Dubai is on track to become a global pioneer in digital property investment, with plans to officially allow tokenized real estate transactions using digital currencies by the end of 2025, as reported by Al Khaleej.
The Dubai Land Department (DLD), in collaboration with the UAE Central Bank, the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority, and the Dubai Future Foundation, is working to integrate tokenized property transactions within the existing legal and financial ecosystem. The initiative prioritizes governance, investor privacy, and transaction security in one of Dubai’s most dynamic investment sectors.
Since the program’s pilot launch in March, six tokenized real estate projects sold out in minutes, attracting more than 1,400 investors from 50+ countries. Notably, 70% were first-time investors, and over 20,000 more are currently on the waitlist.
“This demand has exceeded expectations,” said Dr. Mahmoud Al Burai, Director of Real Estate Policies and Innovation at the DLD. “We’re seeing global interest — from Asia to Europe to the GCC — and strong participation from Emirati investors.”
Investments start as low as AED 2,000, with a cap of 20% ownership per investor to promote decentralization. Registration fees are reduced to just 2%. Transactions currently involve converting digital currencies into stablecoins, then dirhams, but a new UAE-backed “stable dirham” is expected by year-end, allowing direct digital purchases.
Starting in September, early investors will be allowed to sell their shares, and tokenized assets will become available to non-resident foreigners. Five new trading platforms, including the licensed ‘PRYPCO Mint’, will also enter the market.
Al Burai dubbed it the “investment model of the century,” stating, “Anyone in the world can now be part of Dubai’s real estate story.”
Phase 1 includes ready-to-move and nearly complete properties. Phase 2 will introduce off-plan developments, expanding Dubai’s global footprint in the tokenized real estate space. The DLD aims to scale this market to $16 billion by 2033, comprising 7% of Dubai’s projected AED 1 trillion real estate value.
