United Arab Emirates

Panorama económico e industrial

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.

Sectores clave

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Macro

PIB nominal, USD	$552.32B
Crecimiento del PIB real, anual	4.0%
Inflación anual	2.3%
Población personas	10.0M
PIB per cápita USD	$53,700
Capitalización bursátil total cotizado, USD	$1.06T
Cap. bursátil / PIB	192.0%
Desempleo	2.2%
Empresas cotizadas	330
Bolsa	Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX)

Año de los datos: 2024. Fuentes: 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.

Bolsa local y acceso

Bolsa	Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange
Código	ADX
Sitio web	www.adx.ae
Moneda	AED

Acceso a brókers locales

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.

Brókers globales con acceso a mercados extranjeros

• 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.

Listado solo a efectos informativos, no constituye recomendación. Los mercados disponibles, las comisiones y los requisitos de incorporación varían según el bróker y el país de residencia.

Reubicación y residencia

Acceso para inversores extranjeros

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.