Maalexi has raised $2.8 million from Tawuniya, Global Ventures, and angel investors to build MAATEX, a regulated exchange for tokenized agricultural assets.
Cross-border agricultural trade remains one of the world’s largest industries, yet transactions are often slowed by fragmented documentation, manual verification, and lengthy settlement processes.
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Agritech and supply chain fintech startup Maalexi aims to modernize that infrastructure after securing USD 2.8 million in an oversubscribed funding round led by Saudi insurer Tawuniya.
The round also attracted participation from Global Ventures and a group of angel investors from the Middle East and the United States.
The fresh capital will support the development of MAATEX, a platform the company describes as the world’s first regulated exchange for tokenized agricultural assets.
Founded in 2021 by Dr. Azam Pasha and Rohit Majhi, Maalexi is building digital infrastructure for global agricultural trade by combining artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, Internet of Things (IoT) monitoring, and automated settlement systems.
Its platform enables the verification, monitoring, and digital representation of agricultural commodities, intending to reduce counterparty risk, improve transparency, and make cross-border commodity trading more efficient for institutional participants.
Rather than launching a standalone blockchain marketplace, Maalexi said MAATEX is being built on top of the operational verification and risk management systems the company has developed over the past three years.
The startup believes that digitising verified agricultural assets can improve price discovery, enhance trust between buyers and sellers, and shorten settlement times across international supply chains.
“Maalexi has built a disciplined, risk-focused platform that connects physical agricultural trade with emerging digital asset infrastructure,” said Fahad Bin Muammar, Chief Investment Officer at Tawuniya.
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The investment reflects growing institutional interest in real-world asset (RWA) tokenisation, one of the fastest-growing segments of digital finance. Financial institutions worldwide are increasingly exploring blockchain technology to digitise traditional assets ranging from real estate and private credit to commodities and infrastructure.
For Saudi Arabia, the investment aligns with broader efforts to strengthen its position as a regional hub for financial technology, blockchain innovation, and digital asset infrastructure under Vision 2030.
Backing from a publicly listed financial institution such as Tawuniya also signals increasing confidence among traditional financial players in blockchain-enabled financial infrastructure.
If successful, MAATEX could make agricultural commodity trading more accessible to institutional investors while improving liquidity, transparency, and operational efficiency across global supply chains.
Looking ahead, Maalexi’s next milestone will be transitioning from its existing trade verification platform to a fully regulated digital exchange.
As regulatory frameworks for tokenised real-world assets continue to evolve globally, the company’s ability to secure regulatory approvals, attract institutional participants, and scale trading activity will determine whether blockchain-based agricultural exchanges become part of the future of global commodity markets.
Why Maalexi Funding Matters to MENA
The funding highlights growing GCC interest in real-world asset (RWA) tokenization, where traditional industries such as agriculture are being connected to blockchain-based financial infrastructure.
As governments across the Gulf push to become global fintech and digital asset hubs, platforms that tokenize commodities and improve cross-border trade could become an important part of the region’s financial ecosystem.
For MENA, the deal is also significant because it brings together a major Saudi financial institution and a blockchain-enabled agritech startup. If successful, MAATEX could demonstrate how regulated digital asset exchanges can improve transparency, settlement speed, and access to agricultural markets, creating a model that could be replicated across other commodity sectors in the region.
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