The Trump Organization, in strategic collaboration with developer Dar Global, has officially announced its entry into blockchain-based real estate with the launch of the Trump International Hotel Maldives. Eric Trump, executive vice president of the organization, highlighted that this launch marks an unprecedented chapter for the family’s global portfolio, implementing a disruptive model that allows investors to participate in the resort’s development from day one through the acquisition of digital assets directly linked to construction.
The ambitious project, valued at $300 million, will be located near Malé and will consist of approximately 80 exclusive beach and overwater villas, with an opening scheduled for late 2028. Unlike previous schemes that digitized already completed properties, Ziad El Chaar, CEO of Dar Global, explained that this proposal tokenizes the development phase itself. This generates investment units that grant early access to a market usually restricted to large institutional capital or ultra-high-net-worth private investors.
Will tokenization democratize access to the ultra-luxury real estate market?
This financial maneuver arises in a context where real-world assets (RWA) are booming, with the sector’s market capitalization hovering around $3.52 billion. The ability to fractionate ownership through distributed ledger technology breaks down conventional barriers to entry and optimizes liquidity. Thus, investors can buy and sell stakes in the project more agilely and transparently, avoiding the extensive lock-up periods characteristic of traditional brick and mortar.
The initiative follows in the wake of accepting cryptocurrency payments at the Dubai tower, reaffirming a trend where decentralized finance converges with elite urban development. By facilitating capital injection before the first stone is laid, the project reduces financing risks and confirms market demand in real-time, presenting a scalable model for future international tourism developments.
Looking ahead, this hybrid capital structure is anticipated to catalyze a new wave of innovation within luxury hospitality. If the Trump International Hotel Maldives manages to capture the estimated investment volume, it could lay the groundwork for other major hotel chains to adopt tokenization as a norm, permanently redefining how the world’s most exclusive tourist destinations are financed and built heading into the year 2030.
