47 articles
Economy
The second installment of DSD's DIFC/ADGM Ledger finds the two centres moving at different speeds. DIFC has just published fresh H1 2026 numbers showing companies, foundations, and regulated firms all climbing, while ADGM's most recent disclosure is still the Q1 2026 report we used in installment one.
Economy
The UAE Central Bank has rewritten the rulebook for how banks and finance companies treat SME borrowers, replacing a five-year-old conduct code with a far stricter customer protection regime. Every bank and finance company has until September 13 to comply, and the changes will show up in how fast SMEs get accounts opened, how clearly loan terms are explained, and how disputes get resolved.
Economy
Abu Dhabi Global Market closed the first quarter of 2026 with 13,353 active licences and a 45 percent jump in new financial services approvals, as fund managers controlling more than 4.4 trillion dollars in combined assets set up in the centre. The numbers give founders and investors a real-time read on how fast Abu Dhabi's regulator is clearing new regulated businesses, even as regional conflict weighed on sentiment elsewhere.
Economy
The Dubai Financial Services Authority has rolled out updated crypto token rules, recognised three fiat backed stablecoins and begun embedding agentic AI into its own operations. The reforms land as DIFC bank assets hit 251 billion dollars and more than half of its firms report active AI use.
Economy
Emirates, Dubai Duty Free and Dubai's Department of Finance have all switched on crypto payment options in the past year, converting Bitcoin and other digital assets into dirhams at the point of sale. For UAE founders and finance teams, the shift signals where regulated payment rails, not speculative trading, are actually heading next.
Economy
Dubai International Financial Centre has surpassed 10,000 active registered companies for the first time in its history, growing 30 percent over the past year on the back of surging demand from AI, fintech and wealth management firms. The milestone strengthens Dubai's push to become one of the world's top four financial centres under the D33 economic agenda.
Economy
Dubai is rolling out new strategic initiatives to attract global family offices and institutional investors, reinforcing its position as one of the world's fastest-growing wealth management hubs. The push builds on a wave of relocations that has already brought hundreds of family offices to the emirate over the past two years.
Economy
Blackstone, the world's largest alternative asset manager, is preparing to reopen an office in the Dubai International Financial Centre six years after shifting its regional base to Abu Dhabi. The move signals deepening confidence among global institutional investors in Dubai's financial ecosystem.
Economy
The UAE has approved a National Statistics Programme to rebuild its GDP data series from 2010 to 2026 using a new 2024 base year, aiming to sharpen official economic indicators. The initiative is led by the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre alongside the Central Bank, Ministry of Finance and Federal Tax Authority to strengthen investor confidence.
Economy
The Dubai Financial Services Authority has opened a consultation on the most significant overhaul of the DIFC's investment funds regime since 2010, proposing a shift to risk-based rules for fund managers. The reforms touch everything from credit fund capital requirements to plans for tokenised fund units.
Economy
The UAE has concluded 37 Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements, with 18 already in force, as talks continue with roughly 20 more countries. The expanding trade network is a central pillar of the UAE's push to grow non-oil trade to AED4 trillion by 2031.
Economy
Awqaf Dubai's securities investment portfolio reached AED1.475 billion in market value in the first half of 2026, up 5.5 percent, as the endowment institution posted strong recurring returns and a sharp jump in new investment activity.
Economy
Dubai Islamic Bank posted 10% gross revenue growth and improved asset quality in Q2 2026, even as rising costs and taxation weighed on profitability.
Economy
Dubai's 24K gold price has climbed Dh5 over two days as fears of near-term US rate hikes ease, though it remains Dh14.50 below its July high. The gap is giving buyers a short-term window to purchase gold before prices potentially move higher again.
Economy
Dubai Islamic Bank posted Dh12.4 billion in gross revenue for the first half of 2026, up 10 percent year on year, as financing growth and improved asset quality strengthened the UAE's largest Islamic lender. The results point to continued resilience across the UAE banking sector heading into the second half of the year.
Economy
Dubai's diamond trade reached a record 41.7 billion dollars in 2025, with the emirate also moving a record 359.5 million carats for the first time in the same year. The figures, released by Dubai Customs and DMCC, cement Dubai's position as one of the world's most connected precious stones hubs.
Economy
Dubai hotels are preparing for a strong fourth quarter as bookings from the UK, Russia and CIS markets rebound following eased travel restrictions, hotel executives say. Demand is expected to build from August and peak during the festive season, supported by a record 19.59 million visitors in 2025.
Economy
Gold prices in Dubai held largely steady on 8 July 2026, even as Iranian strikes on Bahrain and Kuwait pushed regional tension higher, with 24K trading at Dh497 per gram. Analysts say US interest rate expectations, not geopolitics alone, are now the bigger swing factor for bullion.
Economy
Dubai workers can now file individual or collective complaints about wages, accommodation, and workplace safety directly through the DubaiNow app's new Worker Voice service, developed by Dubai Police. The launch adds to a fast-expanding digital labour compliance system that already covers a stricter, government-run Wage Protection System.
Economy
Ohio is making a direct push for Gulf Cooperation Council investment as its economy approaches the $1 trillion mark. State officials are targeting sovereign wealth funds and private GCC investors in sectors including AI, semiconductors, healthcare, and data centres.
Economy
Dubai gold prices have fallen below Dh500 per gram for the first time in weeks, with 24-karat gold down nearly Dh46 since the start of June. The dip is giving buyers a clearer window to make purchases they had been holding off on during the recent run of record highs.
Economy
Abu Dhabi's Investment Affairs Council met under Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed to review the Q1 performance of ADIA, Mubadala, L'Imad, and ADNOC. The meeting underscores how seriously the emirate manages its $1.8 trillion-plus investment portfolio as global conditions evolve.
Economy
The UAE Central Bank has kept its overnight deposit rate steady at 3.65%, mirroring the US Federal Reserve's decision to hold its benchmark rate unchanged. For businesses and borrowers across the UAE, that means financing costs stay where they are for now.
Economy
Hiring your first employees in the UAE sounds straightforward until you realise there are visa quotas, MOHRE permits, mandatory health insurance, Emiratisation rules, and salary expectations all in play at the same time. This guide cuts through the noise and tells you what actually matters for UAE startup founders hiring in 2026.
Economy
Employment setbacks in the UAE are leaving workers dealing with more than financial pressure, with mental health experts warning that job losses and salary cuts carry a significant emotional toll. Here is what workers and employers need to understand about the psychological side of workplace uncertainty.
Economy
Dubai's tourism chief says every visitor is a potential future resident, investor or business owner. The emirate is now running its tourism strategy as an engine for long-term economic growth, not just short-term footfall.
Economy
From a high-profile AI chatbot security breach at Meta to Dubai South's surging property market, a profit squeeze threatening global airlines, and a $227 billion retail forecast for the UAE, the forces reshaping Dubai's business landscape in mid-2026 are arriving from every direction. This weekend analysis breaks down what each story means and why, together, they tell a single coherent story about a city navigating a critical moment in its economic evolution.
Economy
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has reaffirmed that Dubai approaches global economic uncertainty not with caution but with strategic intent, converting external disruption into domestic opportunity. It is the philosophy that has consistently driven the emirate's growth.
Economy
The United Kingdom has sealed a free trade agreement with the six nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council, unlocking major opportunities for British businesses across the UAE, Qatar, and the wider region. Business leaders are calling it a defining moment for UK-Gulf trade, which already contributes 57 billion pounds to the UK economy every year.
Economy
Barun Khanal arrived in the UAE in 2007 with a tourist visa and no job offer. Nineteen years later, he oversees financial governance for critical airport infrastructure across the GCC, a career built entirely on meritocracy, patience, and continuous upskilling.
Economy
With India hiking gold import duties to 15% and the Indian Rupee slipping 7% this year, Dubai has widened its edge as the go-to destination for Eid gold shopping. Here's the full breakdown every expat and traveller needs before they buy.
Economy
The UAE recorded more than 32 million hotel guests and AED 49.2 billion in hospitality revenues in 2025, reflecting 9.7% annual growth. The country ranked first in MENA and 18th globally on the Travel and Tourism Development Index, reinforcing its position as the region's top destination for both business and leisure travel.
Economy
UAE fuel prices have climbed nearly 50% since February 2026, but the latest drop in Brent crude below $100 per barrel and progress in US-Iran diplomatic talks are raising hopes of relief at the pump. The official June 2026 price announcement is expected on May 31.
Economy
India is rolling out a major overhaul of its tax forms from April 2026, and the deadline for NRIs in the UAE to file returns for FY 2025-26 is July 31. Here is what you need to collect, what has changed, and why filing on time matters more than ever.
Economy
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority is marking 50 years of turning the emirate's oil wealth into long-term global prosperity. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan praised ADIA's role as the bedrock of Abu Dhabi's financial independence and intergenerational wealth.
Economy
EFG Hermes and the Dubai Financial Market hosted a major investor day at Nasdaq Dubai, connecting 37 global institutions to companies worth more than Dh120 billion. Daily trading on the DFM has jumped 56 percent year-on-year to Dh1.03 billion.
Economy
The United Kingdom has finalised a landmark free trade agreement with the six nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council, becoming the first G7 economy to secure such a deal. The pact is projected to add 3.7 billion pounds annually to the British economy and eliminates import duties on a wide range of British goods entering Gulf markets.
Economy
The UAE is now home to 17 billionaires from five countries, led by Binance founder Changpeng Zhao with a $110 billion fortune, according to Forbes Middle East. Zero personal income tax, the Golden Visa programme, and world-class infrastructure are the main reasons global wealth is choosing Dubai and Abu Dhabi over legacy financial capitals.
Economy
Sharjah has launched a direct land-sea trade corridor connecting its ports to Oman's Sohar, Duqm, and Salalah, with first shipments already moving. The corridor slashes transit times and costs for regional manufacturers, and air freight expansion is already planned.
Economy
Moody's Ratings has issued a stark warning: the Strait of Hormuz disruption is no longer a temporary geopolitical shock it is becoming a permanent structural shift. With oil potentially holding above $90 per barrel through the year, here's what that means for businesses, supply chains, and the global economy.
Economy
The UAE has topped the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor for five straight years, and global founders are taking notice. Here's exactly what's driving the world's most ambitious business builders to set up shop in Dubai over London, San Francisco, or Singapore.
Economy
The UAE Federal Tax Authority has waived late registration penalties for over 68,600 businesses under a landmark Cabinet initiative, with the total expected to top 91,000. Here's what your business needs to do before time runs out.
Economy
Abu Dhabi Global Entrepreneurship Festival (ADGEF) 2026 concludes with Dh1m grant challenge and focus on AI innovation in the startup ecosystem.
Economy
The UAE reaffirms the importance of freedom of navigation and resilient supply chains for global food security at the FAO Regional Conference in Rome.
Economy
Motorists across the UAE are waking up to a significantly more expensive commute this April, with petrol and diesel rates jumping as global disruptions impact the local market.
Economy
Dubai approved a massive Dh1 billion incentive package and sweeping social reforms to ease financial pressure on businesses and elevate quality of life.
Economy
As the UAE Fuel Price Committee prepares to announce April 2026 rates, motorists brace for adjustments following a sharp rebound driven by global supply shocks.