Ripple to Power Dubai’s Real Estate Tokenization Project with Ctrl Alt Partnership

DUBAI, July 16, 2025 — Ripple has announced a strategic partnership with Ctrl Alt to provide institutional-grade digital asset custody for Dubai’s landmark Real Estate Tokenization Project. This initiative, backed by the Dubai Land Department (DLD), marks the first time a government real estate registration authority in the Middle East is issuing tokenized property title deeds on a public blockchain.

Ctrl Alt will leverage Ripple’s custody infrastructure to store and manage these tokenized assets securely. The project will run on the XRP Ledger (XRPL), chosen for its scalability, compliance, and security.

First Institutional Custody Partnership in the UAE

This collaboration makes Ctrl Alt Ripple’s first major custody partner in the UAE, reinforcing the region’s growing demand for compliant digital asset infrastructure. Ripple now supports custody clients across Europe, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, Africa, and Latin America.

Reece Merrick, Ripple’s Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa, called the project “a perfect example of innovation” and praised Dubai’s leadership in digital finance. He emphasized that the XRPL’s adoption by a government entity reflects its readiness for serious financial use cases.

Tokenization Meets Regulation

Ctrl Alt recently became the first VASP (Virtual Asset Service Provider) licensed by VARA (Dubai’s crypto regulator) to conduct issuer-related services. This regulatory approval enables end-to-end compliant tokenization, covering issuance, custody, settlement, and lifecycle management.

Matt Ong, CEO and founder of Ctrl Alt, stated that Ripple’s custody platform meets the highest security and operational standards. “Partnering with Ripple allows us to bring Dubai real estate investment opportunities to a wider global audience,” he said.

Dubai Leads in Asset Tokenization

The tokenization of real estate title deeds will enable fractional ownership, allowing multiple investors to co-own a single property. This model could transform real estate investment by making it more accessible, transparent, and efficient.

This project is part of a larger push by Dubai to modernize its real estate sector through blockchain innovation. Ripple’s growing presence in the region includes:

• A DFSA license granted in March 2025.
• Approval for its stablecoin, RLUSD, within the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).
• Strategic partnerships with Zand Bank and Mamo to provide blockchain-based cross-border payment solutions.

Ripple Expands Its Footprint in the UAE

With over 60 regulatory licenses and registrations worldwide, Ripple continues to expand its role as a trusted provider of digital asset infrastructure. Backed by more than a decade of experience, the company is positioned to deliver secure, compliant services for financial institutions managing digital assets at scale.

Partner	Region	Primary Use Case	XRP In Use?
Santander	Europe & Latin America	One Pay FX payments	Limited/None
American Express	US – UK	Cross-border corridor with Santander	No
Standard Chartered	Global (Asia / Middle East / Africa)	Trade finance & cross-border payments	No
MoneyGram	North America (Remittance)	ODL using XRP (paused)	Yes
SBI Holdings / SBI Remit	Japan & Southeast Asia	Remittance corridors with XRP liquidity	Yes
Onafriq (formerly MFS Africa)	Africa, Gulf, UK, Australia	Ripple-enabled remittances	Yes
Tranglo	Asia & Middle East	ODL for regional cross-border payments	Yes
Travelex Bank	Brazil & Latin America	ODL-powered foreign exchange	Yes
Zand Bank & Mamo	UAE (DIFC licensed)	Ripple Payments corridor & crypto on/off-ramps	Yes
BDACS	South Korea	Institutional custody for XRP and RLUSD	Yes
Unicâmbio	Portugal & Brazil	Crypto-enabled FX for businesses	Likely Yes