In a bold move that could redefine capital markets across the Middle East and Africa, ASEAN fintech leader EDENA and Egypt’s powerhouse BEK Group have inked a joint venture to launch the region’s first 24/7 digital securities exchange—with a $250 million Cairo real estate tokenization as its debut deal.

The agreement was sealed in just 48 hours, a breakneck pace even by startup standards, and comes backed by major political and financial clout. The joint venture is led by Eng. Khaled Abdullah, Chairman of BEK, alongside former Egyptian Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab, who remains a senior advisor to President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.

Their goal? Turn Cairo into the beating heart of digital finance for 70 countries across MENA and sub-Saharan Africa, with a combined population of more than 2 billion.

From Real Estate to a $10B Digital Asset Pipeline

The new exchange will launch with a $250 million mixed-use development in Cairo, tokenized and available for trading around the clock. The platform will support fractional investments with entry points as low as $10, slashing traditional transaction costs by up to 90% and opening up access to premium assets previously reserved for the ultra-wealthy.

According to Wook Lee, CEO of EDENA, this is more than a one-off project:

“We’re creating a financial bridge between Asia and the Middle East-Africa region.”

By 2027, the joint venture is targeting:

• $1 billion in tokenized assets in year one
• $10 billion in transaction volume by 2027
• Active coverage in 30+ countries

Tokenizing Trust: Combining Tech and Geopolitical Muscle

While EDENA brings proven blockchain and exchange infrastructure from its home turf in ASEAN—including a launch in Indonesia planned for September 2025—BEK adds generational trust, political ties, and deep regional networks. Founded in 1949, BEK is one of Egypt’s oldest industrial conglomerates, with Mahlab formerly overseeing Egypt’s most high-profile infrastructure project: the Suez Canal expansion.

This fusion of fintech speed and legacy credibility is a rare cocktail in an emerging market known for bureaucratic delays and regulatory caution.

The agreement gives the platform exclusive tokenization rights across 70 countries in the Middle East and Africa—a strategic moat in a sector that analysts estimate could represent a $2 trillion market opportunity over the next decade.

24/7 Access to Carbon and Real Estate Markets

Beyond property, the platform plans to revolutionize carbon credit trading by connecting Egypt’s domestic carbon assets with global markets—unlocking higher valuations and enabling real-time cross-border trades. With climate-focused investments rising and pressure on global corporations to meet emissions targets, this segment alone could be a breakout use case.

The exchange is built for 24/7/365 trading across time zones—a critical feature for investors in emerging markets who’ve long been constrained by traditional banking hours and settlement delays.

Global Investor Interest, Local Execution

Sources close to the deal say the joint venture has already attracted attention from international institutional investors, keen to tap into tokenized assets in one of the world’s last major untapped markets.

As Eng. Khaled Abdullah put it:

“We’re not just entering the market—we’re creating it.”

That’s not just hype. With a $5 billion project pipeline already mapped out and strong governmental support, the EDENA-BEK exchange could establish Cairo as the regional anchor for decentralized finance, tokenized capital markets, and next-gen investment infrastructure.

The Bigger Picture: A New Digital Finance Corridor

If successful, the project would link EDENA’s growing Southeast Asian network with MENA’s massive consumer base—creating what may become the world’s largest digital finance corridor for emerging markets.

From Jakarta to Johannesburg, this platform could allow a new class of retail investors to buy into everything from real estate in Cairo to carbon credits in Kenya—all with a smartphone and a few dollars.

It’s an audacious bet—but with political buy-in, tech execution, and regional exclusivity, it’s one that may just pay off.