Manifest, a groundbreaking platform making U.S. private equity real estate globally accessible through blockchain, has raised $2.5 million in pre-seed funding. The round was co-led by VanEck Ventures and Lattice Fund, with backing from Compound and SALT. Emerging from top crypto accelerators CV and Alliance, Manifest is reshaping the way investors tap into the $35 trillion U.S. home equity market—making institutional-grade real estate investments possible in under 30 seconds.
“American real estate has consistently proven to be one of the most stable and high-performing assets globally. Yet, for international investors, accessing this market often feels impossible,” said Manifest’s CEO and Co-Founder, Nathaniel Sokoll-Ward. “Complex processes, costly transactions, and geographic barriers have held investors back. Manifest changes all that. We’re combining the global reach of Bitcoin with the utility of stablecoins—unlocking real estate investment opportunities for anyone, anywhere, at blockchain speed.”
Real Estate Tokenization: A Broken Model—Until Now
For years, attempts to tokenize real estate have stumbled. Most solutions tried to fractionalize direct ownership—burdening investors with landlord duties, high fees, and liquidity challenges. Worse, they failed to address the key barriers of scaling or delivering access to prime real estate opportunities.
Manifest offers a fresh approach designed for scalability and accessibility. Their model mirrors the way stablecoins tap into U.S. Treasuries—but instead, Manifest unlocks U.S. home equity without the headaches of property management.
Here’s how they’re making it possible:
- DeFi Integration Unlocks New Capital
Manifest seamlessly connects U.S. real estate with the decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem. This move opens up a $3 trillion pool of on-chain capital, creating new investment avenues for stablecoin holders and real-world asset (RWA) investors. - Home Equity Investments (HEIs) Power a Scalable Model
Unlike traditional property investments, Manifest leverages HEIs—a Wall Street-backed asset offering exposure to U.S. home price appreciation without ownership or maintenance costs. This structure provides predictable yields, premium collateral, and liquidity—all recorded transparently on the blockchain.
Introducing $USH: The Future of Real Estate Investment
At the heart of Manifest’s offering is $USH, a tokenized real estate asset designed to overcome the pitfalls of previous models. Backed by HEIs, $USH delivers:
- Institutional-Grade Real Estate Exposure
Investors get private equity-level access to U.S. residential housing—without the long holding periods or high fees. - Massive Off-Market Discounts
By moving fast, Manifest secures properties at nearly 50% below fair market value—maximizing returns for investors. - Global Access, Made Simple
With $USH, anyone worldwide can invest in U.S. real estate just as easily as buying Bitcoin. - Tax-Efficient Structure
Designed for perpetual tax deferral, $USH enhances reinvestment potential—keeping more capital compounding over time. - Composability Across DeFi
Investors can borrow against $USH, leverage it, or earn additional yields by integrating across DeFi protocols. - Unmatched Transparency
Every asset is fully visible on-chain, giving investors real-time insights into valuations, portfolios, and collateral health.
Wyatt Lonergan, General Partner at VanEck Ventures, expressed his excitement: “Manifest is reimagining real estate investment—making it tokenized, fractionalized, and accessible to everyone. With just a few taps, global investors can own a piece of the world’s most valuable asset class. We’re thrilled to support this mission to democratize wealth creation.”
Seasoned Founders Leading the Charge
Manifest was co-founded by seasoned industry veterans, Nathaniel Sokoll-Ward and Robert V. Lee. Nathaniel previously co-founded Roostify, a digital mortgage platform that processed over $600 billion in loans for major banks like Chase and HSBC. Meanwhile, Robert spent a decade as a Deloitte consultant advising Fortune 500 companies on finance and innovation strategies.
“At Lattice, we invest in founders pushing the boundaries of value creation on-chain,” added Mike Zajko, co-founder of Lattice Fund. “Manifest is building the bridge between traditional finance and crypto infrastructure—making U.S. real estate truly liquid and globally accessible while ensuring transparency and trust.”
What’s Next for Manifest?
With fresh funding in hand, Manifest plans to roll out $USH while forging strategic partnerships and integrating with DeFi protocols. The team aims to introduce new financial instruments, expanding global access to U.S. real estate markets like never before.
This bold vision could redefine real estate investing—transforming it from a slow, exclusive game to a fast, inclusive opportunity available worldwide.
