Investment firm Grayscale has released a report that places the cryptocurrency Chainlink (LINK), associated with the oracle network of the same name, at the center of the future of finance.
Grayscale defines it bluntly: “The Chainlink network is the fundamental link between cryptocurrencies and traditional finance.” This phrase sums up why they think LINK is a must-have cryptocurrency in every portfolio.
“Public cryptocurrency networks promise to transform digital money and finance by reducing the role of centralized intermediaries,” the study explains.
but, This transformation is only possible when crypto networks are connected to the real world.. “Almost all financial assets are issued off-chain and will need to be connected through the tokenization process, at least in the short and medium term,” the researchers elaborate. Chainlink solves that challenge with its decentralized oracles and interoperability protocol (CCIP).
This is a programmable bridging and messaging layer. Send data, tokens, or both between supported blockchains.
Tokenization: A $35 billion market is just getting started
tokenized asset market Already reached $35 billion (excluding stablecoins). This is seven times more than the 5 billion recorded in early 2023. Still, it accounts for just 0.01% (1 basis point) of the value of global bonds and stocks, the study shows.
This chart compares the estimated total amount of tokenized assets around the world to the size of major traditional financial asset classes.
“Continued growth in this market could mean a significant increase in demand for Chainlink’s unique solutions,” Grayscale predicts.
Chainlink generates income in two ways. On-chain, it collects fees from the Cross Interoperability Protocol (CCIP) and already transfers an average of $90 million weekly between networks.. Off-chain, we receive payments from corporate contracts with banks, data providers, and large institutions.
The graph below shows the weekly total amount of token transfers (in millions of dollars) made through Chainlink’s CCIP, showing a sustained increase in usage.
“The LINK cryptocurrency accumulates value through buyback-like mechanisms,” the report claims, referring to the recent LINK Reserve, launched in August 2025, which converts proceeds into tokens and removes them from circulation. This structure positions LINK not only as a speculative asset, but also as an asset with strong fundamentals for sustained growth.
Chainlink has the infrastructure needed for the next cycle
“Chainlink is already considered an essential infrastructure for finance based on crypto networks,” say Grayscale. “It is difficult to imagine how cryptocurrencies will become widespread without applying a set of software technologies.”
Acting as a connection layer between dozens of cryptocurrency networks, LINK is not dependent on the success of any single network. Provides broad exposure to the growth of the entire “crypto economy”.
In a hypothetical scenario where major institutions trade trillions of dollars of tokenized assets on a decentralized platform, “Chainlink would probably be one of the major projects and orchestrate everything,” Grayscale predicts.
Messari, a data analytics and research platform, agrees with Grayscale and ensures that Chainlink is positioned as a “trusted bridge between traditional finance and cryptocurrencies,” as reported by CriptoNoticias.
CCIP supports: It currently has over 200 tokens and has driven high-profile experiments with SWIFT, DTCC, and global banks.says the study. Additionally, it supports assets such as Aave’s GHO stablecoin and Lido’s staked ETH. He claims that Chainlink’s development activity has grown 2.3x year over year, outpacing most of the top 20 protocols.
Grayscale reinforces that conviction with concrete actions. The company has applied to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to convert Chainlink Trust into an ETF listed under the ticker GLNK. If approved, It will be the first Chainlink ETF in the U.S. and one of the first ETFs with an active staking component..
At the time of writing, LINK’s price is around $13 per unit and its market cap stands at $9.3 billion, but Grayscale’s message is clear. “LINK is one of the most important assets to consider when building a diversified crypto portfolio.”
In an ecosystem that aims to mature, Chainlink does not sell promises. This provides an infrastructure that is already working today and will be essential tomorrow, Grayscale added.
(Tag translation) Altcoin
