For would be investors, the Dubai property market just became more affordable

The National

25-05-2025

Investors can pay as little as Dh2,000 for a slice of Dubai's tokenised real estate project after the Dubai Land Department (DLD) officially launched the pilot phase on Sunday. The sum will buy investors tokenised shares in ready-to-own properties in Dubai, with only UAE dirhams accepted for all transactions, the DLD said. Cryptocurrencies will not be accepted during the pilot phase. Currently, only Emirates ID holders will be able to invest in the project before it opens up to international investors. 'The platform is set to expand globally in the near future, with additional platforms to be integrated in later phases,' the Dubai government body said. The initiative is being implemented by Prypco Mint platform, in collaboration with Dubai's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (Vara), the UAE Central Bank and the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) through the Real Estate Sandbox. Zand Digital Bank has been appointed as the banking partner for the project's pilot phase. A partnership agreement between DLD, Prypco and Ctrl Alt Solutions will focus on attracting specialised asset tokenisation companies, while safeguarding investor rights. While the pilot phase of the project includes only two authorised companies, Prypco and Ctrl Alt, there are plans to open the market to other qualified firms in the future, DLD said. The project, announced in March, focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain, helping to streamline the process of buying, selling and investing. Real estate tokenisation enables fractional property ownership, where each asset is divided into shares based on investors' budget and financial strategy. This allows investors to acquire a portion of a property without fully purchasing it. Dubai's real estate tokenisation market is forecast to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate's total property transactions, according to government data. Through the digital platform mint.prypco.com, investors can find information about property details ranging from pricing, risk factors, and technical specifications to the minimum investment required. The real estate tokenisation project is jointly managed by the DLD, as the regulator of physical real estate assets, and Vara as the regulatory body for digital assets to ensure a transparent regulatory framework, the DLD said. During the current phase, the CBUAE will oversee the opening of corporate accounts linked to real estate tokenisation through the Client Money Account (CMA), as part of a system designed to safeguard investor funds. Under this system, an investor's money is deposited into the CMA and not transferred to the tokenisation company until the purchase process is fully completed, to ensure security and transparency. The project's initial phase is limited to ready-to-own properties, and tokenisation is allowed only through companies licensed by the Vara, while DLD is responsible for reviewing and validating the fairness of property pricing before any listing is approved. 'Investors will benefit from both rental income and capital appreciation resulting from the property's appreciation, while holding a legally documented ownership share issued by Dubai Land Department – ensuring a transparent and secure investment experience without the complexities of traditional property management,' the DLD said. The latest announcement comes as Dubai's property market continues to perform strongly amid government initiatives such as residency permits for retired and remote workers, the expansion of the 10-year golden visa programme and strong economic growth and diversification efforts. The emirate recorded real estate deals worth Dh761 billion last year, up 20 per cent compared to 2023, with the total number of transactions for the year increasing by 36 per cent to 226,000, according to data provided by the Dubai Media Office. It also achieved a record in the sale of homes valued at more than $10 million last year, real estate consultancy Knight Frank said in a report last month. The emirate recorded 435 home sales valued at more than $10 million, up from 434 home sales in 2023 in the same category, with the total value of deals reaching $7 billion.