- Dubai’s GDP Numbers Released:
- GDP â–˛ YoY 4.7% in the first nine months of 2025 to AED355 billion
- GDP â–˛ YoY 5.3% in the third-quarter of 2025 to AED113.8 billion
- Fastest Growing Sectors: Health, Construction, Financial & Insurance
- Dubai Financial Market’s Numbers Released:
- Net Profit before tax: â–˛ 158% to AED 1.06 Billion
- Market Cap (end of 2025): AED992 billion
- Dubai Real Estate Market 2025 Numbers Released:
- Records the best year to date
- Value of real estate transactions: AED 917 billion, 20% â–˛ YoY
- Real estate transactions: 270,000, 20% â–˛ YoY
- Real estate investments AED 680 billion, 29% â–˛ YoY
- Number of Investors: 193,100, 24% â–˛ YoY
- DIFC Phase 2: Zabeel District, a major expansion of Dubai International Financial Centre
- Largest internal expansion of a financial centre in the region
- Development value: AED100 billion +
- Site area: 7.1 million sq ft
- Additional gross floor area: 17.7 million sq ft
- Project implementation: 6 development phases
- Phase 1 completion: 2030
- Full project completion: 2040
- Targeting: +42,000 companies & +125,000 employees
- It will include an expansion of the Centre’s Financial Academy to accommodate 50,000 students annually
- Total DIFC Workforce: 48,000 (Current) + 125,000 + 50,000 = 223,000
- “we pursue our goal of ranking among the world’s top four financial centres.”
- “to strengthens its position as the leading financial hub across the Middle East, Africa and South Asia”.
- More than one million square feet of space dedicated to future technologies and AI.
- Dubai Silicon Oasis Expansion: District IO
- Total Investment: AED12.8 billion
- Jobs: 70,000+
- 6,500 new companies
- Expected GDP Contribution (10 Years): AED103 billion
- Block 14: Business & Residential District- Ready by 2029 (Along w/ Metro Blue Line)
- The student body across Dubai International Academic City and Dubai Knowledge Park, part of TECOM Group PJSC, has grown to exceed 38,500 at the end of the 2024-25 academic year, marking 15% growth since the end of the 2023-24 academic year and demonstrating Dubai’s continued ascendance as a global pioneering hub for higher education.
- Emirates Airline signs an agreement with Dubai Investments Park to acquire land for a new purpose-built Cabin Crew Village. Representing a multi-billion-dirham investment, the development will accommodate up to 12,000 cabin crew members. Groundbreaking is planned for the second quarter of 2026, with the first phase expected to be completed in 2029. The Cabin Crew Village will consist of 20 contemporary residential buildings, each rising 19 floors.
- Dubai South (in 2025) Business Services:
- 653 new companies to exceed 4,200 operational businesses
- 90% retention rate
- 65% increase in new business licences.
- UAE’s non-oil foreign trade hits USD 1 Trillion for the first time ever. A 26% increase YoY
- UAE leadership had this target set for year 2031, but hit this milestone 5 years earlier
- Banks:
- Emirates NBD delivered a landmark performance in 2025, reporting a record profit before tax of AED 29.8 billion and surpassing AED 1 trillion in total assets.
- FAB reported a record Group net profit of AED 21.11 billion, up 24% yoy, while profit before tax increased 27% yoy to AED 25.20 billion, Operating income rose 16% yoy to AED 36.68 billion
- The Dubai Gold and Commodities Exchange (DGCX) announces a strong operational and market performance in 2025, with traded volumes rising 30% year-on-year, with the total value of contracts traded reaching USD 46.9 billion
- Ithra Dubai officially launches Dubai Gold District, a purpose-built destination designed to strengthen Dubai’s position as the world’s leading hub for the gold and jewellery trade. Developed as a unified ecosystem, the District features more than 1,000 retailers and brings together the full gold and jewellery value chain in one location, spanning retail, bullion, wholesale trading, and investment.
- DP World officially unveils the Dubai Food District, a major (200%) expansion and rebranding of the Al Aweer Central Fruit and Vegetable Market that will transform it into one of the world’s largest and most advanced centres for food trade, spanning a 29 million sq. ft. multi-category food hub that connects vendors to more than 20 global markets.
- Dubai Clear, a subsidiary of DFM, and Nasdaq Dubai announce that they have been formally granted Tier 1 Third-Country Central Counterparty (CCP) recognition by the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA). This recognition makes Dubai Clear and Nasdaq Dubai the only central counterparties (CCP) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) to achieve ESMA Tier 1 status, underscoring Dubai’s emergence as a globally recognised centre for internationally aligned post-trade services.
- London-based Melqart Asset Management is seeking to open an office in Dubai in Q2, becoming the latest hedge fund to expand into the Middle Eastern city as it cements its status as an industry hub.
- RTA opens Phase I of Hessa Street Development Project, in the direction from Al Khail Road to Sheikh Zayed Road, over a length of 4.5 km.
- Dubai’s RTA completes 65% of the construction works on a 1,500-metre bridge project featuring two lanes in each direction, providing direct access to and from Sheikh Zayed Road to Dubai Harbour, contributing to improved traffic flow and reducing journey time from 12 minutes to just 3 minutes.
- RTA and Baidu Officially Open Baidu Apollo Go’s Autonomous Vehicles Operations and Control Centre at Dubai Science Park. The facility marks Baidu Apollo Go’s first centre outside China. Commercial operations are scheduled to commence in the first quarter of 2026, and the fleet will scale progressively to 1,000 vehicles.
- Petrochem, one of the top chemical suppliers globally and DP World inaugurate AED 300 million terminal at Jebel Ali Port. Petrochem’s largest terminal to date strengthens Dubai’s manufacturing and trade ecosystem under Dubai Economic Agenda D33.
- Dubai to have multiple In-City Checkin Terminals under The Dubai 10X Initiative
- Dubai Municipality launches a global challenge to build the world’s first robot-constructed residential villa.
- Dubai aims to generate 100% of its energy from clean sources by 2050
- Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park
- Current production capacity: 3,860 MW By 2030: 8,000 MW
- Share of clean energy in DEWA’s total energy mix: 21.5% (current) 36% by 2030
- Dubai’s First-Time Home Buyer Program helps more than 2,000 residents become homeowners within six months of its launch.
- Dubai Chamber of Commerce announces the launch of the Holiday Homes Business Group, aimed at supporting the sector’s growth by bringing together companies specialising in holiday home management.
- Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announce the arrival of the first batch of new buses, comprising 250 units, under a contract for the procurement of 735 multi-size buses that comply with the European low-carbon emissions standard Euro 6. The batch includes 40 electric buses, representing the largest and first-of-its-kind procurement in the UAE. Delivery of the remaining buses will be completed in 2026.