Web3 technologies and digital assets are steadily transforming the real estate industry, making it more accessible, global, and liquid. Over the past few years, the adoption of decentralized solutions in various real estate segments has accelerated significantly. As of 2025, it’s clear that the future of this market is closely tied to cryptocurrencies, tokenization, decentralized finance (DeFi), and other Web3 innovations.
We sat down with Max Krupyshev, CEO of CoinsPaid, to get his take on where things are heading.
Trends in Web3 Adoption in Real Estate
How do you see the current scale and depth of Web3 and crypto integration in real estate?
Interest is definitely there, strong and growing. But on a structural level, we’re just at the beginning. More and more, we’re getting requests for compliant and transparent ways to accept USDT or BTC in property deals. Developers and landlords are experimenting with crypto payments, we’re seeing tokenization pilots, and even some DeFi concepts. But for now, these are still one-off cases.
On one side, growth is held back by legal and infrastructure barriers. On the other hand, it’s the perception of crypto as complicated, risky, or unstable. We regularly attend industry events and see these stereotypes firsthand. But they melt away pretty quickly once you sit down, walk people through the basics, show real use cases, and share some of our own experience.
When did crypto and blockchain really start changing real estate?
The real shift started in 2021. That’s when attention to the space exploded, and the first major property deal with crypto payments went public. One standout was a penthouse in Arte Surfside, Miami Beach, sold for $22.5M in USDC. That wasn’t just a record-breaking number – it was a market signal: crypto isn’t just for investment; it can be used as real money.
Same year, the whole NFT hype peaked. Sure, the speculative art craze cooled off, but the tech found a second life in real-world asset tokenization. And today, alongside gold and securities, real estate is one of the most actively tokenized asset classes.
Tokenization, DeFi, and Crypto
How much of the tokenized real estate potential has been unlocked – and what’s next?
In my view, only a small fraction of tokenized real estate has been unlocked. Dozens of platforms – especially in the U.S., Portugal, and the UAE – already allow investors to buy fractional ownership through tokens. But for now, these are local initiatives with limited reach.
The main barriers are legal. In most countries, token ownership isn’t formally recognized or doesn’t align with government property registries. Technologically and conceptually, the market is ready, but there’s a lack of regulatory alignment between Web3 infrastructure and traditional ownership institutions.
That said, interest is growing. Tokenization enables fractional ownership, opens doors to small-scale investors, and simplifies cross-border transactions. If the industry continues at its current pace, tokenization could become a standard investment tool in advanced jurisdictions within 3–5 years, especially in commercial real estate.
What’s your view on crypto-backed mortgage models? Can DeFi seriously compete with traditional lending?
There are already lending platforms offering mortgages backed by Bitcoin or stablecoins. But these are still niche offerings with limited scalability.
That said, using crypto as collateral is a great way to make real estate more accessible, especially for tech workers, freelancers, investors, influencers – people who have digital assets but no formal credit history. Mostly, younger generations who just don’t fit into the traditional banking mold.
If hybrid models emerge – say, partially backed by stablecoins, with collateral insurance and legal clarity – we could absolutely see DeFi-based mortgage options become a real alternative to banks within 3–7 years. And crypto processing plays a key role here – connecting digital assets, fiat, and real-world transactions, while making the whole thing transparent, automated, and smooth.
What role do crypto payments and service providers play in bringing Web3 into real estate?
Crypto payments are often the first real step into Web3 for most players in the real estate market. Just having a simple, secure way to accept USDT or BTC – that’s the entry point.
And that’s exactly where CoinsPaid comes in. We don’t just handle the payment – we build the whole infrastructure: connecting all the dots to make transactions seamless, automated, and compliant.
In real-world terms, that means:
- Converting crypto to fiat on demand, with full regulatory compliance
- Automating rent or fractional payments via API and smart contracts
- Embedding KYC/AML tools to keep everything fully legal
Crypto processing is what makes these deals fast, trustworthy, and transparent, especially for international buyers and sellers.
Real-World Usage of Crypto in Real Estate
What are the latest trends in how traditional players are using digital assets – realtors, developers, landlords?
Adoption is still happening in pockets, but it’s picking up speed. In Dubai, developers are accepting crypto thanks to partnerships with processors. In Portugal, you’ll already find deals happening without fiat. In Turkey, more agencies now offer crypto payment options for non-residents.
Landlords are catching on, too – especially those focused on international clients and digital nomads. In short-term rentals, co-living spaces, and coworking hubs, accepting crypto is becoming a competitive advantage.
How is CoinsPaid adjusting to real estate needs? What exactly do you offer?
We offer a full-stack crypto payment solution tailored for the real estate world, built for developers, agents, landlords, and property managers.
We support 20+ cryptocurrencies and convert instantly into 40+ fiat currencies, with no need for clients to actually hold crypto.
Here’s what it looks like:
- The seller opens a wallet
- Buyer pays in crypto
- Seller gets the fiat to their bank account
There’s also escrow, invoices, POS terminals, split payments, volatility protection, and bookkeeping support.
All of that comes wrapped in KYC/AML compliance, ISO certification, and hands-on support. CoinsPaid makes crypto transactions in real estate easy, safe, and fully legal.
What pain points in real estate are crypto solutions solving right now?
We’re removing several big barriers.
First – cross-border payments. Bank transfers can take days, require proof of funds, go through multiple banks, and come with high fees. Crypto payments? Done in 10–15 minutes, no middlemen, fully traceable, instantly converted to fiat.
Another one: non-resident buyers. Banks often block or delay them, especially from “unlisted” countries. Crypto solves this. Buyers can pay from any wallet, and the processor handles compliance checks.
Here’s a real-life scenario.
A buyer from Argentina wants to buy an apartment in Portugal. He has USDT, but no EU bank account. The developer works with CoinsPaid. We send the buyer an invoice, he pays in crypto, and the developer receives euros in their local account. No delays, no issues with proof of funds, no stress. Fast, clean, documented.
In short, crypto solutions speed up deals, cut costs, and open the market to a global audience, removing all kinds of friction.
What’s Next for Crypto and Web3 in Real Estate
What has to change for crypto to become a common payment method in real estate?
Three things: clear regulation, mainstream business trust, and infrastructure that makes crypto as easy and safe to use as fiat. In my view, we’re getting close. Large providers like CoinsPaid are solving compliance and transaction challenges, while the market is shifting from exploration to real-world use.
How do you see the Web3 and real estate connection evolving from here?
I think it will happen in phases, starting with wider adoption of crypto payments, especially for cross-border transactions and rentals.
Next, we’ll see growing tokenization, with more properties split into digital shares and easier tools for ownership and investment.
In parallel, legal frameworks will adapt, recognizing smart contracts and digital ownership. Technology providers like CoinsPaid will keep bridging Web3 tools and traditional business processes, making next-gen financial instruments widely available and secure.
