Announced at a meeting chaired by H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the update underscores how quickly the city’s regulated ecosystem—overseen by VARA—has scaled. Since early 2025, licensed firms have grown steadily, pushing assets under management past AED 9.6B ($2.6B).
We approved the Dubai Financial Sector Strategy during the meeting of the Higher Committee for the Development of the Economic and Financial Sector in Dubai, along with its transformative projects. We also reviewed the key achievements of the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) and the… pic.twitter.com/GD2Dk5GTII
— Maktoum Bin Mohammed (@MaktoumMohammed) October 12, 2025
Today, virtual assets contribute about 0.5% to Dubai’s GDP (≈AED 2.2B), and the plan is to lift that share to 3% in the coming years (≈AED 13B). Beyond the 40+ licensed providers, more than 600 registered companies operate across advisory, tech, and prop trading—fuel for a broader, deeper market.
At the same session, Dubai approved its Financial Sector Strategy, a three-year program of 15 initiatives aimed at doubling the financial sector’s GDP contribution, expanding asset and wealth management, and drawing in new investors, fund managers, family businesses, and startups.
A big push for SMEs is built in, with new financing models to improve access to capital and support sustainable growth. All of this aligns with the D33 agenda to place Dubai among the world’s top three cities—backed by a regulatory approach that leans into transparency, responsible oversight, and innovation in digital markets.