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UAE stock markets worth AED 3.7 trillion as CMA-licensed firms rise 43% in nine months

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Glass office towers of a financial district on an Abu Dhabi island reflected in calm water Finance and Markets
Glass office towers of a financial district on an Abu Dhabi island reflected in calm water

ADX and DFM traded AED 408 billion in January to September, foreign investors made up 49% of trading, and bond and sukuk issuance reached AED 576 billion.

The combined market capitalisation of the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) and the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) stood at AED 3.7 trillion at the end of September 2026, and traded value reached AED 408 billion in the first nine months of the year, the UAE Capital Market Authority (CMA) said on 26 October. Foreign investors accounted for 49% of traded value, and both general indices closed September higher than a year earlier.

The number of companies licensed by the CMA rose 43% year on year and accredited professionals 64%. Bond and sukuk issuance reached a combined AED 576 billion, and companies completed about AED 3.4 billion of capital increases. Local investment funds rose 94% to 97, with assets under management up 30% to AED 28.6 billion.

Enforcement rose sharply. The number of financial penalties increased 246% and their value 23% to AED 12.9 million, warnings rose 767%, and complaints handled rose 192%. About AED 1.2 billion was refunded to clients, compared with AED 8 million in the same period of 2025.

The CMA issued six regulatory instruments, including a Virtual Assets Regulatory Framework and Basel III-aligned capital rules for licensed firms, and 102 virtual assets were registered for admission to trading in the third quarter. It registered 88 new financial influencers, taking the total to 198, and signed memorandums with regulators in Kazakhstan, Hong Kong and Mauritius.

Federal Decree-Laws No. 32 and 33 of 2025, which took effect on 1 January 2026, gave the CMA more regulatory independence and supervisory powers. For investors, the refunds and the finfluencer register are practical signs of stronger protection; licensed firms and registered influencers can be checked on the CMA website.

Sources