RWA Weekly: Central Bank to Steadily Develop Digital Yuan by 2026, WeChat and Alipay to Gradually Gain Authorization to Open Wallets
This RWA Weekly report covers developments from January 2-9, 2026. The total on-chain market cap for Real World Assets (RWA) grew steadily to $19.8 billion, with holders surpassing 607,000. Stablecoin market capitalization saw a slight decrease to $2.986 trillion, yet monthly transfer volume surged 29.04% to $7.02 trillion, indicating increased institutional large-scale settlement activity amid stagnant retail participation.
Key regulatory developments include the People's Bank of China announcing it will steadily develop the digital yuan (e-CNY) in 2026, with plans for platforms like WeChat and Alipay to gradually gain permissions to open e-CNY wallets. South Korea proposed new rules requiring banks to have a majority controlling stake in stablecoin issuers. Russia is accelerating the large-scale integration of the digital ruble into its budget and banking systems.
Notable project updates: Jupiter launched its compliant, reserve-backed stablecoin JupUSD. Tempo introduced the TIP-20 token standard designed for payments. Traditional finance integration advanced as UAE's RAKBank received approval to issue a dirham-pegged stablecoin, Lloyds Bank completed the UK's first tokenized deposit purchase of government bonds, and J.P. Morgan expanded its JPM Coin to the Canton network. Other developments include the launch of a yield-sharing Brazilian stablecoin (BRD) and the public issuance of Wyoming's official stablecoin, FRNT, on the Solana network.
Insights from reports by BlackRock and Moody's highlight that stablecoins are evolving from niche crypto products into core market infrastructure, challenging traditional fiat currencies and reshaping the banking landscape, particularly in emerging markets.
marsbit01/09 08:29