Hamilton, a protocol that provides technology for turning real-world assets in MENA into digital tokens on Bitcoin, has raised $1.7 million in a pre-seed round. The funding was led by Egyptian fintech-focused VC DisrupTech Ventures, with support from CMS, DeSpread, Hyperithm, Core Ventures, and other investors, the company announced earlier this week.
Founded in 2024 by Mohamed Elkasstawi and Ehab Zaghloul, Hamilton is building a protocol to tokenize real-world assets including treasury bills, sukuk, and real estate on Bitcoin. The startup aims to make institutional-grade investments accessible to individuals and institutions worldwide, with a particular focus on emerging markets in the MENA region.
The protocol has already achieved a significant milestone by completing its first transaction on July 4, 2024, tokenizing U.S. Treasury bills on Bitcoin Layer 2 solutions including Stacks, Core, and BoB.
Hamilton is launching three main products: HUSD, a Bitcoin-native stablecoin backed by U.S. Treasury bills; HUST, tokenized U.S. Treasuries; and Publius, a platform for financial institutions to tokenize assets on Bitcoin.
Mohamed Elkasstawi, CEO of Hamilton, said, “Bitcoin isn’t just digital gold—it’s the foundational layer of future capital markets. With unparalleled security, decentralization, and resilience, Bitcoin provides the ideal infrastructure to democratize access to capital markets for everyone, everywhere.”
The startup aims to address financial access barriers in MENA markets, where currency devaluation and economic instability often limit growth and financial security. The RWA market is projected to reach $30 trillion by 2030, according to the statement.
“Investments in gold, Treasury bills, and fixed income products have traditionally been exclusive to individuals and institutions with millions in capital. Hamilton is breaking down these barriers through tokenization, enabling anyone, anywhere in the world, to participate in these institutional-grade investments with just one dollar,” said Malek Sultan, Co-Founder and Partner of DisrupTech Ventures.
The founders bring significant expertise to the project, with backgrounds in blockchain and fintech, particularly in emerging markets. The fresh funds will be used to further develop the protocol and expand its offerings in the MENA RWA space on Bitcoin.
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