Real Estate Tokenization Highlights: October 2025 Global Overview

Real estate tokenization continued its rapid evolution in October 2025, marked by bold predictions, major business moves, and on-the-ground projects turning bricks into blockchain. Finance leaders declared tokenization a “freight train” transforming markets, while new platforms and regulations brought digital property shares closer to everyday investors. From Wall Street boardrooms to a historic Chicago school redevelopment, this month’s highlights show real estate tokenization moving from niche idea to a truly global trend. In this overview, we’ll break down the key developments of October 2025, using simple terms to explain how property investments are going on-chain worldwide.

A Major Shift: Finance Leaders Back Tokenization

In early October, one of the most prominent voices in fintech gave tokenization a ringing endorsement. Speaking at a conference in Singapore, Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev described tokenization as a “freight train” that will “eat finance” – predicting that assets from stocks to real estate will move on-chain. Tenev emphasized that digitizing assets could make markets “faster, more open, and always on,” and he expects the line between crypto and traditional finance to eventually fade. Such strong words from the CEO of a major trading platform signal how mainstream the tokenization idea has become. It’s no longer just blockchain startups talking – even retail brokerage leaders see tokenized assets as the future.

Traditional investment firms are echoing this optimism with concrete forecasts. In an interview this month, Franklin Templeton projected that asset tokenization could reach roughly $700 billion by 2030, with Asia driving much of that growth. The global asset manager isn’t just speculating; Franklin is actively investing in this future. In September it partnered with Binance to develop digital asset products – aiming for faster settlement and wider investor access. The firm has also expanded its Benji tokenization platform across blockchains to scale up on-chain funds. “The path starts with retail… once it gets large, it gives liquidity to institutions,” noted Franklin’s deputy CIO, highlighting how early retail adoption can pave the way for broader markets. Together, these voices from fintech and finance paint a clear picture: industry leaders now view tokenization as a transformative force, not a passing fad.

From Flagship Towers to Local Projects: Opening Doors to Investors

This October, tokenization also made headlines by inviting the public to invest in real estate like never before. Even a member of the Trump family jumped into the trend. Eric Trump revealed plans for a tokenized real estate project through his firm World Liberty Financial (WLFI), aiming to let everyday people buy shares in a flagship building via blockchain. In a media interview, Trump explained that they are working on a specific new development where investors could purchase fractional ownership using WLFI’s platform and its USD1 stablecoin. “We are working on it as it pertains to one specific building that I’m doing right now… I think it’s going to be absolutely incredible,” he said, emphasizing the goal of opening access to more people, not just large funds. While details are still emerging, the very idea of a Trump-led property tokenization pilot grabbed attention and underscored how tokenized real estate is entering the public conversation. If successful, the project would demonstrate how high-profile developers can use tokens to broaden their investor base beyond traditional channels.

On a more local level, a historic Chicago development showed tokenization in action on the ground. Developers of the former Immaculata High School in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood announced a crypto-based funding plan for its revival. The landmark school campus is being converted into 200+ apartments and a new 22-story senior living tower. To finance this $150 million project, the team is letting investors purchase tokenized shares of the development using digital assets. Each tokenized share corresponds to a specific apartment unit and will pay returns from that unit’s rent, essentially turning rental income into a blockchain-traded stream. Local media reported that the offering will accept cryptocurrency, potentially opening the door to smaller investors who want to participate via crypto rather than traditional bank loans.

“The goal isn’t for this to remain in the crypto world, but crypto investment is the main vehicle to realize the raise,” explained one stakeholder, noting that anchor investors are already in talks. This creative approach shows how tokenization can blend with real-world redevelopment – using crypto rails to lower entry barriers, cut transaction costs, and speed up funding for property projects. If the Immaculata plan succeeds, the first token-funded apartments could open in around 18 months, showcasing a new model for community development and investment.

Industry Shake-Ups: Mergers and Expansions in Tokenized Real Estate

Behind these headline-making projects, the industry infrastructure for real estate tokenization underwent significant changes in October. Established proptech and blockchain firms struck deals and pursued expansion to scale up tokenized asset platforms.

One major move involved Securitize, a leading player in tokenizing real-world assets (RWAs). Reports emerged that Securitize is in talks to go public through a merger with a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC) backed by Cantor Fitzgerald, in a deal that would value Securitize at over $1 billion. Securitize currently manages about $4.62 billion in tokenized assets (ranging from Treasuries to real estate), making it one of the market leaders in the RWA sector. The potential SPAC listing, backed by major investors like BlackRock and Morgan Stanley, is seen as a vote of confidence in the tokenization business model. If it proceeds, Securitize would become one of the first blockchain-native firms to go public, signaling Wall Street’s growing interest in on-chain finance. The news of the talks even sent the SPAC’s share price up by double digits, reflecting excitement about the merger of traditional finance with tokenization tech.

On the real estate development side, a notable merger aims to revitalize tokenization platforms. Genesis Holdings signed a letter of intent (LOI) to acquire the technology assets of Metrospaces, a proptech company known for its tokenized real estate platforms. According to a joint announcement, Genesis would acquire Metrospaces’ MetroCrowd tokenization platform and MetroHouse AI tools for about $1 million in stock, and potentially install Metrospaces CEO Oscar Brito as the new chief executive of Genesis. The plan is to relaunch these platforms under Genesis’s umbrella and push further into on-chain property investments. Metrospaces framed the deal as a “corporate rebirth” focused on compliance and governance, while Genesis sees tokenized real estate as “the next frontier of financial innovation” in property investing.

Both companies are publicly traded in the OTC market, so this combination would create a new listed entity dedicated to real estate tokenization. It’s a sign of consolidation in the industry, as smaller platforms join forces to gain scale and credibility. The Genesis–Metrospaces tie-up could produce a stronger platform for tokenizing properties, with plans to onboard partners and roll out new offerings once the definitive agreement is in place. For investors, it means another regulated player building the infrastructure to turn buildings into digital shares – and doing so within the public markets framework.

Established real estate tokenization startups are also doubling down on growth. Propy, a specialist in digital real estate transactions, unveiled a $100 million expansion plan to modernize the U.S. property title industry using blockchain and AI. In an interview with CoinDesk, Propy’s CEO Natalia Karayaneva explained that over the next year the company will acquire regional title companies across states like California, Florida, and Texas. By rolling up these mid-sized title firms (which handle title searches, insurance, and closings for property sales), Propy aims to streamline their operations with smart contracts and its automation tools. The U.S. title industry is a $25 billion market that remains largely paper-based and fragmented among thousands of small firms. Propy sees an opportunity to digitize these processes – for example, using blockchain to track property ownership records and AI to automate escrow tasks – which could cut costs and reduce fraud in real estate closings.

A key innovation is Propy’s “Agent Avery” AI escrow agent, designed to handle routine closing paperwork 24/7 and potentially save 40% of an escrow officer’s time. To fund this expansion, Propy is blending traditional and decentralized finance: it’s tapping both conventional lenders and on-chain lenders (like the DeFi credit platform Morpho) to raise capital. This might be one of the first instances of using on-chain private credit to finance mergers and acquisitions. Propy’s ambitious goal is to reach a $1 billion valuation by integrating these acquisitions and efficiencies. If successful, the plan could modernize a critical piece of real estate infrastructure – title and escrow services – bringing it into the digital era. It also shows that real estate tokenization isn’t just about selling tokens, but streamlining the entire property transaction pipeline using blockchain where it makes sense.

Middle Eastern Momentum and Policy Support

The Middle East remained a hotspot for real estate tokenization in October, as governments in the region continued to champion blockchain-based property initiatives. The United Arab Emirates’ early lead in this space has clearly influenced its neighbors. Dubai has already been pioneering tokenized real estate – launching blockchain-based property title deeds and a fractional investment platform over the summer – allowing everyday investors to buy small shares of property (with minimum stakes around $550) under full legal recognition. This integration of tokens with the official land registry gave Dubai a head start in making tokenized property markets a reality. Now, others in the Gulf are eager to follow suit.

In mid-October, Qatar signaled a strong interest in real estate tokenization as part of its economic diversification plans. Speaking at the 3rd Qatar Real Estate Forum in Doha, Yousuf Mohamed Al-Jaida – CEO of the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) – linked the future growth of Qatar’s property sector to digital assets and tokenized real estate. He noted that real estate already contributed 7.4% of Qatar’s GDP in early 2025, and new technologies like blockchain could help expand that share. Al-Jaida highlighted the QFC’s Digital Asset Lab and Framework, which lay the legal groundwork for tokenizing assets under English common-law principles within Qatar. This framework defines how smart contracts and token issuance would work in a regulated sandbox, covering crucial issues like property rights recognition, custody of digital assets, and exchange mechanisms.

The aim is to give investors certainty while allowing innovators to pilot real estate tokens in a controlled environment. Local news outlets echoed the message: tokenization can lower barriers for property investment in Qatar, enabling more diverse participation and liquidity in the market. By reducing minimum investment sizes and speeding up transaction processes, tokenized offerings could bring a broader base of investors into Doha’s property scene. “Tokenizing real estate is among the most innovative solutions we are actively exploring in the Digital Asset Lab,” Al-Jaida told the forum attendees. His remarks underscore the high-level policy support for blockchain in Qatar’s real estate strategy.

Following the vision of other Gulf states (like the UAE and Saudi Arabia), Qatar is positioning itself to integrate tokenization into its financial center – balancing innovation with the careful development of rules. As the country pursues its National Vision 2030 goals, embracing digital asset markets for real estate could enhance transparency, attract foreign investment, and ensure the property sector remains a key pillar of the economy. The Middle East momentum suggests that tokenized real estate is swiftly moving from pilot projects to official platforms, backed by government enthusiasm and regulatory frameworks. (For a broader look at how different countries are adopting real estate tokenization, see our recent country case studies like how it’s unfolding in Greece)

Real-World Assets on the Rise

It’s important to view real estate tokenization as part of a larger surge in on-chain real-world assets (RWAs). October brought fresh evidence that this trend is accelerating across multiple asset classes – even as regulators keep a watchful eye. According to market trackers, the total tokenized RWA market hit a new high around $34.1 billion in October, up ~12.2% month-on-month, with nearly 508,740 holders worldwide. A large portion of this value comes from tokenized U.S. Treasuries, which remain dominant, but other assets are growing fast – tokenized gold, for instance, surged past $3 billion on-chain, and even silver tokenization doubled in value. These figures show that investors are increasingly comfortable with using blockchain tokens to represent real assets, from precious metals to government bonds. Ethereum continues to be the leading blockchain for RWAs, though other networks like Arbitrum and Stellar saw strong growth as well. This multi-chain expansion indicates a broad base of support for tokenization technology going into the final quarter of 2025.

Real estate is a key part of this RWA mix, but it’s not alone. Other traditionally illiquid assets, such as stocks and investment funds, are also being tokenized, and they made news this month too. Several crypto firms have been racing to offer tokenized stocks – digital tokens that track the value of real-world shares – and this caught the attention of regulators and industry groups. A detailed Reuters report warned that the push to tokenize equities is raising investor protection concerns. The analysis noted that some tokenized stock products function more like derivatives or contracts for difference, rather than conveying actual stock ownership rights. For example, certain tokens give economic exposure to a company’s share price but do not come with voting rights or dividends, which could mislead retail buyers who assume they’re equivalent to owning the real stock.

In the U.S., proposals to exempt these token offerings from certain securities rules have met resistance from Wall Street groups worried about market integrity. The debate highlights a broader point: simply moving an asset onto blockchain doesn’t eliminate the need for clear investor safeguards and transparency. European regulators are treating many tokenized stock offerings as derivatives under existing laws, and U.S. regulators like the SEC are still deciding how to categorize and oversee them. As one market expert put it, “Just because a security is represented on blockchain, that doesn’t change the core investor protections”.

The same principle applies to tokenized real estate – investor rights and disclosures must be clear whether a property share is on paper or on Ethereum. So while the tokenization wave is undeniably building across assets, October’s news was a reminder that good regulation needs to keep pace with technology to maintain trust. For now, the overall trajectory remains very positive: capital is flowing into on-chain assets, big tech and finance names are onboard, and more participants are joining these markets under the eyes of regulators.

Conclusion: Building Momentum Into Year-End

As October 2025 comes to a close, it’s evident that real estate tokenization is no longer a futuristic concept – it’s happening now, at many levels. In previous months we saw the tokenization wave touch every corner of the globe, and this month’s developments confirm that the momentum is only growing. Top financiers are championing the movement, predicting huge market growth and reshaping their businesses around digital assets. Concrete projects are demonstrating the benefits of tokenization in real estate, whether by funding urban revitalizations through crypto or enabling people to invest in iconic buildings once reserved for large investors. Meanwhile, the industry’s backbone is maturing: companies are merging, raising capital, and rolling out improved platforms to support the next wave of tokenized properties. Regulators and policymakers – from Qatar to the U.S. – are engaged and increasingly providing frameworks so that innovation can proceed with safeguards.

The narrative running through all these highlights is one of greater accessibility and efficiency in real estate investment. Tokenization is breaking down traditional barriers: geography, high capital requirements, and slow paper-based processes. By turning property rights into digital shares, it’s making real estate more liquid and programmable, much like stocks in an online brokerage account. October’s news showed both the excitement and the careful steps being taken to integrate this new model into mainstream finance. As we head into the final months of 2025, real estate tokenization is shifting from pilots to playbooks for how modern property finance can work. The foundation is being laid – in tech, law, and market acceptance – for tokenized real estate to scale up globally. If the trends of this month are any indication, the coming months are likely to bring even more innovation and adoption, further blurring the line between traditional real estate and the digital asset economy. The train has left the station, and it’s picking up speed. Now the world is watching to see just how far tokenizing real estate can go.