Ripple Secures UAE Custody Deal to Tokenize Property Titles on XRP Ledger

• Ripple links with Ctrl Alt for Dubai’s tokenized real estate titles, aiming secure custody rollout.
• Gov-backed blockchain title deeds in UAE now live, unlocking fractional property ownership for investors.

Ripple has entered an agreement with Ctrl Alt, a UAE-based infrastructure platform focused on tokenization. This deal, signed on July 15, expands Ripple’s custody service into the Gulf region. This collaboration marks a new phase in its custody services expansion, which already includes clients in Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Africa.

As part of the agreement, Ctrl Alt uses Ripple’s custody tools to support the Dubai Land Department’s real estate tokenization project. The department is storing real estate title deeds as digital tokens on the XRP Ledger. This is the first time a government in the Middle East has backed such a project, which gives the effort a distinct level of public support.

In partnership with Ctrl Alt and the Dubai @Land_Department, Ripple Custody will deliver scalable and secure storage for the Dubai Land Department’s tokenized real estate title deeds, which have been issued on the XRP Ledger – enabling fractional ownership, transparency, and…

— Ripple (@Ripple) July 16, 2025

Ripple has been increasing its presence in the UAE over the past year. In March 2025, it became the first blockchain payments firm licensed by the Dubai Financial Services Authority. The company’s stablecoin RLUSD was also recently approved as a recognized crypto token within the Dubai International Financial Centre

Ctrl Alt Gains Regulatory Edge as First VASP for Issuer Services

Ctrl Alt recently obtained its VASP license from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority. With this license, It became the first regional company licensed to provide issuer-related services, which officially relates token issuance to custody of real-world assets. This implies that the assets can be issued, kept securely, settled on-chain, and managed through their life cycle under full regulatory oversight.

Matt Ong, the CEO of Ctrl Alt, expressed the value of the collaboration stating:

“Partnering with Ripple allows us to leverage proven and trusted technology that meets the highest security and operational standards.” He added, “We’re excited to work with them and bring Dubai real estate investment opportunities to a wider audience.”

Ripple’s technology plays a central role in making the DLD initiative functional. The custody solution enables secure storage for Dubai’s digital real estate title deeds, which are being issued in tokenized form.

Dubai’s Project Unlocks Broader Access to Real Estate Investment

By making fractional ownership of property possible, the project reduces barriers to entry for new investors. Multiple individuals can now co-own a single real estate asset through tokenization. 

According to the firm, this system improves transparency and operational procedures, potentially reshaping how real estate is bought and sold in the city.

Reece Merrick, Ripple’s Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa, highlighted the significance of the project: 

“This is the first time a government real estate registration authority in the Middle East has tokenized property title deeds on a public blockchain.”

Beyond the UAE, Ripple is looking toward the European Union. The company registered Ripple Payments Europe S.A. in Luxembourg in April and is preparing to apply for a Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) license. A spokesperson said Ripple “intends to become MiCA-compliant” due to the “significant opportunity in the European market.”