Doha, Qatar, Monday 2nd February 2026 – BLOXX, a fintech founded by former banking executive Chris Smith and co-founded by actor and producer Cliff Curtis, today announced the launch of ĀRIKI BLOXX. The new joint venture is focused on delivering community-led housing solutions at scale. The announcement was made during BLOXX’s centre stage talk at Web Summit Qatar, highlighting the Middle East as a region of strategic interest for the partnership.
Doha, Qatar, Monday 2nd February 2026 – BLOXX, a fintech founded by former banking executive Chris Smith and co-founded by actor and producer Cliff Curtis, today announced the launch of ĀRIKI BLOXX. The new joint venture is focused on delivering community-led housing solutions at scale. The announcement was made during BLOXX’s centre stage talk at Web Summit Qatar, highlighting the Middle East as a region of strategic interest for the partnership.
ĀRIKI BLOXX brings together BLOXX’s home equity subscription platform with the cultural leadership and expertise of ĀRIKI Group, led by Cliff Curtis. The joint venture positions housing as a social and cultural asset rather than just a financial one and is rooted in core indigenous values.
BLOXX enables homeownership with a 1% deposit, allowing buyers to build equity through fixed monthly payments without mortgages or debt. ĀRIKI BLOXX builds on this model to align impact capital with communities and enable long-term, equitable housing solutions.
The joint venture earmarks the Middle East as a priority region due to the intersection of institutional capital, long-term national planning and large-scale housing delivery, including social housing aspirations. These circumstances closely align with the ĀRIKI BLOXX approach, which is built to support patient capital, transparent investment structures and sustainable ownership outcomes across diverse markets and within local communities.
Chris Smith, Founder and CEO of BLOXX, said: “The Middle East represents an alignment of long-term capital, ambition and the willingness to rethink how housing is delivered. ĀRIKI BLOXX is about enabling communities to develop land for their own people, following their own cultural values. Our housing model connects government funding and impact capital to a scalable, transparent subscription model giving ownership back to local communities.”
Cliff Curtis, Co-founder and Chief Communications Officer of BLOXX, added: “Homes have become detached from the people and communities they are meant to serve. ĀRIKI BLOXX is about restoring that connection. It becomes a way of building homes that respect land, culture and future generations, while still meeting the needs of global capital and long-term impact.”
Across the Middle East, governments and investors are actively exploring new frameworks that balance affordability, cultural continuity and long-term economic resilience. Announcing the partnership at Web Summit Qatar reflects the increasing relevance of community-led housing in regions seeking alternatives to debt-driven housing systems.
BLOXX launched in New Zealand with imminent plans to scale across the UK and other international markets.
To learn more about BLOXX, visit: https://www.bloxxhome.com/
About BLOXX
BLOXX is a fintech company transforming homeownership. Its platform enables buyers to start with a 1 percent deposit and build equity through fixed monthly subscription payments without mortgages or debt. Founded in New Zealand, BLOXX is expanding into the UK and other international markets to meet rising global demand for housing solutions that are fair, transparent and flexible.
