Chainlink's cross-chain bridges drive a $35 billion boom in tokenized finance

Chainlink (LINK) is described as "crucial infrastructure" for the rapidly expanding tokenized finance sector,

from Grayscale Research. The report details how Chainlink connects conventional finance with blockchain assets, highlighting its oracle technology, compliance features, and cross-chain interoperability tools. This evaluation coincides with into an exchange-traded fund (ETF), which, if approved, would be listed as GLNK on NYSE Arca.

Grayscale places the current value of tokenized assets at $35 billion, expecting this number to rise as more institutions turn to blockchain for asset management, lending, and stablecoins. The company asserts that Chainlink’s suite of products—especially its Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP)—solves major pain points in tokenized finance by allowing smooth data and asset movement across different blockchains.

with J.P. Morgan’s Kinexys and Ondo Finance, showcasing its ability to support the growth of cross-chain markets.

The analysis also points to Chainlink’s partnerships with leading financial institutions such as S&P Global and FTSE Russell, suggesting it is well-placed to benefit as traditional markets increasingly adopt blockchain technology. The report describes Chainlink as "the vital link connecting crypto with traditional finance,"

to the crypto infrastructure sector.

At the same time,

. General TAO Ventures, an investment firm specializing in decentralized AI, has recently introduced Project Rubicon—a bridge that links subnets to the global Web3 ecosystem using CCIP. This project seeks to harness Bittensor’s decentralized AI to boost liquidity in Web3, with Johann Eid from Chainlink Labs emphasizing that CCIP’s "robustness, security, and scalability" are essential for these integrations.

Grayscale’s ETF proposal could further reinforce Chainlink’s reputation as a core asset in the crypto space.

to focus on Chainlink and among the earliest to incorporate staking, potentially drawing institutional investors interested in blockchain infrastructure. The LINK token has already demonstrated resilience, as the broader crypto market recovers.

With institutional interest in tokenized assets on the rise, Chainlink’s capabilities in interoperability and regulatory compliance are likely to become even more significant. Grayscale projects that as the market has grown from $5 billion in early 2023 to $35 billion now, the need for Chainlink’s services will also increase. Nonetheless, the sector still faces hurdles such as uncertain regulations and competition from new cross-chain solutions.