Which stocks will survive in the 2026 RWA market? Comparing Maple, Chainlink, and Zebec

The RWA sector experienced a surge in 2025. Currently, the market is asking a simple but crucial question: “Will this upward trend continue, or will it enter a correction phase?” Liquidity, regulatory environment, and actual demand will influence the next market formation. This article thoroughly examines three promising RWA tokens emerging as candidates for 2026.

The selection criteria focus on three points: actual demand, smart money trends, and technical structure.

Maple Finance’s Institutional Credit Model Gains Buying Interest

Maple Finance (SYRUP) is strengthening its presence as a platform specializing in credit within the RWA sector, generating an average return of over 185% across the sector. Recent data shows that SYRUP is currently priced at $0.39, with a 7-day increase of +6.97%, and a year-to-date gain of +205.37%.

The platform’s strength lies in enabling companies to raise funds through actual loan activities and allowing lenders to earn yields linked to on-chain settlements rather than inflationary supply expansion. In other words, a real value creation mechanism operates, free from inflationary value dilution.

On-chain holding data supports this bullish stance. Over the past 30 days, whale holdings increased by 767%, swelling to approximately 6.33 million SYRUP. Mega whales also increased their holdings by 15%, and smart money addresses have added about 28% more.

On the technical side, a cup-with-handle formation is prominent. A breakout above $0.336, confirmed by a break of the diagonal neckline near $0.360, would signal further upward potential. The target is $0.557, representing about a 60% upside from the confirmation level. Conversely, falling below $0.302 would be bearish, and dropping below $0.235 could risk pattern invalidation.

Chainlink Reassessed as a Trust Anchor for Institutional Infrastructure

Chainlink (LINK) ended 2025 on a difficult note. As RWA projects on the application layer surged, LINK has declined by -35.53% since the beginning of the year and is currently around $13.17. Over the past 7 days, it has gained +0.73%, indicating ongoing attempts to find a bottom.

However, an important point should not be overlooked: the strengthening of its position as an infrastructure for institutions. As RWA adoption accelerates, the importance of protocols like Chainlink, which are close to settlement trust layers, increases. This is not just a price increase but signifies expanding demand based on actual implementation.

Smart money trends suggest this as well. While mega whales have reduced their holdings, smart money addresses have increased their holdings by 3.82% over the past 7 days. This indicates selective accumulation rather than broad buying interest.

On the technical front, a double bottom has formed around $11.73. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is in the early stages of divergence. As the price re-tests support while RSI attempts to make higher highs—an environment where a bearish RSI divergence is disappearing—this signals that sellers are losing strength.

Breaking above $12.45 would confirm a short-term trend, with $13.76 as an important resistance. If the recent rally on December 12th is surpassed, scenarios targeting $14.24 to $15.01 become more realistic. Falling below $11.75 would invalidate the bullish hypothesis.

Zebec Network’s Focus on RWA Payroll Segment as a Key Demand Driver

Zebec Network (ZBCN) specializes in the RWA payroll and liquidity segments. Despite recording a year-to-date increase of +233.63%, the past three months have seen a 42% decline. The current price can be confirmed through public data, but over the past 7 days, it has rebounded by +19.30%.

Signs of change are evident in whale activity. Over the past 7 days, large holders increased their balances by 4.79%, purchasing approximately 13.8 million tokens. However, market observers point out that whale buying is a material factor, but actual usage demand has yet to materialize.

The segment’s survival depends on expanding fundamental use cases that support token value. In other words, increasing real-world implementation use cases is essential.

The technical setup is straightforward. A recovery to $0.0030 marks the beginning of a mild bullish trend. Since losing this level on November 29, about 28% upside is needed for a recovery. The checkpoints are $0.0036 and $0.0041. Holding these levels would confirm genuine buyer interest following whale activity.

Conversely, a drop below $0.0021 is critical. Losing this key support would invalidate the bullish case and even test whale optimism. The next support level is around $0.0014; a break below this would mean a short-term invalidation of Zebec’s RWA recovery story.

Conclusion: 2026 RWA Market as a “Year of Selection”

Looking at these three tokens, contrasting situations emerge. Maple accelerates through both demand and capital inflows; Chainlink is in a phase of re-evaluating infrastructure demand; Zebec is at a stage where actual use cases are decisive. Not only price but also the fundamental level of implementation will determine the winners and losers in 2026.