Why will the token copper market expand in 2026?
Small-cap metals such as copper are attracting capital inflows as gold and silver hit new record highs. Blockchain technology can act as a bridge, allowing capital to flow into the crypto market through tokenization.
Several indicators suggest that copper may be entering a similar rally as silver, and alternative copper could show explosive growth in 2026.
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Demand for copper is likely to increase significantly over the next 15 years.
Toto Finance, an institutional commodity trading platform, forecasts global copper demand to reach 42 million tonnes by 2040.
According to Toto Finance's “Copper Demand and Supply (2025–2040)” chart, demand will steadily reach 40 million tonnes by 2040. In contrast, the supply curve will be around 28-30 million tonnes in 2030 and will decline sharply thereafter. This creates an ever-increasing supply-demand gap.
This is not a temporary cycle. It represents a structural imbalance, making copper a strategic resource. Toto Financial emphasizes that the token will be a new way to increase access, ownership and liquidity of copper, which can easily be converted into a digital asset.
“This is not a cycle, but a structural gap,” Toto Finance predicted.
Many analysts believe that copper shortages have officially begun and will only get worse over time. Mike Investing argues that the amount of copper needed to be mined in the next 18 years will be equal to the amount found in the last 10,000 years. He believes that copper prices may rise 2-5 times in the next 14 months.
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AI and grid expansion are key drivers.
One of the key drivers of increased demand for copper is the rise of AI and the expansion of global electricity grids. According to Katusa's research, demand for AI infrastructure and electrification will continue to increase over time.
From new sources, copper demand is expected to reach 400,000 metric tons per year by 2035. Electric vehicles also require three times more copper than traditional internal combustion engine cars.
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Modern defense systems and drones are increasing demand for electronics, pushing global supply to dangerously low levels.
New mining projects can take up to 17 years before they reach production. At the same time, the quality of ore is declining, and the main mines are closed. These factors are increasing the imbalance of supply and demand.
The first signs of what is happening in the Crypto market
A crypto investor has limited exposure to tokenized copper and copper-related real-world assets (RWAs). However, demand for gold and silver trading has recently shown signs of growth.
Some early indicators are already showing up. Ondo token Global X Copper Miners ETF (COPXON) saw its market capitalization expand in January. COPXON quickly reached a market cap of $3 million in its first week.
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Remora Markets, a platform for trading tokenized shares on Solana, also reported revenue growth of $110 million. This increase was driven by demand for NASDAQ stocks and metals-related assets.
The overall price of Copper rStock (CPERr) on Remora Markets increased in the last week of January. The number remains small, but this could be an early sign of how crypto investors are seeking exposure to metal assets such as copper.
Tokenization is also a theme that industry leaders expect to accelerate in 2026. This creates opportunities for new startup ideas and opens up new opportunities for entrepreneurs.
