Archive · 13 Jan 2026
Dubai Markets Lead GCC Growth with Reforms
Dubai's stock markets have been doing really well lately.
In 2024, the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) was the best-performing market in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.
It had a lot of new investors, especially from other countries, and made a lot of money from trading.
The market also had some big new companies join, like Talabat, a food delivery service, and Spinneys, a supermarket chain.
Dubai is also making it easier for people to trade and borrow stocks, which makes the market more stable and attractive to big investors.
This is all part of a bigger plan to make Dubai one of the top places in the world to invest and live by 2033.
Dubai Financial Market (DFM) was the best-performing market in the GCC in 2024, with a 27.1% increase in its General Index.
DFM onboarded 138,262 new investors in 2024, with 85% being foreign investors.
Three major listings in 2024: Parkin, Spinneys, and Talabat, raising a total of AED 10.48 billion (~USD 2.85 billion).
Post-trade reforms, including a centralised Securities Lending and Borrowing (SLB) programme, were introduced to enhance market stability and liquidity.
Dubai's capital markets are part of a broader economic agenda, aiming to double the size of Dubai's economy by 2033.
- Who
- Dubai Financial Market (DFM) and Nasdaq Dubai
- What
- Dubai's capital markets have shown significant growth and reforms
- When
- 2023-2025
- Where
- Dubai, UAE
- Why
- To support Dubai's broader economic agenda, including the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which aims to double the size of Dubai's economy by 2033
- Market Performance
- DFM General Index up 27.1% in 2024
- Market Capitalisation
- AED 907 billion (~USD 247 billion)
- New Investors in 2024
- 138,262 (85% foreign)
- Foreign Trading Contribution
- 50% of total trading value
- Institutional Trading Share
- 65% (up from 58% in 2023)
- Listings in 2024
- 3 (Parkin, Spinneys, Talabat)
- Total Funds Raised in 2024
- AED 10.48 billion (~USD 2.85 billion)
- Post-Trade Reforms
- Centralised Securities Lending and Borrowing (SLB) programme launched in 2025