Dubai is stepping up efforts to position itself at the forefront of digital finance, as tokenization opens new avenues for global real estate investment.

In one of the latest developments, Tokinvest, a Dubai-based real-world asset platform regulated by the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority, has launched a tokenized product linked to an international property asset. The move signals growing momentum in the emirate’s push to bring real-world assets onto blockchain-based infrastructure.

The product references a UK-based, multi-tenant build-to-rent property valued at approximately AED 40 million, reflecting a broader effort to place institutional-grade real estate within a regulated, on-chain framework.

The development comes as investors increasingly seek more efficient and transparent alternatives to traditional capital markets. Against this backdrop, Dubai is positioning itself as a jurisdiction capable of supporting real-world asset tokenization at scale, backed by regulatory clarity and a wider national focus on digital finance.

Scott Thiel, CEO and co-founder of Tokinvest, said the launch reflects the strength of the regulatory environment being built in the UAE. “Dubai has created the regulatory foundations for a new era of capital formation. What VARA and the UAE have built is not just a framework for digital assets, but the beginnings of a global hub for on-chain finance backed by real-world assets,” he said.

He added, “It is exactly why I moved to Dubai and why we established Tokinvest as a regulated issuer and broker in the UAE. We believed the future of capital formation would be built in a jurisdiction willing to combine ambition, regulatory credibility, and global relevance, and Dubai has delivered on that vision.”

John Heath, Director of Great Hampton Street Button Works, said the project highlights how traditional assets are being integrated into new financial models. “This project brings together the enduring value of a historic UK property asset with the forward-looking financial infrastructure emerging from Dubai. It is a powerful example of how real estate can be made more globally accessible through tokenization, while remaining anchored in a credible, regulated environment,” he said.

He added, “For us, this is not only about one property. It is about participating in a new model for how quality real estate assets can connect with international pools of capital.”