Asset tokenization is the representation of ownership of physical or digital assets as tokens on a blockchain. These tokens can be created, managed, and transferred digitally, subject to the issuer’s legal structure and applicable regulation.

By contrast, asset origination is when a (financial) asset is defined and exists only on the blockchain. These assets are often described as 'natively digital assets.'

RWAs are tangible or intangible assets that exist outside the blockchain – such as real estate, securities, commodities, carbon credits, or receivables – that are tokenized for digital management and transfer.