The Dubai Land Department (DLD) has confirmed that, from 20 February 2026, owners of tokenised real-estate assets will be able to resell their digital shares on a regulated secondary market. The rule, published yesterday, covers roughly 7.8 million fractional tokens that represent legal interests in apartments and villas across the emirate. It is the second phase of Dubai’s wider property-tokenisation programme and is intended to inject liquidity into a market long dominated by full-title transactions.
For expatriate professionals on assignment — many of whom struggle to commit to large down-payments or mortgage tenures — the change could be a game-changer. Instead of parking savings in rent or tying up capital in a single purchase, residents will be able to buy and trade small real-estate slices much like equities, potentially building an exit-friendly portfolio that can be liquidated when an overseas posting ends. Corporate mobility managers note that affordable, flexible housing investments are a rising priority for globally mobile staff who want exposure to Dubai’s property boom without long-term lock-in.
![Dubai to allow secondary trading of tokenised real-estate shares, opening new doors for expatriate investors]()
Before taking advantage of these investment opportunities, expatriates must ensure they have the correct immigration status. VisaHQ’s UAE portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) streamlines the process of obtaining work, investor, or residence visas, so professionals can focus on building a tokenised property portfolio rather than navigating complex paperwork.
The DLD says all trades will clear through a blockchain-based ledger jointly supervised by the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA). Each token is backed by an actual title-deed entry, and trades will be subject to standard conveyancing checks, anti-money-laundering screening and a modest transfer fee. Market analysts expect brokerage apps and private-bank platforms to bundle tokenised units alongside ETFs and Sukuk, further blurring the line between real-estate and capital-market products.
Practical implications for employers include the need to update relocation handbooks: housing allowances may soon cover token purchases, and payroll teams might have to process sales proceeds for departing staff. Legal advisers caution that tax treatment in an employee’s home country could vary, so assignees should seek local advice before trading. Still, the rule reinforces Dubai’s positioning as a tech-forward hub that offers innovative wealth-building paths to the 9-million-strong expatriate population.
For expatriate professionals on assignment — many of whom struggle to commit to large down-payments or mortgage tenures — the change could be a game-changer. Instead of parking savings in rent or tying up capital in a single purchase, residents will be able to buy and trade small real-estate slices much like equities, potentially building an exit-friendly portfolio that can be liquidated when an overseas posting ends. Corporate mobility managers note that affordable, flexible housing investments are a rising priority for globally mobile staff who want exposure to Dubai’s property boom without long-term lock-in.
Before taking advantage of these investment opportunities, expatriates must ensure they have the correct immigration status. VisaHQ’s UAE portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) streamlines the process of obtaining work, investor, or residence visas, so professionals can focus on building a tokenised property portfolio rather than navigating complex paperwork.
The DLD says all trades will clear through a blockchain-based ledger jointly supervised by the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA). Each token is backed by an actual title-deed entry, and trades will be subject to standard conveyancing checks, anti-money-laundering screening and a modest transfer fee. Market analysts expect brokerage apps and private-bank platforms to bundle tokenised units alongside ETFs and Sukuk, further blurring the line between real-estate and capital-market products.
Practical implications for employers include the need to update relocation handbooks: housing allowances may soon cover token purchases, and payroll teams might have to process sales proceeds for departing staff. Legal advisers caution that tax treatment in an employee’s home country could vary, so assignees should seek local advice before trading. Still, the rule reinforces Dubai’s positioning as a tech-forward hub that offers innovative wealth-building paths to the 9-million-strong expatriate population.
