DigiShares Takes RWA Tokenisation to Saudi Arabia Targeting Real Estate and Private Credit Markets
Updated: Oct 11
While much of the tokenisation debate plays out in London, New York, and Brussels, a quieter but increasingly consequential shift is continuing across the Gulf and this week, DigiShares, one of the world's most active RWA tokenisation platforms, confirmed it is heading to Riyadh.
DigiShares in the Gulf
The company announced that CEO Claus Skaaning, will participate in an RWA tokenisation masterclass in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday 6 May 2026 where the programme will cover three core topics: legal readiness for RWA tokenisation in the Gulf, asset classification under emerging Saudi frameworks, and the near-term market direction for institutional digital assets in the region.
Why Saudi Arabia, Why Now
The timing is not coincidental. Just days earlier, Dubai RWA Week 2026 drew hundreds of institutional participants from across the Middle East and Asia, the Gulf establishing itself as one of the most active early-adopter regions for tokenised assets globally.
Saudi Arabia occupies a distinct position within that picture. Vision 2030, the Kingdom's long-term economic transformation programme, has explicitly identified the digitalisation of financial markets as a strategic priority. The Saudi Capital Market Authority (CMA) has been developing its framework for digital securities, and a small number of pilot tokenisation projects have already been completed.
For tokenisation platforms at this time, the Saudi market appears to offer a combination of regulatory appetite for innovation, substantial pools of institutional and sovereign capital, and a mandate from the highest levels of the government to modernise financial infrastructure.
Global Expansion?
DigiShares has built white-label tokenisation infrastructure for real estate, private equity, debt, and alternative assets, with deployments across Europe, North America, and, increasingly, the Middle East. Its platform enables asset owners to issue compliant tokenised securities, manage investor onboarding and KYC, and administer ongoing corporate actions.
The Riyadh programme is part of a broader pattern of platform activity across the Gulf. DroppRWA, Securitize, Archax, and several other established platforms have made similar moves into the region over the past 18 months. The common thread: as UAE and Saudi regulators mature their frameworks, the Gulf is becoming a meaningful early-mover market for tokenised real estate, infrastructure, and alternative finance structures.
The Lesson for UK Founders
For UK founders and investors watching the tokenisation space, the Gulf offers an instructive parallel. Markets that start by "exploring tokenisation" can move to "deploying capital" faster than expected once regulatory clarity and institutional appetite align, as Dubai demonstrated between 2022 and 2025.
The Saudi trajectory suggests a similar pattern may be underway. Platforms and advisers who establish relationships and reputation in the market now will be well-positioned when the volume begins to flow.
Key Takeaways
DigiShares CEO Claus Skaaning to participate in RWA tokenisation masterclass in Riyadh
The event covers legal readiness, asset classification, and Gulf market direction for institutional digital assets
Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 includes financial market digitalisation as a strategic priority
The Saudi CMA is developing a digital securities framework as pilot tokenisation projects ramp up
The Gulf is emerging as a major early-adopter market for tokenised assets, particularly real estate and Islamic finance
DigiShares joins a growing list of global platforms actively expanding into the Gulf region
Sources:
EIN Presswire, Dubai RWA Week 2026: https://www.einpresswire.com/article/908414295/dubai-rwa-week-2026-the-institutional-era-of-tokenization-moves-to-the-middle-east
How we got here
Saudi Arabia's tokenisation story moved from policy to transactions in early 2026. In January, Open World launched an RWA Tokenization Center of Excellence in Al Khobar, aimed at energy, real estate and carbon credit tokenisation, with pilot projects expected by mid-2026. In early February, the Kingdom completed what it described as the world's first sovereign-native tokenised property title deed transfer. The deal linked the national Real Estate Registry with droppRWA's blockchain transaction layer, involved the National Housing Company and the Real Estate Development Fund, and settled on a delivery-versus-payment basis, cutting settlement time from days to seconds.
By mid-May 2026, droppRWA said it held 12.5 billion dollars in mandates to tokenise Saudi real estate. The Saudi Central Bank and the Capital Market Authority were reported to be working together on stablecoin-based real estate settlement, expected to go live in late 2026. DigiShares arrives in a market where the plumbing is being built by state-linked institutions, not only by private platforms.
Key facts at a glance
January 2026: Open World opens an RWA tokenisation centre in Al Khobar.
February 2026: first tokenised title deed transfer on Saudi Arabia's Real Estate Registry, using droppRWA's ledger.
May 2026: droppRWA reports 12.5 billion dollars in Saudi real estate tokenisation mandates.
Late 2026: stablecoin-based real estate settlement expected, with the Saudi Central Bank and CMA involved.
November 2025: AQSE-quoted Valereum Plc announced it would run the DigiShares platform white-labelled through its regulated subsidiary VLRM Markets.
What it means for UK founders
White-label infrastructure travels further than a single marketplace. DigiShares' model is to supply the issuance, cap table and investor onboarding layer to licensed operators who then carry the local regulatory relationship. The Valereum deal shows the pattern from a UK-quoted company: a regulated subsidiary adopts the platform under its own brand, with a stated interest in Dubai and Abu Dhabi next. UK founders building tokenisation tooling may find that licensed partners abroad are a faster route to volume than running a venue themselves.
The Saudi model is registry-first. Linking tokens directly to a government land registry removes a step that UK projects still have to solve contractually, because HM Land Registry title is not held on a ledger. At home, the closest structured routes for tokenised securities remain the Bank of England and FCA Digital Securities Sandbox and the PISCES private market regime. Founders weighing a Gulf entity against a UK structure may want to take professional advice on licensing in each jurisdiction before committing.
Further reading
Frequently asked questions
What is DigiShares doing in Saudi Arabia?
DigiShares CEO Claus Skaaning is taking part in an RWA tokenisation masterclass in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday 6 May 2026. The programme covers legal readiness for RWA tokenisation in the Gulf, asset classification under emerging Saudi frameworks and the near-term market direction for institutional digital assets in the region.
Does Saudi Arabia have a framework for tokenised digital securities?
The Saudi Capital Market Authority (CMA) has been developing its framework for digital securities, and a small number of pilot tokenisation projects have already been completed. Vision 2030 identifies the digitalisation of financial markets as a strategic priority.
What does the DigiShares tokenisation platform offer?
DigiShares provides white-label tokenisation infrastructure for real estate, private equity, debt and alternative assets, with deployments across Europe, North America and the Middle East. Its platform lets asset owners issue compliant tokenised securities, manage investor onboarding and KYC, and administer corporate actions.
Which tokenisation platforms are expanding into the Gulf?
Alongside DigiShares, platforms including DroppRWA, Securitize and Archax have made similar moves into the region over the past 18 months. As UAE and Saudi regulators mature their frameworks, the Gulf is becoming an early-mover market for tokenised real estate, infrastructure and alternative finance.
Disclaimer:
This article is provided for general information only and does not constitute legal, financial, or investment advice. The regulatory treatment of tokenised assets and digital securities varies by jurisdiction and continues to evolve. Readers should seek independent professional advice before making any financial, legal, or regulatory decisions.
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