Emirates NBD Leads $31M Bet on Real Estate Fintech Stake

Dubai-based digital property platform Stake has secured $31 million in an oversubscribed Series B funding round, positioning the company to accelerate its push into regulated cross-border real estate investing.

The round was led by Emirates NBD, with participation from institutional and regional investors including the MENA Venture Capital Fund at Mubadala Investment Company, Middle East Venture Partners, Property Finder, STV NICE, Wa’ed Ventures, GFH Partners, and Ellington Properties.

With the new capital, Stake’s total funding rises to $58 million, cementing its status as one of the Middle East’s fastest-scaling fintech players.

Real Estate Meets Digital Infrastructure

Unlike traditional property investment firms, Stake positions itself as infrastructure rather than just a marketplace. The company enables investors to access fractional ownership in regulated real estate assets, allowing participation in markets that were historically limited to high-net-worth individuals or institutional capital.

The Series B funding comes at a time when investors are increasingly seeking stable, income-generating assets amid global market volatility. Real estate, particularly in high-growth hubs like Dubai and Riyadh, has regained attention as both a hedge against inflation and a diversification tool.

Neeraj Makin, Group Head of Strategy, Analytics and Venture Capital at Emirates NBD, described the investment as aligned with the bank’s broader digital transformation strategy. He noted that modernizing access to real estate fits within growing demand for transparent, technology-driven investment platforms.

Saudi Arabia: A Strategic Anchor

A major focus for Stake’s expansion is Saudi Arabia. The company became the first platform regulated by the Capital Market Authority (CMA) to open the Kingdom’s real estate market to international investors. Since entering the market, Stake has launched three property funds, attracting nearly 7,000 global investors and directing over SAR 416 million into Saudi real estate.

Co-Founder and Co-CEO Manar Mahmassani emphasized that Saudi Arabia represents a long-term strategic growth corridor. Regulatory alignment and rising foreign capital flows have positioned the Kingdom as one of the region’s most compelling property markets.

U.S. Expansion and Product Innovation

Stake has also moved beyond the GCC. In late 2025, the company entered the U.S. industrial real estate sector, a resilient asset class benefiting from supply-chain shifts and e-commerce growth. Early traction, according to the company, demonstrates appetite for diversified global exposure.

On the product side, Stake launched “StakeOne,” a platform that digitizes access to full property ownership and post-sale asset management. The initiative extends beyond fractional investing, offering structured pathways toward direct ownership of premium properties from developers such as Emaar Properties and Dubai Holding.

Tokenization and the Next Phase of Liquidity

Looking ahead, Stake is exploring regulated tokenization of real estate assets in collaboration with Property Finder. The company has already received in-principle approval from Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), a step that could eventually enable fractional, tradeable ownership structures built on blockchain rails.

If implemented at scale, tokenization could address one of real estate’s longstanding limitations: illiquidity. By digitizing ownership units, investors may gain more flexible entry and exit options, potentially transforming how property assets are bought and sold.

Scaling With Momentum

Stake reports a gross merchandise value compound annual growth rate exceeding 130% over the past three years, alongside revenue growth above 100% annually. The platform now claims more than 2 million users across 181 countries.

For Co-Founder and Co-CEO Rami Tabbara, the funding round represents more than financial backing. It signals institutional validation of a model that blends fintech, regulation, and property markets.

As capital increasingly seeks regulated digital access to real-world assets, Stake’s latest raise suggests the convergence of finance and property technology in the Middle East is accelerating — and may be setting a template for cross-border real estate investing globally.