United Arab Emirates
Middle East · Abu Dhabi · AED (UAE Dirham)
Economy & industry overview
The United Arab Emirates is a high-income, diversifying economy in the Arabian Gulf with a nominal GDP of approximately $552 billion (2024, World Bank). Hydrocarbons remain a significant contributor, but non-oil sectors now account for approximately 75% of GDP, driven by trade, tourism, financial services, real estate, and logistics. Abu Dhabi anchors oil and sovereign-wealth activity, while Dubai serves as the region's premier trade, finance, and tourism hub. The AED is pegged to the US dollar at a fixed rate of 3.6725, providing monetary stability. The UAE is a member of the GCC, WTO, and recently joined BRICS, and has pursued aggressive economic liberalisation including 100% foreign ownership in most sectors.
Key sectors
📘 Learn everything about United Arab Emirates →Macro
| GDP nominal, USD | $552.32B |
| GDP growth real, annual | 4.0% |
| Inflation annual | 1.7% |
| Population people | 10.9M |
| GDP per capita USD | $42,512 |
| Market cap total listed, USD | $1.06T |
| Market cap / GDP | 192.0% |
| Unemployment | 2.1% |
| Listed companies | 308 |
| Exchange | Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) |
Data year: 2024. Sources: World Bank (GDP, GDP per capita, inflation, unemployment), IMF World Economic Outlook (April 2026), UAE Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre (FCSC), Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) Quarterly Economic Review, Macrotrends (inflation, unemployment historical), Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), Dubai Financial Market (DFM), AGBI / WAM News Agency (market cap), Trading Economics, ILO / ILOSTAT.
Latest news
Other Middle East markets
Saudi Arabia
Qatar
Kuwait
Oman
Jordan
BahrainLargest listed companies
The biggest companies on the main local exchange, by market capitalisation.
| # | Company | Sector | Market capUSD | US listing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | International Holding CompanyIHC · ADX | Diversified Conglomerate | $230.00B | — |
| 2 | Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) Group — ADNOC DistributionADNOCDIST · ADX | Oil & Gas / Retail | $17.00B | — |
| 3 | Etisalat (e&)ETISALAT · ADX | Telecommunications | $44.00B | — |
| 4 | First Abu Dhabi BankFAB · ADX | Banking & Financial Services | $42.00B | — |
| 5 | Abu Dhabi Commercial BankADCB · ADX | Banking & Financial Services | $15.00B | — |
| 6 | Aldar PropertiesALDAR · ADX | Real Estate | $12.00B | — |
| 7 | Emirates NBDEMIRATES · DFM | Banking & Financial Services | $22.00B | — |
| 8 | Dubai Islamic BankDIB · DFM | Islamic Banking | $11.00B | — |
| 9 | Emaar PropertiesEMAAR · DFM | Real Estate | $19.00B | — |
| 10 | DP WorldDPW · NASDAQ Dubai | Ports & Logistics | $20.00B | — |
| 11 | Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA)TAQA · ADX | Utilities & Energy | $31.00B | — |
| 12 | Emirates Telecommunications Group (e&) — covered above as EtisalatETISALAT · ADX | Telecommunications | $44.00B | — |
| 13 | Multiply GroupMULTIPLY · ADX | Diversified / Technology | $4.50B | — |
| 14 | Emirates Integrated Telecommunications (du)DU · DFM | Telecommunications | $7.00B | — |
| 15 | Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA)DEWA · DFM | Utilities | $30.00B | — |
| 16 | Emaar DevelopmentEMAARDEV · DFM | Real Estate / Construction | $8.00B | — |
| 17 | Shuaa CapitalSHUAA · DFM | Financial Services / Investment | $800.00M | — |
| 18 | Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB)ADIB · ADX | Islamic Banking | $9.50B | — |
| 19 | National Bank of FujairahNBF · DFM | Banking | $1.20B | — |
| 20 | Mashreq BankMASQ · DFM | Banking | $10.00B | — |
| 21 | Air ArabiaAIRARBIA · DFM | Aviation / Airlines | $3.50B | — |
| 22 | FertiglobeFERTIGLB · ADX | Chemicals / Fertilizers | $5.00B | — |
| 23 | Union PropertiesUPP · DFM | Real Estate | $700.00M | — |
| 24 | Tecom GroupTECOM · DFM | Real Estate / Technology Parks | $5.50B | — |
| 25 | Salik CompanySALIK · DFM | Infrastructure / Tolls | $5.00B | — |
US-traded ETFs
Funds listed in the US that give exposure to this market — the simplest route for many US investors.
| Ticker | ETF | Issuer | Scope | Expense ratioannual % | Exposure% of fund |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UAE | iShares MSCI UAE ETF | BlackRock / iShares | Single-country | 0.59% | 100% |
| EMGF | iShares Emerging Markets Equity Factor ETF | BlackRock / iShares | Broad EM | 0.30% | 2% |
| GULF | WisdomTree GCC Equity UCITS ETF (London-listed; no US equivalent with same name) | WisdomTree | Regional UCITS | 0.65% | 25% |
| EEM | iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF | BlackRock / iShares | Broad EM | 0.70% | 1% |
| MES | WisdomTree Middle East Dividend Fund | WisdomTree | Regional | 0.88% | 20% |
Local exchange & access
| Exchange | Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange |
| Code | ADX |
| Website | www.adx.ae |
| Currency | AED |
Local broker access
Foreign investors must obtain a National Investor Number (NIN) from the DFM or ADX (free, online) and open an account with a licensed UAE broker (e.g., Emirates NBD Securities, Mubasher Financial, EFG Hermes). Both residents and non-residents may invest in ADX- and DFM-listed equities. There is no capital gains tax or dividend withholding tax for individual investors on UAE-listed stocks. Settlement is T+2. International investors may alternatively access UAE equities via US-listed ETFs or through international brokers offering direct market access to GCC exchanges.
Global brokers with foreign-market access
- Interactive Brokers — Direct access to 90+ markets worldwide, including many emerging exchanges.
- Saxo Bank — Multi-market access across Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
- Charles Schwab (Global) — Foreign ordinary shares on select markets; US-listed ADRs and ETFs.
- Fidelity International Trading — International stock trading on a number of developed and emerging markets.
Listed for convenience only — not a recommendation. Available markets, fees and onboarding rules differ by broker and by your country of residence.
Relocation & residency
Investment visa / residency programme
Grants Long-term residency (5 or 10-year renewable; not citizenship)
The UAE Golden Visa is a long-term residency programme allowing foreign nationals to reside and work in the UAE for 5 or 10 years (renewable). Investment pathways include a minimum real estate purchase of AED 2,000,000 (~USD 545,000) or a public investment of at least AED 2,000,000 in an investment fund or company. Entrepreneurs, specialised talents, and outstanding students also qualify under separate criteria. The visa is self-sponsored and renewable, with no requirement for a local employer sponsor.
Minimum investment: $545.00K
Need help applying? Specialist investment-migration advisers such as Henley & Partners.
Foreign-investor access
The UAE imposes no personal income tax or capital gains tax on individuals. Expatriates make up over 88% of the population. Residency visas are widely available for employees, investors, and freelancers. The UAE has a well-developed infrastructure, English is widely used in business, and the legal system in free zones (DIFC, ADGM) is based on common law principles.
US-listed ADRs & cross-listings
Companies from this country whose shares also trade in the US — investable in a normal US brokerage account.
| Company | US ticker | Local ticker | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai Islamic Bank | DUIBY | DIB | Dubai Islamic Bank has an OTC ADR in the US. The primary listing is on the DFM. It is the world's first fully Islamic bank and a significant constituent of UAE Islamic finance. |
| Emaar Properties | EMMPY | EMAAR | Emaar Properties trades OTC in the US as EMMPY. The primary listing is on the DFM. Emaar is the developer of the Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall and is a key proxy for Dubai real estate. |
| First Abu Dhabi Bank | FBAOY | FAB | FAB has an OTC ADR traded in the US market under FBAOY. The primary listing is on the ADX. FAB is the UAE's largest bank by assets and a key proxy for UAE financial sector performance. |
| e& (Emirates Telecommunications Group) | ETICY | ETISALAT | e& trades as a Pink Sheets OTC ADR in the US under ticker ETICY. The primary listing remains on the ADX. The OTC ADR offers limited liquidity for US investors seeking exposure to the UAE's dominant telecom operator. |