The UAE’s Capital Market Authority (CMA) has facilitated a Dh1.2 billion financial settlement between an investor and a licensed brokerage firm, underscoring the regulator’s growing focus on investor protection, market transparency and regulatory oversight amid rapid expansion in the country’s capital markets.
The authority said the settlement followed extensive legal and regulatory review and reflected its commitment to safeguarding stakeholder rights in line with the UAE’s supervisory and legal frameworks.
The announcement comes as the UAE’s financial markets continue to witness strong growth in trading activity, foreign investment inflows and listings, reinforcing the country’s emergence as one of the region’s leading capital market hubs.
According to the CMA’s 2025 annual report, average daily trading value across UAE markets rose 24.16 per cent year-on-year to Dh2.21 billion, driven by increased institutional participation, stronger retail activity and sustained foreign investor interest.
Net foreign investment inflows reached Dh18.7 billion during the year, with the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange attracting Dh14.1 billion and the Dubai Financial Market drawing Dh4.6 billion.
Market capitalisation also expanded across both exchanges despite periods of global volatility. Abu Dhabi’s market value rose 4.7 per cent to Dh3.14 trillion, while Dubai’s market capitalisation climbed 7.6 per cent to Dh980 billion.
The UAE also witnessed strong issuance activity during 2025, with total equity listings reaching Dh14.53 billion, including Dh7.29 billion raised through IPOs and Dh7.24 billion through direct listings.
Bond and sukuk listings totalled Dh27.6 billion, while private placement issuances surged to Dh638 billion, highlighting deepening activity across debt capital markets. Green bonds and sukuk accounted for Dh8.6 billion of total issuances, reflecting growing investor appetite for sustainable finance instruments.
One of the strongest areas of growth came from the investment funds sector. The number of licensed funds more than doubled from 18 in 2024 to 37 in 2025, representing a 106 per cent increase.
The regulator also expanded supervisory activity during the year. The CMA conducted on-site inspections at 80 of 84 targeted companies, handled 75 complaints and issued 324 supervisory actions as part of efforts to strengthen market integrity and investor confidence.
Licensed companies operating under the authority reached 244, with a total of 602 licences issued during the year.
CMA Chairman Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa described 2025 as a year in which national economic ambitions converged with evolving global market dynamics, with the authority focused on balancing growth, stability and institutional confidence across the UAE’s rapidly expanding financial ecosystem.
