Dubai's stock exchange has reached AED 1 trillion in market capitalisation – quadrupling from AED 250 billion five years ago – as international participation crosses a historic threshold, with foreign investors now accounting for 54% of total trading liquidity for the first time.
Speaking at the listing of the Ministry of Finance's inaugural Sovereign Retail T-Sukuk Programme, DFM and Nasdaq Dubai CEO Hamed Ali said more than 200 nationalities traded on the exchange in 2025, with 71% of international flows coming from institutional investors. Around 84% of all investors on the platform are now based outside the UAE, and March 2026 alone saw investor numbers run 30% ahead of the prior-year period.
First-quarter liquidity rose approximately 50% year-on-year. Ali credited index inclusion and the addition of quality assets as key structural drivers, while noting that regional volatility – including geopolitical developments and oil price movements – has generated buying opportunities that continue to draw in global capital.
Gulf Economist Staff Writer