Ripple and Ctrl Alt have announced a partnership to support Dubai’s Real Estate Tokenization Project, a government initiative by the Dubai Land Department (DLD) aimed at issuing blockchain-based property title deeds. The project marks the first instance of a public real estate authority in the Middle East using a public blockchain—XRP Ledger (XRPL)—to tokenize property ownership.
Ctrl Alt will use Ripple’s institutional-grade digital asset custody technology to provide secure storage for the tokenized deeds. The partnership reflects Dubai’s continued push to integrate blockchain infrastructure into public sector operations, particularly in real estate, and underscores growing interest in compliant tokenization models in the region.
Ripple Expands Custody Network in the UAE
Ripple, which holds over 60 regulatory licenses globally, recently became the first blockchain-enabled payments provider licensed by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA). The partnership with Ctrl Alt marks its first major custody collaboration in the United Arab Emirates.
The collaboration strengthens Ripple’s regional presence and aligns with its broader digital asset infrastructure strategy across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific. Ripple’s custody solution is expected to help meet operational and security requirements for large-scale tokenized asset initiatives like DLDs.
Ctrl Alt, which earlier secured a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) license from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), is authorized to offer issuer-related services. This regulatory status allows Ctrl Alt to connect asset issuance and digital custody under one compliant framework.
Dubai’s Tokenization Push Targets Efficiency and Broader Access
The DLD’s tokenization project enables fractional ownership of real estate, allowing multiple investors to co-own individual properties. According to the DLD, the move is designed to increase transparency, improve operational efficiency, and open real estate investment to a broader base.
Ripple’s technology will help manage secure storage of the on-chain title deeds, while Ctrl Alt provides tokenization infrastructure for asset issuance and lifecycle management. The DLD also works with other blockchain partners, including Zand Bank and Mamo, to integrate digital payment and settlement features.
Ripple’s stablecoin, RLUSD, was recently approved for use in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) under DFSA oversight, adding further utility to its ecosystem within the UAE. The project positions Dubai as a growing hub for regulated digital asset innovation, as governments and institutions test blockchain’s role in modernizing real estate infrastructure.
