kong Web3 Festival, Arcanum CEO Michael Ivanov, investor Ciara Sun and investor Ivan Ivanov outlined which crypto sectors and operational fixes they expect will influence institutional allocations in 2026.

They identified four areas drawing the most interest: tokenized real‑world assets, regulated stablecoins, institutional trading and liquidity systems, and AI‑linked compute and energy networks. Ciara Sun noted investors are focusing on areas where crypto addresses specific financial or operational problems.

Panelists described current allocator behavior. Several large Asian family offices remain cautious; one multi‑family office reports less than 5% of client capital in digital assets, concentrated in Bitcoin, Ethereum and exchange‑traded products. Hedge funds focused on crypto asset management are among the most active institutional participants. Allocators favor licensed, established funds.

Tokenized real‑world assets were highlighted as near‑term leaders because they operate under legal frameworks and offer tangible claims. Ivan Ivanov predicted tokenized RWAs would attract traditional investors and banks.

The participants explained how platforms handle capital. Arcanum’s Pulse product connects to exchange accounts through API keys and a Telegram mini app and runs on Bybit subaccounts that remain under the allocator’s control. Michael Ivanov described two structures for delegated capital: a license agreement with profit sharing or a joint operating company.

Panelists listed the main frictions that delay allocations: custody, mandate language, due diligence and position sizing. Institutions generally will not hand assets to counterparties they cannot audit, and many investment mandates do not include a crypto allocation. Poor documentation and unclear risk models cause strategies to fail institutional review.

Banking access and compliance were described as persistent problems. Ivan Ivanov pointed to repeated account rejections in Hong Kong for companies seeking to use bank accounts for crypto investing, even when working with licensed providers. He also named system reliability and regulatory compliance as barriers.

Operational costs were called an ongoing burden. Ciara Sun said custody, compliance, reporting, risk control, liquidity planning and token unlock management create sustained work that many teams underestimate. Michael Ivanov added that reputational risk inside institutions causes deals to stall as executives avoid being the first to back a new allocation.

Looking ahead, the panel said changes in banking and clearer stablecoin rules could speed capital flows. Ivan Ivanov suggested regulated stablecoin systems would resolve several operational issues. Michael Ivanov expects strongest demand from Asian allocators and funds of funds and summarized the challenge: trust must be earned. He called trust “the new gold in crypto.”

The three presenters outlined operational fixes and product features they view as necessary for broader institutional participation in 2026.