HAS VALUE.
ACCESS IT.
The Dubai residential market is experiencing a structural contradiction in 2026. On one side, residential property values have continued to appreciate in most prime and mid-market segments, driven by population growth, the Wynn Al Marjan effect in RAK spilling demand into Dubai, and continued international buyer interest. On the other side, the liquidity of that value is at historic lows for owners who need to convert their asset into capital without triggering a permanent sale.
Finished residential sales fell 43.5% in March 2026. Regional conflicts cooled the conventional buyer. Banks tightened conditions, requiring income verification, credit history, and significant loan-to-value buffers that penalise owners who are asset-rich but cash-flow constrained. The refinancing market is equally restrictive — a mortgage refinance typically requires 6 to 12 months and yields only 65% to 70% of value while creating a debt obligation that burdens the balance sheet.
ACTUALLY IS
An ARVA Equity Token issued under Basket 02 represents a proportional participation in the economic rights held by the DIFC Prescribed Company over a pool of Dubai residential properties. Unlike the Basket 01 Debt Token (which represents a loan), the Basket 02 Equity Token represents a share of ownership in the pool's verified NAV and its future rental income distributions.
The property owner contributes their Title Deed to the DIFC PC via an In-Kind Contribution — not a sale. The DLD applies a transfer fee of 0.125% under the DIFC-DLD MOU (versus 4% for a conventional sale), because the Beneficial Owner of the asset is the same before and after the contribution. The owner receives tokens equivalent to 99.9% of the Assetium-verified NAV of their property. The Originator (the broker or intermediary who constitutes the pool) holds 0.1% as General Partner.
| Characteristic | Basket 02 ARVA Equity | Conventional Sale | Mortgage Refinance | REIT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner retains beneficial ownership | Yes — LP 99.9% | No — sold permanently | Yes | No — transferred to fund |
| DLD transfer fee | 0.125% (MOU) | 4% of value | None | 4% of value |
| Time to capital | 90–120 days | 90–180 days (if buyer) | 90–180 days | 180–360 days |
| Guaranteed liquidity before process | Yes — Distributor pre-approves | No | Bank commits | No |
| Retains future rental income | Yes — on retained tokens | No | Yes — minus debt service | No |
| Creates balance sheet liability | No | No | Yes — full loan | No |
| Retains asset appreciation | Yes — on retained tokens | No | Yes | No |
In Basket 02, the Originator is a DLD-licensed Real Estate Broker who aggregates a pool of 5 to 100 residential properties from their client base. The Originator acts as the General Partner (GP) of the DIFC PC with 0.1% participation. Each property owner is a Limited Partner (LP) with 99.9% participation over the Assetium-verified value of their specific property within the pool.
The Originator earns the Property Management Fee as GP — between 5% and 8% of monthly gross rents from the pool — plus the launch origination fee — 0.75% from ARDEWA plus up to 1.25% direct from the property owners as broker advisory fee. The Originator builds a recurring income model that does not depend on finding buyers.
ARCHITECTURE
The Dubai Land Department and the DIFC have a formal Memorandum of Understanding that allows the transfer of residential property Title Deeds into a DIFC Prescribed Company at a reduced registration fee of 0.125% of the asset value — compared to the standard 4% DLD transfer fee applicable to conventional sales. The condition is that the Beneficial Owner of the asset remains the same before and after the transfer.
In Basket 02, this condition is satisfied: the property owner contributes their title deed to the DIFC PC via an In-Kind Contribution and simultaneously becomes the LP (Limited Partner) with 99.9% economic participation in the PC. The Beneficial Owner is the same person. The DLD recognises this and applies the 0.125% rate. On a USD 1,500,000 property, this means a registration cost of USD 1,875 versus USD 60,000 for a conventional sale — a saving of USD 58,125 on a single property.
| Step | What Happens | Legal Instrument | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property owner agrees | Owner agrees to contribute property to DIFC PC pool in exchange for tokens | In-Kind Contribution Agreement | USD 0 at this stage |
| DIFC PC constituted | Designated Legal Counsel incorporates the DIFC PC with Qualifying Purpose: GCC Registrable Assets | DIFC PC Constitution · PCR 2024 | USD 100 DIFC fee |
| DLD In-Kind registration | Title Deed transferred from owner to DIFC PC at DLD. Owner becomes LP 99.9% of PC | DLD In-Kind Contribution Filing | 0.125% of property value (MOU fee) |
| Usufruct (if applicable) | Owner who wants to remain in the property signs Usufruct Agreement with the PC for agreed term | Usufruct Agreement · DLD registered | Standard DLD registration fee |
| ARVA tokens minted | Regulated Issuer mints tokens equal to 99.9% of Assetium-verified NAV. Owner receives tokens | ARVA Issuance · XRP Ledger | From proceeds |
WITHOUT LEAVING IT
A Usufruct Agreement (Haqq al-Intifa'a) is a legally recognised instrument under Dubai real property law (Law No. 7/2006 and its amendments) that grants the usufructuary the right to use and enjoy a property owned by another party for a defined period. When registered at the DLD, it creates a legally protected right of occupancy that survives changes in the ownership structure of the property.
In Basket 02, after the owner contributes the Title Deed to the DIFC PC via In-Kind Contribution, the DIFC PC (as new registered owner) simultaneously grants the original owner a Usufruct over the same property. The owner has transferred economic ownership rights to the pool but retains the legal right to live in the property for the agreed term.
| Scenario | USD 15M Pool — 10 Properties | Investor Return Source | CA CIB Eligible? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 properties under usufruct | 100% rental yield generating | Full rental yield Day 1 | Yes |
| 3 properties under usufruct (30%) | 70% rental + 30% NAV appreciation | Mixed — yield + NAV | Yes — at threshold |
| 5+ properties under usufruct (50%+) | 50% rental only | Reduced yield | Conditional — higher yield required |
| All properties under usufruct | 0% rental income | NAV appreciation only | Not eligible for institutional placement |
THREE LAYERS
OF CAPITAL.
| Period | Mortgage Balance | Token Loan | Net Rent / Month | Debt Service | Monthly Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1–3 | USD 1,218,750 → 1,147,000 | Interest only USD 393,750 | USD 8,135 | USD 10,053 | − USD 1,918 |
| Year 4 | USD 1,147,000 → 1,107,000 | USD 0 (paid off) | USD 8,135 | USD 7,428 | + USD 707 |
| Year 5–7 | USD 1,107,000 → 980,000 | USD 0 | USD 8,135 | USD 7,428 | + USD 707 |
| Year 8–10 | USD 980,000 → 840,000 | USD 0 | USD 8,135 | USD 7,428 | + USD 707 |
INDEPENDENT.
IMMUTABLE.
| NAV Component | Methodology | Frequency | Weight in NAV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical asset value | LiDAR-verified floor area × comparable DLD transaction price per m² (90-day rolling average) | Quarterly | 70% |
| Rental income capitalisation | Annualised net rent ÷ market cap rate for the area (Assetium database + RERA ADREC data) | Monthly | 25% |
| Liquidity premium/discount | Assetium algorithm based on pool size, diversification, vacancy rate, and usufruct percentage | Quarterly | 5% |
| Composite NAV per token | Weighted composite — published on XRP Ledger | Quarterly update / Monthly rent component | 100% |
| Item | Rate | Example — 10 Properties USD 15M |
|---|---|---|
| First basket — up to 50 units | USD 30,000 flat fee | USD 30,000 |
| Per unit (within 50-unit package) | USD 1,500–3,000 depending on type/location/complexity | Avg USD 2,250 × 10 = USD 22,500 (within flat fee) |
| Each additional property (post-launch) | USD 1,500–3,000 per unit — standard rate | USD 2,250 average per additional property |
| Annual NAV maintenance | 0.3% of pool NAV per year | USD 45,000/year on USD 15M pool |
| Secondary market transaction fee | 0.01% per transaction on DVA Exchange | ≈ USD 600/year on 40% annual rotation |
EVERY MONTH.
AUTOMATIC.
TO CAPITAL
IN 90–120 DAYS
TRANSPARENT.
NO SURPRISES.
Pool of 10 residential properties in Dubai. Average value USD 1,500,000 each. Total AUM: USD 15,000,000. Pool owners decide on average to sell 70% of their tokens and retain 30%. Capital to be raised from investors: USD 10,500,000.
| Stage | Cost Item | Amount | Paid By | When |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | ARDEWA Onboarding Fee | USD 2,500 | Originator | At signing |
| Step 4 | Assetium Full Verification — 50% initial | USD 15,000 | Originator | Post Distributor confirmation |
| Step 5 | Designated Legal Counsel — DIFC PC + In-Kind + DLD | USD 30,000–90,000 | Originator direct | Post Distributor confirmation |
| Step 5 | DLD In-Kind Contribution (0.125% × USD 15M) | USD 18,750 | Originator direct to DLD | At DLD filing |
| Max pre-proceeds outlay | USD 126,250 | |||
| From proceeds | ARDEWA Structuring Fee (2.5% on USD 10.5M raised) | USD 262,500 | Auto-deducted | At closing |
| From proceeds | ARDEWA Technology Fee Year 1 (USD 2,500/month) | USD 30,000 | Auto-deducted | At closing |
| From proceeds | Regulated Issuer fee (0.5%–0.95%) | USD 52,500–99,750 | Auto-deducted | At closing |
| From proceeds | Regulated Custodian integration + Year 1 custody | USD 40,000–55,000 | Auto-deducted | At closing |
| From proceeds | Assetium remaining 50% verification | USD 15,000 | Auto-deducted | At closing |
| From proceeds | Smart Contract audit | USD 12,000–18,000 | Auto-deducted | At closing |
| Annual | Assetium NAV maintenance (0.3% × USD 15M) | USD 45,000/year | From pool rents | Annually |
| NET CAPITAL TO OWNERS (70% sold) | After all deductions on USD 10.5M raised | ≈ USD 10,042,500 | T+1 |
| Metric | Without ARDEWA — Conventional Sale | With ARDEWA B02 — 70% Sold / 30% Retained |
|---|---|---|
| Exit price (USD 1.5M property) | USD 1,305,000 (−13% market discount) | USD 1,500,000 (Assetium verified NAV) |
| DLD transfer cost | 4% = USD 60,000 | 0.125% MOU = USD 1,875 |
| Agent commission | 2% = USD 30,000 | Included in Originator fee |
| Net capital received Day 1 | USD 1,215,000 | ≈ USD 1,004,250 (70% sold) |
| Retained asset value | USD 0 — permanently lost | USD 450,000 in tokens (30%) |
| Future rents over 3 years (30% retained at 7%) | USD 0 | USD 94,500 |
| Can sell retained tokens if NAV rises | No | Yes — T+1 any time |
| Time to receive capital | 90–180 days (if buyer found) | T+1 from issuance |
| Total real value at 3 years | USD 1,215,000 | ≈ USD 1,548,750 |
STREAMS.
ONE BASKET.
| Income Source | Rate | Example — USD 15M Pool | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Origination Fee (from ARDEWA) | 0.75% of capital raised | USD 78,750 | At launch |
| Broker Advisory Fee (from owners directly) | Up to 1.25% of tokenised value | Up to USD 131,250 | At launch (direct) |
| Property Management Fee | 5%–8% of gross monthly rents | USD 63,000/year (at 6%) | Monthly — perpetual |
| Trading Fee Share (DVA Exchange) | 15% of ARDEWA's 30% DVA share | ≈ USD 540/year | Per transaction — perpetual |
| Total Year 1 | ≈ USD 273,540 | ||
| Total Year 2 and onwards (recurring) | ≈ USD 63,540/year | Automatic | |
| Accumulated over 3 years | ≈ USD 400,620 |
INSTITUTIONAL GRADE.
T+1 EXIT.
| Feature | ARVA B02 Token | Direct Dubai Property Ownership |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum investment | Fraction of token value — no minimum | AED 1,000,000+ (DLD requirement) |
| Time to enter investment | T+1 on secondary market | 60–120 days conveyancing |
| Time to exit investment | T+1 on secondary market | 90–180 days in current market |
| Portfolio diversification (1 investment) | Up to 100 properties via pool | 1 property |
| DLD 4% transfer tax | None — pool absorbs 0.125% once | 4% at purchase + 4% at sale |
| Property management required | No — Originator as GP handles it | Yes — owner burden |
| Independent verification | Assetium LiDAR + satellite quarterly | RICS survey only at purchase |
| Regulatory framework | VARA regulated — ARVA Category 1 | DLD — no investor protection framework |
FROM EUROPE
OR ANYWHERE
A significant portion of Dubai's residential property market is owned by non-resident international buyers — from the UK, France, Russia, India, Pakistan, China, Canada and the Americas. These owners typically face the most acute version of the liquidity problem: their property is in Dubai, generating rent, but the owner cannot easily access the capital without either selling (which requires a buyer in a depressed market) or travelling to execute refinancing paperwork.
For these owners, Basket 02 is entirely executable remotely. The Originator (the DLD-licensed broker managing the property) already has the physical access and the local relationships. The owner executes all documents remotely using the mechanisms below.
- ARDEWA Master Agreement and ASB-B02 signed via DocuSign with eIDAS-certified advanced electronic signature. Fully valid under DIFC Electronic Transactions Law 2017 and UAE Federal Decree-Law 46/2021. No travel required.
- In-Kind Contribution Agreement for the property: signed by the owner via notarised apostilled power of attorney granted to the Originator or Designated Legal Counsel representative in Dubai. European notaries produce apostilles under the 1961 Hague Convention — all EU member states are parties.
- DLD filing: the POA holder (Originator or Designated Legal Counsel UAE representative) executes the DLD In-Kind transfer in person on behalf of the European owner. DLD accepts POA-executed transfers for non-resident owners — standard procedure for international property owners in Dubai.
- KYC/AML: European property owner submits certified copies of passport, proof of UAE property ownership, source of funds declaration, and company registration if applicable, through the Regulated Issuer's digital AML portal. EU residents may provide bank reference letters from European banks as supplementary AML documentation. FATF-compliant countries have streamlined acceptance.
- CA CIB or equivalent MiCA CASP distributor handles investor placement across all 27 EU states under a single MiCA authorisation. European investors and European property owners can both participate in the same basket from their respective jurisdictions without additional regulatory friction.
- Usufruct registration (if applicable): the Dubai property owner can grant a Usufruct to themselves even as a non-resident, registered at DLD by the POA holder. The Usufruct is a DLD-registered instrument enforceable under Dubai law regardless of the owner's residence.
- ARDEWA agreements executed via DocuSign. US electronic signatures under ESIGN Act are recognised when UAE DIFC governing law applies. Canadian provinces accept electronic execution for international agreements.
- In-Kind Contribution Agreement: notarised apostilled POA from the owner's jurisdiction. USA (Hague Convention member), Canada, Brazil, Colombia and Mexico are all Hague Convention parties — apostilles are available through state/provincial authorities in 5–10 business days.
- For non-Hague jurisdictions: consular legalisation through the UAE consulate in the owner's country. Timeline: 2–4 weeks additional for document legalisation versus apostille.
- KYC/AML: US owners submit documentation in accordance with Regulated Issuer requirements. FINCEN-registered entities may use their existing AML compliance documentation as supplementary evidence. Canadian owners provide SIN-linked documentation and FINTRAC-standard AML package. Brazilian and Colombian owners follow the Regulated Issuer's international AML protocol.
- Canadian owners of Dubai property: all processes identical to UAE-based owners with the addition of the apostilled POA. Canadian broker/legal counsel can pre-prepare the POA with notarial certification in their home province. Approximate additional timeline: 1–2 weeks.
- US investors: ARVA B02 tokens distributed through the Regulated Distributor's Rule 144A or Regulation S framework for Qualified Institutional Buyers. ARDEWA does not conduct US securities activities — the Regulated Distributor manages all US regulatory compliance.
- LatAm owners and investors: Designated Legal Counsel identifies appropriate correspondent firms in the owner's jurisdiction for document preparation. ARDEWA coordinates the correspondence chain. Approximate additional timeline: 2–3 weeks versus UAE-based origination.
Basket 02 can also be structured for residential property pools located outside the UAE — for example, Canadian, UK, French or Brazilian properties — using the double-vehicle architecture described in the ARDEWA Canada Commercial Proposal. In this case, a local SPV (Canadian Corporation, UK Limited Company, French SCI, etc.) holds the title deed in the local land registry. The local SPV signs an Assignment of Economic Rights with the DIFC PC in Dubai. The DIFC PC holds the economic rights and against those issues the ARVA tokens on XRP Ledger under VARA.
| Document | UAE Properties | Canadian Properties | EU Properties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local vehicle | None needed — direct DLD | Canadian Corp or LP | SCI / Ltd / GmbH |
| DIFC PC | Direct GCC Registrable Assets | Structured Financing | Structured Financing |
| DLD transfer fee | 0.125% MOU | Local land registry fee | Local notary / land registry |
| Correspondent legal firm | Not required | Required — Osler / Stikeman | Required — local DIFC correspondent |
| Additional timeline | None | +2–4 weeks | +1–3 weeks |
| Additional legal cost | None | USD 25,000–50,000 | USD 15,000–35,000 |
EVERY MITIGANT.
QUALIFY?
EVERY PARTY.
| # | Document | Parties | Purpose | Registry / Filing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ARDEWA Master Services Agreement | ARDEWA ↔ Originator | Framework IaaS services — platform, Dashboard, structuring | — |
| 2 | ASB-B02 — Basket 02 Agreement | ARDEWA ↔ Originator | B02-specific terms, fees, pool definition, timeline | — |
| 3 | DIFC PC Constitution | Designated Legal Counsel + DIFC Registrar | Incorporate DIFC PC — Qualifying Purpose: GCC Registrable Assets | DIFC Registrar |
| 4 | CSP Agreement | Originator ↔ Designated Legal Counsel | CSP services for DIFC PC ongoing administration | — |
| 5 | In-Kind Contribution Agreement (per property) | Property Owner ↔ DIFC PC | Legal transfer of Title Deed to DIFC PC under 0.125% MOU | DLD — In-Kind transfer |
| 6 | Usufruct Agreement (if applicable — per property) | DIFC PC ↔ Property Owner | Grants owner right of personal use for agreed term | DLD — registered instrument |
| 7 | Property Management Agreement | Originator/GP ↔ DIFC PC | Formalises GP role, PM fees, reporting obligations, step-in rights | DIFC PC records |
| 8 | ARVA Issuance Agreement | DIFC PC ↔ Regulated Issuer | ARVA issuance mandate, Whitepaper, VARA filing | — |
| 9 | Custody Agreement | DIFC PC ↔ Regulated Custodian | Token custody, investor wallets, 70% LTV lending where applicable | — |
| 10 | Oracle Service Agreement | Originator ↔ Assetium | LiDAR verification, MKGT satellite, quarterly monitoring, Trust Score | — |
| 11 | Distribution Agreement | Regulated Issuer ↔ Regulated Distributor | Institutional placement mandate, fee arrangements | — |
| 12 | Smart Contract Audit Certificate | Auditor ↔ DIFC PC | Pre-deployment security certification for VARA submission | XRP Ledger (hash) |
| 13 | Token-Backed Loan Agreement (optional — per owner) | Owner ↔ Regulated Custodian | 70% LTV loan against retained tokens for owners who elect leverage | — |
| 14+ | International SPV documents (international baskets) | Local SPV ↔ DIFC PC | Assignment of Economic Rights for non-UAE property pools | Local land registry + DIFC |
DEFINED
ARDEWA Capital Infrastructure · ardewa.com · info@ardewa.com · Dubai, UAE · 2026