Stake and ACE & Company Partner to Expand UAE Real Estate Liquidity Options
Stake, a MENA digital real estate investment platform, has entered into a strategic partnership with Switzerland-based investment group ACE & Company to develop liquidity solutions for investors in Stake products. ACE & Company manages more than US$2 billion in assets and brings experience in private markets and secondary transactions to the collaboration.
The initial phase of the partnership will focus on Stake’s UAE real estate portfolio, which is held through Prescribed Companies that function similarly to Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) within the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). The two firms said the framework is designed to improve liquidity, transparency and efficiency for fractional real estate investors.
According to the announcement, the initiative combines Stake’s access model with ACE & Company’s secondary market expertise to support investors who may seek clearer exit options and greater flexibility. Stake will operate the framework under DFSA-regulated permissions within the DIFC.
The companies said the partnership reflects confidence in the long-term fundamentals of the UAE real estate market, pointing to the country’s economic resilience, political stability, infrastructure development and continued interest from foreign investors.
Leadership Statements
Manar Mahmassani, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Stake, said the UAE has historically rewarded investors who commit with long-term conviction. He added that Stake was launched during the COVID-19 period, when Dubai’s property market was under pressure, but the company saw a sector that was fundamentally sound rather than structurally broken.
Sherif El Halwagy, Partner and Co-Founder at ACE & Company, said the firm sees a significant opportunity in UAE real estate secondaries, drawing on nearly two decades of experience in providing liquidity across private markets. He said the partnership reflects ACE & Company’s confidence in the country’s long-term fundamentals.
What the Partnership Aims to Address
Fractional real estate investment has opened property ownership to a broader investor base, but liquidity has remained a key consideration for market participants. By focusing on secondary market infrastructure, the partnership seeks to address one of the main challenges in private real estate investing: how investors can exit positions more easily and with greater price visibility.
The initiative also highlights the growing role of regulated structures in supporting proptech innovation in the UAE. With Stake operating within the DIFC framework, the partnership aligns with the broader trend of using established financial and regulatory hubs to support new investment models.
Industry Analysis
This partnership may signal increasing maturity in the UAE’s fractional real estate market. If successful, improved secondary market mechanisms could make property-linked investments more attractive to both retail and institutional participants by reducing illiquidity concerns. The collaboration also underscores how proptech platforms are moving beyond access and distribution to address lifecycle needs such as exit and portfolio management.
For the wider market, the focus on regulated liquidity solutions could help strengthen investor confidence in digital real estate products and support further adoption of fractional ownership models in the UAE.
