Saudi Developer Goes Crypto: Blockchain Backs Lavish Trump Hotel in Maldives

Blockchain meets billionaires—Saudi developers are flipping the script on luxury real estate funding.

Tokenized Dreams, Palm-Fringed Reality

A Saudi development firm just sidestepped traditional finance, using blockchain to bankroll a Trump-branded Maldivian paradise. No banks, no paperwork—just smart contracts fueling a $200M overwater villa project.

The Crypto Playbook

Investors get fractional ownership via tokens while developers bypass loan committees. ‘It’s 2025—why beg Wall Street when you can program the money?’ quipped the project’s CTO during a Dubai crypto meetup.

Bonus Jab: Because nothing screams ‘decentralized utopia’ like putting Donald Trump’s name on an artificial island funded by pretend internet money.

Saudi Arabia-based real estate developer Dar Global is planning to use Blockchain technology to finance its ongoing luxurious Trump-branded hotel project in the Maldives. The company aims to tokenize approximately 70% of the project and offer it to American investors. Ziad El Chaar, CEO of Dar Global, stated that the tokenization process WOULD start in the initial phase of development, allowing investors to participate from the fundamentals of the project. The $300 million hotel is slated to open by the end of 2028.

A New Era in Property Financing: Tokenization for Global Reach

Rather than tokenizing completed assets, Dar Global is presenting investors with an opportunity to invest in a project still under development. This innovative approach expands the role of Blockchain in real estate investments. According to the company, investors will gain early access to the project’s revenue potential through tokens. Collaborating with the Trump Organization, the venture aims to accelerate the digitization of real estate financing, establishing a new benchmark for the industry.

Dar Global will retain around 30% to 40% of the project’s stake, with the remaining portion distributed via Blockchain-based tokens. The company is in discussions with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regarding the sales process, and regulatory approval would enable direct participation from U.S.-based investors.

The Shared Vision of Trump Organization and Dar Global

Eric Trump, Vice President of the Trump Organization, expressed that the Maldives project will not only redefine luxury accommodation standards but also create a new benchmark for innovation in real estate investment. The hotel, located approximately 25 minutes by sea from Malé, will feature 80 beachfront and overwater villas. Upon completion, the project is expected to make a prestigious contribution to the high-income tourism segment in the Maldives.

Previously, Dar Global and the Trump Organization collaborated on an 80-story tower in Dubai and various luxury residential and golf projects across the Middle East. The Maldives project represents one of the most ambitious examples of the two institutions’ global strategy in branded real estate development. If the tokenization model proves successful, similar structures could be considered for other projects.