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A recent meeting reviewed key performance indicators that placed Dubai first globally in fintech within the September 2026 edition of the Global Financial Centres Index, up from fifth place in March. The emirate also moved to second in professional services from fourth and advanced to sixth in reputation from eighth. For the fourth consecutive report Dubai topped the category for the financial centre expected to increase most in significance over the coming years.
Figures presented during the meeting showed Dubai’s foreign gold trade reached approximately AED1 trillion in 2025, a 60 per cent year-on-year increase. The UAE handled around 2,750 tonnes of physical gold that year, establishing its position as the world’s second-largest physical gold trading hub. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said, “Guided by the vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, we continue Dubai’s journey of economic diversification, competitiveness and sustainability.”
The Dubai Financial Market achieved a market capitalisation of AED993.1 billion by the end of the third quarter of 2026. Average daily trading values rose 24.5 per cent during that period, according to data shared at the gathering. The exchange drew 55,462 new investors in the first nine months of the year, of whom international participants represented 72.1 per cent.
According to the UN Trade and Development World Investment Report 2026, the UAE drew AED177.3 billion in foreign direct investment during 2025, a 6 per cent increase that ranked the country ninth globally among recipients. The report also confirmed the UAE held second place worldwide for greenfield FDI projects for a third successive year, with 1,562 announced initiatives. A Capital Market Authority overview placed equity listings at Dh14.53 billion for 2025, split between IPOs and direct listings.
Dubai International Financial Centre data indicated 10,018 active registered companies in the first half of 2026, a 30 per cent rise from the prior year. The number of regulated financial firms climbed 16 per cent to 1,134 while companies focused on artificial intelligence, fintech and innovation grew 39 per cent to 1,933. The centre’s Zabeel District expansion is projected to host more than 42,000 companies and over 125,000 professionals upon completion.
Abu Dhabi advanced eight places to 13th in the Global Financial Centres Index, with the Abu Dhabi Global Market recording a 54 per cent year-on-year increase in assets under management in the first half of 2026. Industry assessments noted new or expanded operations by international asset managers including Bain Capital, Barings and Man Group in the emirate. UAE outward investment flows totalled $63.35 billion in 2025, lifting the cumulative overseas investment stock to $402.7 billion according to economic compilations.
