Ripple’s XRPL Disrupts UAE Property Market: First Tokenized Real Estate Launches
Dubai's skyline just got a blockchain upgrade. Ripple's XRPL ledger now underpins the UAE's pioneering tokenized property project—turning skyscrapers into tradable digital assets.
Bricks meet bytes
No more paperwork marathons or banker middlemen. The XRP Ledger slashes settlement times from weeks to seconds, with every deed and dividend recorded on-chain. Traditional real estate brokers are suddenly looking like Blockbuster clerks in a Netflix world.
The fine print
While regulators nod approvingly at the tech, old-money investors still whisper about volatility risks. One hedge fund manager quipped: 'At least when a token crashes, you don't have to call a plumber.'
This isn't just property digitization—it's a full-scale assault on legacy finance's most guarded fortress. And Ripple's holding the battering ram.
Ripple’s regional expansion
Ripple’s partnership with Ctrl Alt marks its first major digital asset custody deal in the UAE, reflecting rising demand for secure, compliant infrastructure in the region. Ripple now serves institutional custody clients across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America. Reece Merrick, Managing Director of Ripple for the Middle East and Africa, hailed the DLD initiative as a benchmark for public-sector blockchain adoption and praised the XRPL’s role in powering institutional-grade financial use cases.
Ctrl Alt’s regulatory milestone and vision
Ctrl Alt recently became the first VIRTUAL Asset Service Provider (VASP) licensed by Dubai’s VARA to offer issuer-related services. This enables the company to deliver end-to-end real-world asset tokenization—from issuance to custody, on-chain settlement, and full lifecycle management. According to Ctrl Alt founder Matt Ong, the decision to partner with Ripple stems from the company’s robust security standards and trusted technology stack.
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By enabling secure tokenization and custody of real estate assets, the Ripple–Ctrl Alt partnership opens the door for broader global access to Dubai’s property market, lowering entry barriers and enhancing transparency. The project is a flagship example of how public-private collaboration can drive blockchain innovation at scale.
