Ripple Joins Forces with UAE’s Ctrl Alt to Power Dubai’s Real Estate Tokenisation Drive

Ripple, a global leader in digital asset infrastructure, has announced a strategic partnership with UAE-based tokenisation platform Ctrl Alt to support the Dubai Land Department’s (DLD) groundbreaking Real Estate Tokenisation Project.

The collaboration will see Ctrl Alt adopt Ripple’s institutional-grade digital asset custody technology to securely manage tokenised property title deeds issued on the XRP Ledger (XRPL). The initiative marks a significant step forward for blockchain integration in real estate, aiming to enhance accessibility, transparency, and security in the property market.

In what is being hailed as a first for the region, the DLD will become the first real estate registration authority in the Middle East to tokenise property titles on a public blockchain. Ripple’s involvement provides the technological backbone for custody and asset management, reinforcing the XRPL’s position as a leading platform for enterprise-level blockchain use.

Reece Merrick, Ripple’s Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa, called the partnership a milestone for the company’s presence in the UAE. “The DLD’s Real Estate Tokenisation Project is a forward-thinking initiative that positions Dubai as a global leader in the digital asset space,” Merrick said. “That the DLD has selected the XRPL for this effort is a testament to its robustness and suitability for serious financial applications.”

The agreement also marks Ripple’s first major custody collaboration in the UAE. The move reflects the growing demand across the region for secure, compliant digital asset infrastructure, with Ripple’s custody solutions now serving clients in EMEA, APAC, and Latin America.

Ctrl Alt, which recently became the first Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) licensed for issuer-related services by Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), will handle the entire tokenisation process. This includes issuance, custody, on-chain settlement, and lifecycle management.

“As the infrastructure provider for the DLD project, we’re committed to deploying world-class solutions,” said Matt Ong, CEO and founder of Ctrl Alt. “Partnering with Ripple allows us to rely on proven technology that meets the highest security and operational standards.”

The tokenisation of property assets is expected to enable fractional ownership, making real estate investment more inclusive and liquid. It is also seen as part of Dubai’s broader push to adopt emerging technologies and cement its role as a global innovation hub.

Ripple, which earlier this year became the first blockchain payments firm licensed by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), has been expanding its footprint in the UAE. Recent partnerships include collaborations with Zand Bank and Mamo, both of which are leveraging Ripple’s technology for blockchain-based financial services.

With more than 60 regulatory licenses worldwide and over a decade of experience in digital assets, Ripple continues to position itself as a trusted partner in the evolving landscape of asset tokenisation and blockchain-enabled finance.