Key Takeaways
- The Trump Organization and Dar Global are building a resort in the Maldives.
- Tokenization will help fund the new Trump International development.
- Investors will be able to buy tokens representing shares in a fund that is financing the project.
With their father busy running the U.S. government, Donald Jr. and Eric Trump have increasingly steered the family enterprise toward crypto and blockchain, which has even found its way to the heart of the Trumps’ business empire—real estate.
For the latest Trump International Hotel being built in the Maldives, the Trump Organization plans to tokenize stakes in the project’s development.
Trump Resort To Open in the Maldives
Announced on Monday, Nov. 17, Trump International Hotel Maldives will become the company’s first property in the South Asian island destination.
The $300 million resort will be built in partnership with the Saudi firm Dar Global and is set to open by the end of 2028, the two companies said in a statement.
Tokenizing Property Development
Unlike existing models that tokenize the ownership of finished real estate developments, the Trump Organization’s latest initiative “tokenizes the development phase itself, offering investors the opportunity to participate in a high-growth, premium real estate project from inception.”
Explaining the concept to Bloomberg, Dar Global CEO Ziad El Chaar said that tokens will represent shares in a fund that finances the project.
The Saudi developer will retain a 30–40% stake in the venture, he added.
Meanwhile, although the Trump Organization owns a small number of hotels, it rarely bankrolls development, and its business model is mostly based on branding and management.
The latest deal demonstrates how tokenization can open up access to new investment opportunities.
With private credit platforms like Figure and Maple Finance as the test case, a new generation of blockchain-based investment platforms is enabling retail participation in traditionally inaccessible markets. As the trend gathers steam, real estate development could be the next frontier.
James Morales is CCN’s blockchain and crypto policy reporter. He has been working in the news media since 2020, writing about topics such as payments, banking and financial technology. These days, he likes to explore the latest blockchain innovations and the evolving landscape of global crypto regulation.
With an educational background in social anthropology and media studies, James uses his platform as a journalist to explore how new technologies work, why they matter and how they might shape our future.
