United Arab Emirates
Middle East · Abu Dhabi · AED (UAE Dirham)
Economy & industry overview
The United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven emirates with one of the largest economies in the Middle East, underpinned by vast hydrocarbon reserves concentrated in Abu Dhabi alongside a rapidly diversifying non-oil economy. Financial services, tourism, trade, logistics, real estate, and telecommunications are among the most important industries in the non-oil sector, which now accounts for the majority of nominal GDP. The UAE serves as a global trade and re-export hub, benefiting from its strategic location between Asia, Europe, and Africa, world-class port infrastructure, and a business-friendly regulatory environment. Abu Dhabi hosts the majority of oil and gas production, while Dubai has positioned itself as an international financial and commercial centre. The government's long-term Vision 2031 targets further economic diversification, infrastructure investment, and growth in technology and manufacturing sectors.
Key sectors
Learn everything about United Arab Emirates →Macro
| GDP nominal, USD | $552.32B |
| GDP growth real, annual | 4.0% |
| Inflation annual | 2.3% |
| Population people | 10.0M |
| GDP per capita USD | $53,700 |
| Market cap total listed, USD | $1.06T |
| Market cap / GDP | 192.0% |
| Unemployment | 2.2% |
| Listed companies | 330 |
| Exchange | Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) |
Data year: 2024. Sources: World Bank, UAE Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre, Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), Dubai Financial Market (DFM), IMF World Economic Outlook, Trading Economics, Statista, AGBI, UAE Ministry of Economy.
Latest news
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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 | Conglomerates / Diversified | $245.00B | — |
| 2 | Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA)TAQA · ADX | Utilities / Energy | $100.00B | — |
| 3 | ADNOC GasADNOCGAS · ADX | Oil & Gas | $65.00B | — |
| 4 | Alpha Dhabi HoldingALPHADHABI · ADX | Conglomerates / Diversified | $51.00B | — |
| 5 | e& (Etisalat Group)ETISALAT · ADX | Telecommunications | $46.00B | — |
| 6 | First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB)FAB · ADX | Banking | $42.00B | — |
| 7 | Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA)DEWA · DFM | Utilities | $34.00B | — |
| 8 | Emirates NBDEMIRATESNBD · DFM | Banking | $30.00B | — |
| 9 | Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB)ADCB · ADX | Banking | $17.50B | — |
| 10 | BorougeBOROUGE · ADX | Petrochemicals | $20.00B | — |
| 11 | Emaar PropertiesEMAAR · DFM | Real Estate | $18.50B | — |
| 12 | Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB)DIB · DFM | Islamic Banking | $13.50B | — |
| 13 | Abu Dhabi Ports Group (AD Ports)ADPORTS · ADX | Transportation & Logistics | $12.50B | — |
| 14 | Emirates Integrated Telecommunications (du)DU · DFM | Telecommunications | $9.00B | — |
| 15 | Aldar PropertiesALDAR · ADX | Real Estate | $9.50B | — |
| 16 | Air ArabiaAIRARABIA · DFM | Aviation | $4.50B | — |
| 17 | Emaar DevelopmentEMAARDEV · DFM | Real Estate Development | $8.00B | — |
| 18 | Multiply GroupMULTIPLY · ADX | Diversified / Media & Technology | $5.50B | — |
| 19 | Abu Dhabi National Insurance Company (ADNIC)ADNIC · ADX | Insurance | $2.20B | — |
| 20 | ADNOC DistributionADNOCDIST · ADX | Energy / Retail Fuel | $14.00B | — |
| 21 | Dubai Financial Market (DFM)DFM · DFM | Financial Exchanges | $2.80B | — |
| 22 | DP WorldDPW · NASDAQ Dubai | Ports & Logistics | $23.00B | — |
| 23 | FertiglobeFERTIGLOBE · ADX | Petrochemicals / Fertilizers | $6.50B | — |
| 24 | Investcorp— · Bahrain Bourse (primary) | Private Equity / Asset Management | $900.00M | — |
| 25 | National Bank of Fujairah (NBF)NBF · ADX | Banking | $1.80B | — |
US-traded ETFs
Funds listed in the US that give exposure to this market, the simplest route for many US investors.
Local exchange & access
| Exchange | Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange |
| Code | ADX |
| Website | www.adx.ae |
| Currency | AED |
Local broker access
Foreign investors can access UAE-listed equities through licensed local brokers registered with the UAE Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), including Emirates NBD Securities, FAB Securities, Al Ramz Capital, and EFG Hermes UAE, among others. Many international online brokers (e.g., Interactive Brokers, Saxo Bank) also offer direct access to ADX and DFM. Foreign ownership limits were substantially liberalised in 2021, with most sectors now allowing up to 100% foreign ownership. Settlement follows a T+2 cycle. Non-resident investors do not pay capital gains or dividend withholding tax in the UAE. US-based retail investors can gain indirect exposure through several US-listed ETFs with Gulf/Middle East allocations.
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 live, work, and study in the UAE without a national sponsor. Investment routes include real estate purchases of AED 2 million (approximately USD 545,000) or above, business ownership or partnership with a minimum capital of AED 500,000, or qualifying as a skilled professional, entrepreneur, or outstanding student. The visa is issued for 5 or 10 years and is renewable. Holders may sponsor family members and domestic workers and are not subject to the standard 6-month validity-outside-UAE rule that applies to standard residency permits.
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 on individuals. Expatriates make up approximately 85–90% of the resident population and workforce. Residency is typically tied to employment, business ownership, or a qualifying investment such as the Golden Visa programme. Costs of living vary significantly between Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and the Northern Emirates. Shariah-based laws apply alongside a modern civil legal framework, and certain lifestyle regulations differ from Western norms. The UAE dirham is pegged to the US dollar at a fixed rate of 3.6725 AED/USD.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emaar Properties | EMAAR | Emaar Properties has no US ADR. It trades on the DFM and is one of the most widely tracked UAE real estate stocks globally, accessible via UAE-focused ETFs or direct DFM brokerage accounts. | |
| First Abu Dhabi Bank | FAB | FAB has no US-listed ADR. It is the largest UAE bank by assets and trades on ADX. International investors access it via the ADX through licensed brokers or UAE-focused ETFs. | |
| Lulu Retail Holdings | LULU | Lulu Retail Holdings listed on ADX in November 2024 in one of the UAE's largest IPOs. It has no US ADR; shares are accessible only via ADX or through brokers with UAE market access. | |
| e& (Etisalat) | ETISALAT | e& (Emirates Telecommunications Group) does not have a US-listed ADR. The stock trades exclusively on ADX. It is included in GCC-tracking and broad-EM ETFs. |