During the “FI Day Blockchain” conference, Sberbank CEO Herman Gref forecasted that the number of cryptocurrency asset holders worldwide will reach 1 billion within the next three years. Gref highlighted the rapid evolution in cryptocurrency adoption, noting, “This is undoubtedly a very significant development.”
Cryptocurrency Market Recovery and Investment Appeal
Gref attributed the recent “crypto winter” to a substantial market decline but observed that cryptocurrencies have since rebounded, reaching new historic price highs. This recovery, he suggests, will attract a surge of investor interest. “I believe we will see major investments in the technology as cryptocurrencies regain their value,” Gref stated, suggesting that the renewed market activity will drive greater capital flow into blockchain and digital asset infrastructure.
The Projected Growth of Tokenized Assets
Looking ahead to 2030, Gref projected that the global market for tokenized assets could reach a valuation of approximately $16 trillion. Tokenization—securing assets on a blockchain to enable fractional ownership and facilitate trading—has garnered interest worldwide, driven by its potential to transform sectors such as real estate, finance, and art.
Russia’s Growing Digital Asset Ecosystem
In Russia, the landscape of digital assets is also rapidly expanding, fueled by recent regulatory initiatives. Gref pointed out that Russia has taken notable steps to embrace digital financial assets, with over 600 digital asset issues occurring in the past two years and 11 information system operators actively functioning within the country. This growth has led to approximately 200,000 users engaging with digital financial assets in Russia, representing an estimated 450 billion rubles (around $4.6 billion) in digital financial assets.
With these advancements, Gref anticipates that digital asset popularity will continue to rise within Russia, aligning with global trends and contributing to the broader expansion of tokenized markets. This momentum underscores the country’s increasing role in the evolving global digital finance ecosystem.
As cryptocurrency adoption accelerates globally, reaching potentially 1 billion users in the near future, investments in blockchain technology and digital assets are poised to grow. With the global tokenized asset market projected to reach trillions of dollars by 2030 and Russia making significant strides in digital asset issuance and regulation, the digital finance landscape is transforming at an unprecedented pace.
