Tech Talks The $300 Trillion Question: Can You Buy a Home Without a Bank?
Nov 19, 2025
Chris Smith, a former career banker and the driving force behind Bloxx, discusses the challenging landscape of homeownership and the need for change. He highlights how traditional banks have made buying a home a financial “game of monopoly.” Bloxx offers a groundbreaking alternative by allowing buyers to purchase homes with just a 1% deposit and access equity through innovative Web3 solutions. The conversation uncovers how Bloxx connects buyers directly to institutional capital, significantly reducing costs and transforming the rental market into a pathway to ownership.
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Equity-First Home Buying Model
- Bloxx replaces debt-based home buying by letting buyers acquire equity progressively instead of borrowing a mortgage.
- This model creates a new asset class attractive to institutional capital and reduces customer costs by removing interest margins.
Institutional Demand Meets Social Impact
- Institutional investors are underserved for large-scale residential exposure and seek direct asset returns, not just interest rates.
- Bloxx opens residential property as a scalable asset class that aligns capital with social outcomes.
From Social Housing To Banking Catalyst
- Chris Smith grew up in Yorkshire in social housing and entered banking as the first in his family to attend university.
- His 2008 experiences convinced him the mortgage system had drifted from serving people, inspiring Bloxx's mission.