By Staff Reporter
The United Arab Emirates has secured the top position globally for digital trade readiness, according to Standard Chartered’s newly released Future of Trade report. The findings underscore the country’s accelerated progress in building a modern, fully digital trade environment supported by innovation-focused national strategies.
Drawing on feedback from 1,200 multinational corporations across seventeen major markets, the report attributes the UAE’s success to its advanced digital infrastructure, robust regulatory clarity, and widespread corporate uptake of emerging technologies. Cloud computing stands out as the strongest driver of transformation, with an impressive 97 percent of UAE-based companies identifying it as essential—the highest adoption rate among all surveyed countries.
Digital assets are rapidly becoming mainstream within the UAE’s corporate landscape. The country shows a 68 percent adoption rate, reflecting growing interest in tokenised financial instruments, digital settlement networks, and blockchain-enabled trade solutions. Businesses are also integrating immersive technologies and automation tools into their operational workflows, with 43 percent using augmented or virtual reality and 36 percent adopting artificial intelligence.
Confidence in unified global digital trade frameworks is equally notable. The research reveals that 96 percent of UAE corporates support the expansion of Digital Economy Agreements to harmonise cross-border digital standards and improve international connectivity.
Syed Khurrum Zaeem, Managing Director and Head of Trade and Transactional Banking for the Middle East, Pakistan and Africa at Standard Chartered, praised the UAE’s achievements, emphasising how forward-thinking policies, cutting-edge infrastructure, and ambitious private-sector innovation have collectively shaped one of the world’s leading digital ecosystems.
The report further highlights that 73 percent of UAE companies drive their digital transformation initiatives internally, demonstrating strong in-house expertise and a mature business environment. As national strategies continue to prioritise digitalisation—and as the private sector increases adoption of cloud technology, AI, digital assets, and automation—the UAE is cementing its role as a global hub for technology-driven trade.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
