Christie’s Launches Crypto Division for Luxury Real Estate Transactions

Christie’s has become the first major brokerage in the U.S. to assemble a dedicated team for crypto transactions –  a move that could accelerate the adoption of digital assets in high-end property deals.

Christie’s Launches Crypto Real Estate Sales

Christie’s International Real Estate has announced the launch of a new department dedicated to handling real estate deals paid for in cryptocurrency. The division of the renowned auction house Christie’s has become the first major brokerage in the U.S. to assemble a dedicated team for crypto transactions – a move that could accelerate digital asset adoption in high-end property deals.

The division is led by Aaron Kirman, CEO of Christie’s Southern California. He explained that the move was inspired by several successful high-profile crypto transactions, including the $65 million Bitcoin-funded purchase of a Beverly Hills property. As of now, Christie’s has a portfolio of more than $1 billion in listings from sellers willing to accept cryptocurrency.

This move is in line with Christie’s broader digital asset strategy. Back in 2021, the auction house became the first major player to sell an NFT (Beeple’s “Everydays: The First 5000 Days”) for a record-breaking $69.3 million. In 2022, it launched Christie’s 3.0, its own platform for digital art auctions built on the Ethereum blockchain. Expanding into crypto real estate is a natural continuation of its push into the Web3 space and its effort to attract a new generation of investors.

Benefits of Crypto Transactions for Buyers

How exactly will these crypto real estate deals work? Christie’s has formed a team of lawyers, analysts, and crypto experts to streamline the process and make transactions as seamless and transparent as possible. Buyers and sellers will be able to complete transactions using digital currencies, without turning to banks. Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) are the primary currencies currently accepted.

The motivations for buyers are clear: privacy and speed. Aaron Kirman stated:

We’ve been really successful at protecting buyer identity. And if my seller feels comfortable not knowing the identity of his buyer, then God bless America.

Buyers often use LLCs funded with cryptocurrency, which makes transactions less transparent than those using traditional banking. Crypto transfers also offer notable advantages in terms of cost and speed. Standard international real estate deals may take days or weeks to complete and incur fees of 2-5%. In contrast, crypto payments typically cost less than 1% and clear in minutes.

For Christie’s, this is a strategy to attract wealthy crypto holders looking to diversify into real-world assets (RWA). The fact that crypto is now being used in such a traditional sector as luxury real estate signals that digital currencies are reaching a level of maturity.

Cryptocurrency in Real Estate: Cases and Trends

Buying property with cryptocurrency is no longer a novelty – it’s becoming standard practice. By mid-2025, it’s estimated that 7-10% of U.S. properties, particularly luxury homes, now accept crypto payments. That figure far exceeds Europe’s 3-5%, highlighting how integrated crypto has become in certain U.S. housing markets.

Beyond Christie’s, several other projects are actively developing crypto real estate services.

Another notable player in the U.S. market is The Alexander Team x Side. This agency has completed several high-end property deals fully paid in cryptocurrency, including homes in Miami and Los Angeles. The firm actively promotes crypto asset usage for home buying and serves international crypto investors.

Propy, a blockchain platform, has been operating in this space for several years. It automates real estate transactions using smart contracts and enables remote crypto deals. Also worth noting is RealT, a firm specializing in property tokenization. It lets investors buy fractional ownership in real estate via NFTs, making property investment accessible even with modest capital.

In London, wealthy investors are also turning to Bitcoin for real estate purchases, a sign that crypto is gaining credibility even in traditional financial centers. These developments are driving further integration of digital assets into the global real estate market.

What Opportunities Are Emerging in This Sector?

• Broader Buyer Pool: Firms accepting crypto gain access to a new class of wealthy digital asset holders.
• Transaction Efficiency: Crypto payments are faster, cheaper, and remove bureaucratic hurdles, especially in cross-border transactions. Smart contracts and stablecoins make the process even safer and more predictable.
• Portfolio Diversification: For crypto millionaires and billionaires, real estate offers a tangible hedge against inflation and a way to rebalance portfolios.
• Regulatory Support: Recent U.S. legislation: such as the GENIUS Act (governing stablecoins) and the CLARITY Act (aimed at protecting crypto from overregulation) is helping to clarify the legal landscape.

What Challenges Should Buyers Be Aware Of?

• Volatility: Sharp price swings in cryptocurrencies can jeopardize deals, especially when the asset value changes between agreement and closing. Some deals may fall out of escrow because of this [Propmodo.com].
• Regulatory and Tax Complexities: Compliance with strict KYC and AML rules is required, along with adapting accounting and legal frameworks for digital assets. That said, many buyers still prefer maintaining anonymity during purchases.
• Security and Custody: Safely storing and managing large crypto holdings demands specialized infrastructure and expertise. Professional custodians typically handle these needs for institutional clients.
• Seller Acceptance: Not all sellers are ready to accept crypto directly, often preferring fiat. However, using stablecoins as an intermediary helps, as converting them to fiat is straightforward.

Aaron Kirman believes that in the next five years, one out of every three U.S. residential property transactions will involve cryptocurrency. The tokenization of real-world assets (RWA) allows expensive properties to be split into digital shares, opening access for investors with smaller budgets.

Christie’s crypto division is a clear signal that digital assets are becoming part of everyday business.