Nawy enters GCC PropTech market with Strategic acquisition of SmartCrowd

Abbas Aziz By Abbas Aziz
3 Min Read

Egypt-based real estate tech company Nawy has officially entered the GCC market by acquiring a majority stake in Dubai’s SmartCrowd, a DFSA-regulated platform pioneering fractional property investment in the region. The move strengthens Nawy’s position as a leading PropTech force across MENA. This funding follows its recent $52 million Series A funding round.

A Game-Changing Entry into GCC

Backed by investment powerhouse e& Capital, Nawy is expanding its regional footprint by integrating SmartCrowd into its growing ecosystem. The acquisition is part of Nawy’s broader mission to become the all-in-one property super-app for the Middle East and Africa.

SmartCrowd is no newcomer. Since its launch in 2018, it has:

  • âś… Facilitated $110 million in real estate transactions
  • âś… Distributed over $40 million in rental income and returns
  • âś… Served investors from 130+ countries
  • âś… Exited more than 50 successful property investments

Its flagship offering, Flip, focuses on buying, renovating, and reselling undervalued properties within 15 months, yielding an average 30% ROI as of June 2025.

SmartCrowd + Nawy = A Powerful PropTech Engine

The acquisition bolsters Nawy’s already diverse portfolio of real estate services. Nawy’s platform now includes:

  • âś… Nawy Now – Home financing solutions
  • âś… Nawy Shares – A fractional ownership platform
  • âś… Nawy Unlocked – Home finishing and asset enhancement services
  • âś… Nawy Partners – A B2B real estate brokerage network

With SmartCrowd in the mix, Nawy is now positioned to deliver a full-stack, tech-powered property investment experience, covering everything from discovery and financing to co-ownership and asset upgrades.

“This is a transformative moment,” said Riz Ahmed, CEO of SmartCrowd. “With shared vision and values, our partnership accelerates our growth from a startup to a regional leader in real estate investment.”

Nawy CEO Mostafa El-Beltagy added, “SmartCrowd brings a proven investment engine rooted in trust and performance. Together, we’re building the future of real estate, data-driven, accessible, and built for today’s digital investor.”

Market Timing: Perfect

The acquisition comes at a pivotal time. The UAE’s real estate investment market is projected to reach $33 billion by 2030, fueled by trends like:

  • âś… Fractional ownership
  • âś… Tokenisation of real estate assets
  • âś… Cross-border investment accessibility

This positions Nawy and SmartCrowd at the forefront of a booming sector with strong investor interest.

The Bigger Picture

With more than 1 million monthly users and $3 billion in gross merchandise value to date, Nawy is fast becoming one of the most influential players in the region’s PropTech space. The SmartCrowd acquisition marks a strategic leap forward, offering users across MENA a seamless, digitally-native way to invest in and benefit from real estate.