The UAE Capital Market Authority posted a landmark year in 2025, with daily trading volumes, foreign investment inflows and market capitalisation all climbing sharply, signalling deepening confidence in the country’s financial markets.
According to the CMA’s 2025 annual report, average daily trading reached AED 2.21 billion, a 24.16 percent jump from the previous year. Net foreign investment inflows totalled AED 18.7 billion, with Abu Dhabi attracting AED 14.1 billion and Dubai drawing AED 4.6 billion.
Market capitalisation grew across both exchanges. The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange rose 4.7 percent to AED 3.14 trillion, while the Dubai Financial Market climbed 7.6 percent to AED 0.98 trillion.
Issuance activity was equally strong. Total equity listings reached AED 14.53 billion, split between AED 7.29 billion in IPOs and AED 7.24 billion in direct listings. Bond and sukuk listings hit AED 27.6 billion, with private placement issuances totalling AED 638 billion. Green bonds and sukuk accounted for AED 8.6 billion of that activity.
The licensed fund sector saw its most dramatic growth, with the number of licensed funds more than doubling from 18 in 2024 to 37 in 2025, a 106 percent increase. Licensed companies reached 244, with 602 total licences issued across the year.
On the regulatory front, the CMA conducted on-site inspections at 80 of 84 targeted companies, handled 75 complaints and issued 324 supervisory actions. Its international footprint also expanded, with total memoranda of understanding reaching 166.
CMA Chairman Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa described 2025 as a year where national vision and global market dynamics converged, with the Authority focused on balancing growth, stability and institutional confidence.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
