Top 5 global REITs to watch in 2025

What are REITs?

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) are companies that own, operate or finance income-producing real estate across various sectors. They offer traders a way to gain exposure to real estate markets without directly owning physical properties.

REITs typically focus on specific property types such as shopping centres, office buildings, warehouses, healthcare facilities, telecoms or data centres. To qualify as a REIT, companies must distribute at least 90% of their taxable income to shareholders as dividends.

Benefits of REIT trading

Several factors may make REITs attractive to traders:

• Liquidity: Major REITs trade on established exchanges with good daily volumes
• Regulatory oversight: Most REITs operate under strict regulatory frameworks requiring regular financial disclosure
• Transparency: Public REITs must publish quarterly earnings and annual reports
• Diversification: Exposure to real estate without direct property ownership complexities
• Professional management: Experienced teams handle day-to-day operations and strategic decisions
• Dividend focus: Most REITs have dividend yields above market averages
• Trading flexibility: Choose between stock ownership or leveraged CFD trading

Important note: Past performance does not guarantee future results, and all investments carry risk.

Risks to consider with REITs

REIT trading involves several risks that traders should understand:

• Interest-rate sensitivity: REITs are particularly sensitive to interest rate changes. Rising rates can negatively impact valuations as investors may prefer bonds or other fixed-income investments
• Sector-specific risks: REITs focusing on struggling sectors (such as retail during economic downturns) may face significant challenges
• Economic cycles: Property values and rental income fluctuate with economic conditions
• Leverage risks: Many REITs use debt to finance acquisitions, which can amplify both gains and losses
• Market volatility: REIT prices can be volatile, especially during uncertain economic periods
• Concentration risk: Some REITs focus on specific geographic regions or property types, increasing concentration risk
• CFD trading risks: For leveraged CFD positions, losses can exceed your initial deposit due to leverage. This applies to professional clients only. Retail clients benefit from negative balance protection.

Five global REITs to consider

Our selection focuses on REITs that offer attractive dividend yields and operate in markets with potential for recovery or growth. The analysis includes both fundamental metrics and technical considerations.

Overview of the REITs in this article

All the REITs listed here are available for CFD trading and stock trading with us, except for CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust. 

Important note: All financial data is indicative and subject to market changes. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

All figures are accurate as of 23 October 2025.

1. American Tower Corporation (NYSE: AMT)

Sector: Global telecom infrastructure

Market cap: US$90.08 billion¹

Dividend yield: 3.49%²

American Tower is one of the world’s largest REITs, specialising in telecom infrastructure such as cell towers and data transmission sites.

The company’s business model is built on leasing tower space to wireless carriers and digital networks on long-term contracts, which creates highly predictable revenue streams. As 5G rollout continues and mobile data demand rises, AMT’s assets are in increasing demand from global telecom operators. This growth trend has helped the stock post solid year-to-date (YTD) performance in 2025.

For stock traders, AMT offers a combination of global diversification and exposure to the ongoing digital-connectivity boom. Its consistent dividend history also makes it attractive to those seeking stable income with potential for capital growth.

For CFD traders, its moderate volatility and sensitivity to interest-rate movements provide useful short-term trading opportunities. The stock often reacts strongly to US Treasury yield shifts or announcements from major mobile operators.

Highlights:

• The stock price has increased by a moderate 3.86% YTD, making it a relatively safe play for stock traders³
• Its portfolio consists of close to 150,000 communications sites⁴
• The company sits comfortably between growth and defensive plays among REITs – a globally diversified infrastructure name that benefits from mobile connectivity demand

2. Prologis Inc (NYSE: PLD)

Sector: Global logistics

Market cap: US$119.79 billion⁵

Dividend yield: 3.21%⁶

Prologis is a global logistics REIT and one of the most influential players in the industrial property sector. It serves e-commerce giants, manufacturers and retailers.

The company’s success is tied to the rise of online shopping and global supply-chain efficiency. As demand for quick delivery intensifies, so does the need for well-located logistics hubs.

Its focus on modern, energy-efficient facilities has also positioned it well in the shift toward sustainable logistics infrastructure.

For long-term stock traders, Prologis offers exposure to one of the most enduring structural trends in real estate – the digitalisation of commerce and logistics.

CFD traders may find fewer sharp price swings compared to other REITs, but Prologis remains responsive to global economic indicators, such as manufacturing data and consumer spending. It can also move on central-bank policy shifts, as interest rates influence REIT valuations directly.

Highlights:

• Its stock price has seen healthy growth of 18.39% YTD⁷
• It owns 1.3 billion square feet across four continents and US$215 billion in assets under management (AUM)⁸
• The company’s top customer base includes Amazon, FedEx, DHL, UPS and more⁹

3. Medical Properties Trust, Inc (NYSE: MPW)

Sector: Healthcare facilities

Market cap: US$3.10 billion¹⁰

Dividend yield: 6.21%¹¹

Medical Properties Trust is a US-based, healthcare-focused REIT that owns and leases hospitals and medical facilities across North America, Europe and Australia. Its tenants include major healthcare operators under long-term net-lease agreements, meaning tenants handle maintenance and insurance while MPW collects predictable rent.

The stock has been volatile over 2025 but has overall increased in value.

For stock traders, MPW offers a high-yield opportunity, though with above-average risk. The underlying sector – hospitals and acute-care facilities – benefits from long-term demographic trends, but near-term performance remains tied to how well management can stabilise its tenant base.

For CFD traders, MPW’s pronounced price swings are the main attraction. It frequently experiences multi-percent daily moves around quarterly updates or debt-refinancing news, making it ideal for short-term directional trades. However, traders should manage risk carefully.

Highlights:

• 27.46% – an impressive increase in the stock price YTD¹²
• Cash rental income from new tenants was up to US$11 million in FY25 Q2 compared to US$3.4 million in FY25 Q1¹³
• It paid a quarterly dividend of US$0.08 per share in July 2025¹⁴

4. Vonovia SE (Xetra: VNA)

Sector: Europe residential

Market cap: €23.49 billion¹⁵

Dividend yield: 4.37%¹⁶

Vonovia SE is Germany’s largest residential property company and one of Europe’s biggest REITs. It owns more than 540,000 residential units across Germany, Austria and Sweden, with a focus on providing modern, affordable housing.

The company’s portfolio gives it defensive qualities – housing demand in its core markets remains robust despite higher borrowing costs. However, European REITs have been sensitive to interest-rate changes, and Vonovia’s stocks have reflected that volatility.

For long-term stock traders, Vonovia provides exposure to Europe’s residential rental market, which tends to offer steady income streams supported by structural housing shortages. Dividend yields remain appealing, and management continues to optimise its portfolio by selling non-core assets and focusing on sustainability upgrades.

CFD traders may find Vonovia interesting for its responsiveness to European Central Bank (ECB) policy decisions and economic data. The stock often reacts sharply to inflation readings and rate-cut speculation, offering opportunities for short-term trading.

Highlights:

• Vonovia’s stock price has seen a dip of -6.28% YTD, but has brought plenty of volatility with it, creating opportunities for CFD traders¹⁷
• In its business outlook for the remainder of 2025, the company expects construction materials costs to continue to be high, affecting its construction projects¹⁸

5. CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust (SGX: C38U)

Sector: Asia-Pacific commercial

Market cap: S$18.34 billion¹⁹

Dividend yield: 4.26%²⁰

CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust is Singapore’s largest REIT, with a portfolio spanning premium retail, office and integrated developments across Singapore, Germany and Australia. The trust is part of the broader CapitaLand group, a major player in Asian real estate.

CICT benefits from Singapore’s resilient property market and a rebound in retail and office occupancy after several subdued years. In 2025, the REIT has delivered one of the strongest total returns in Asia, with YTD gains close to 25%, helped by strong leasing momentum and investor optimism around lower interest-rate expectations in the region.

For stock traders, CICT offers steady income potential through regular distributions and exposure to Asia’s high-quality commercial property sector.

For CFD traders, CICT’s price movements often mirror regional macro sentiment – including shifts in Asian interest rates, China growth data and global risk appetite. Its dual exposure to retail and office space also provides varied stimuli for short-term trading, from tourism recovery trends to regional property-valuation shifts.

Highlights:

• Another sizeable gain on our list, CICT has increased by 24.74% YTD in stock price²¹
• Distributable income (the portion of earnings available to be distributed to owners and shareholders after expenses and retained earnings) of S$411.9 million – up 12.4% year over year (YoY)²²
• It had an occupancy rate of 96.3% in the first half of 2025²³

How to trade REITs with IG UAE

CFDs

1. Open a CFD trading account with IG UAE
2. Search for REITs on the IG platform
3. Decide whether to go long (buy) or short (sell)
4. Choose your position size
5. Set stop-loss and limit orders
6. Place your trade and monitor it

Stock trading

1. Open a stock trading account with IG UAE
2. Search for REITs
3. Choose the REIT you want to buy – try our stock screener
4. Determine how many shares you want to purchase
5. Place your order
6. Monitor your investment and collect any dividends

Risk management for REIT trading

Stock trading:

• Position sizing: Never risk more than 5-10% of your account on any single REIT
• Diversification: Consider spreading investments across multiple REITs and sectors
• Regular review: Assess portfolio performance and rebalance as needed

CFD trading:

• Position sizing: Never risk more than 2-3% of your account on any single REIT trade
• Stop losses: Set predetermined exit points to limit potential losses (typically 5-10% below entry)
• Leverage management: Use lower leverage ratios to reduce risk
• Market analysis: Monitor interest rate trends, economic indicators and real estate market conditions

FAQs about REITs

Footnotes
 

1. TradingView, October 2025
2. TradingView, October 2025
3. TradingView, October 2025
4. Yahoo! Finance, October 2025
5. TradingView, October 2025
6. TradingView, October 2025
7. TradingView, October 2025
8. Prologis, September 2025
9. Prologis, September 2025
10. TradingView, October 2025
11. TradingView, October 2025
12. TradingView, October 2025
13. Medical Properties Trust, July 2025
14. Medical Properties Trust, July 2025
15. TradingView, October 2025
16. TradingView, October 2025
17. TradingView, October 2025
18. Vonovia, August 2025
19. TradingView, October 2025
20. TradingView, October 2025
21. TradingView, October 2025
22. CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust, August 2025
23. CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust, August 2025