UAE’s Mbank and EWIG Embrace Blockchain with AE Coin for Real Estate

Editorial Team

Last updated 13-11-2025

3 min

Al Maryah Community Bank partners with EWIG to bring AE Coin to UAE’s property market.

Leveraging blockchain, the initiative offers instant, traceable payments, reducing traditional transaction delays.

Regulated by the UAE Central Bank, it ensures credibility and transparency, enhancing buyer confidence.

This collaboration aligns with the UAE’s vision for a digitally integrated economy, uniting fintech and real estate.

Success could pave the way for broader cashless, blockchain-verified asset transactions across the MENA region.

It seems the UAE’s digital banking scene is taking another confident step forward. Al Maryah Community Bank (Mbank), known as the country’s first fully integrated digital bank, has teamed up with East & West International Group (EWIG) to bring AE Coin—the UAE’s AED‑backed stablecoin—into the heart of the property market. The move allows EWIG’s clients to pay for everything from new homes to rent using AE Coin through the AEC Wallet app.

Now, on the face of it, that might sound a bit niche, but it’s actually a big deal. Real estate payments are usually bogged down by paperwork and transfers that take ages. With blockchain’s instant settlement and traceable transaction system, this partnership trims away all that faff. It’s regulated too, under the umbrella of the UAE Central Bank, giving the whole thing a proper backbone rather than just another crypto experiment.

EWIG, which has been building luxury villas since the early ’90s, seems rather chuffed to be first out of the gate. Its general manager, Dr Hussein Abdelqader Harhara, said the project fits neatly into the company’s plan to make transactions more transparent and efficient—words that property buyers everywhere will find music to their ears. Mbank’s CEO Mohammed Wassim Khayata echoed that enthusiasm, calling the move a crucial step in speeding up blockchain adoption in the UAE’s high‑value industries.

And I reckon he’s spot on. The idea of tapping your phone to pay for an apartment feels futuristic, sure, but in the Emirates that future is creeping up faster than most realise. The folks behind AE Coin argue it’s not just about new currency—it’s about reshaping the very plumbing of financial systems. Ramez Rafeek, general manager at AED Stablecoin, put it plainly: this is real‑world blockchain adoption, not just hype on a slide deck.

The AEC Wallet, already live on iOS, Android and Huawei’s AppGallery, lets verified users do instant payments for property purchases or rent without the waiting game traditional bank transfers demand. For anyone who’s ever stared at a “payment pending” screen while juggling rent deadlines, that sounds like a welcome change.

From a bigger-picture view, the collaboration also sends a message about the UAE’s wider digital economy vision—an ecosystem where fintech and real estate start talking to each other instead of working in silos. Having watched startup founders in Abu Dhabi tinker with similar blockchain pilots, I can say this one feels a touch more grounded.

That said, I’m curious to see how quickly other developers follow suit. Change in property markets, after all, tends to move slower than a Friday queue at the coffee shop. Still, if EWIG’s gamble pays off, it could set the tone for a broader shift toward cashless, blockchain‑verified assets right across the MENA region. And that’s the kind of shift we at Arageek keep a close eye on—because each small, regulated step like this can spark something transformative.

So yes, AE Coin in real estate might still sound a bit geeky today, but give it time. In a few years, paying for a villa with digital dirhams could be as ordinary as tapping for your morning karak… well, almost. It’s definately a story we’ll keep watching.

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