DigiFT, a regulated digital asset exchange, has announced a strategic partnership with Hines, a global real estate investment manager, to facilitate the tokenisation and distribution of an indirect investment in a Hines-managed real estate portfolio. This initiative will be available exclusively to accredited, professional, and institutional investors, offering them tokenised access to a fund investing in a portfolio valued at over US$6b.
The collaboration marks one of the first instances of on-chain distribution for institutional-quality private real estate, a sector traditionally characterised by high entry barriers and complex operations. This move reflects a growing trend among asset managers and digital platforms to modernise capital markets infrastructure without altering existing fund structures or regulatory safeguards.
Paul Ferraro, Global Head of Private Wealth Solutions at Hines, stated, “We aim to expand global access to institutional-quality global real estate through modern and regulated channels whilst maintaining strong governance and investor safeguards.” This sentiment was echoed by Hao Zhan, Head of Asia Private Wealth Solutions at Hines, who highlighted the importance of secure and innovative channels tailored to regional needs.
Henry Zhang, Founder and Group CEO of DigiFT, emphasised that tokenisation is about improving distribution and access to institutional strategies. The collaboration supports digital issuance and ownership records, streamlined distribution across jurisdictions, and lays the groundwork for compliant secondary transfers.
DigiFT, regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore and the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission, continues to bridge traditional asset management with next-generation capital markets infrastructure. This partnership with Hines underscores the alignment between established asset managers and regulated digital platforms, aiming to enhance capital markets infrastructure whilst maintaining investor protections.
