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hristie's International Real Estate is embracing cryptocurrency, allowing clients to buy and sell luxury homes directly in digital currency. This move follows significant progress on crypto legislation in the US, with major players accelerating their adoption of cryptocurrencies. The luxury real estate arm of Christie's auction house has dedicated a team to handling transactions via crypto payments.
With a portfolio worth over $1 billion, sellers are willing to accept cryptocurrency for their properties. According to Aaron Kirman, CEO of Christie's International Real Estate, the firm has already closed deals in crypto and sees high demand from high-net-worth clients seeking anonymity in purchases. The move comes as the US solidifies regulations surrounding stablecoins with the GENIUS Act.
Christie's is one of the world's largest luxury brokerages, projecting $5.7 billion in global sales for 2025. Its International Real Estate branch operates in nearly 50 countries, including major markets like New York and London. Kirman views the increasing demand for cryptocurrency as a sign of openness to innovative buyers seeking real-world assets.
This is not Christie's first involvement in crypto; it was a key player in the NFT boom, hosting auctions via its on-chain platform Christie's 3.0. The firm brokered the landmark Beeple Everyday 1/1 NFT, which sold for $69.3 million in 2021. Last month, the US federal housing agency directed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to consider cryptocurrency holdings in mortgage loan risk assessments, provided they are held on regulated exchanges.
