Nasdaq Dubai adds $13.8 billion in fixed-income listings this year

Dubai: Nasdaq Dubai has recorded 33 new fixed-income listings worth $13.8 billion since the beginning of 2026, with international issuers accounting for 40% of the total, strengthening Dubai’s position in sukuk and debt capital markets.

The total current outstanding value of sukuk listed on Nasdaq Dubai has now reached $98.6 billion, adding to the emirate’s standing as one of the world’s key centres for Islamic finance and debt issuance.

The figures were shared by Hamed Ali, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Financial Market and Nasdaq Dubai, during the first session of the Government of Dubai Media Office’s International Media Briefing series.

Nasdaq Dubai also listed the UAE’s first Sovereign Retail T-Sukuk Programme, which was designed to give retail investors access to government sukuk.

The inaugural issuance was increased from Dh50 million to Dh100 million after strong demand. It was oversubscribed nine times, attracting Dh445 million in subscription requests across 18,422 applications. The programme is now listed on Nasdaq Dubai and trades on the secondary market.

The response points to rising investor appetite for fixed-income products in Dubai, particularly among retail investors looking for more accessible investment options linked to sovereign instruments.

Dubai Financial Market has also continued to expand, with market capitalisation surpassing Dh1 trillion after growing 191% since 2020.

The DFM General Index has risen 17.2% in 2025, while average daily trading value has moved above Dh1 billion. Over the past four years, DFM has helped raise Dh47 billion through 12 IPOs, attracting Dh1.3 trillion in investor demand and bringing in more than 465,000 new investors.

Hamed Ali said Dubai’s market development is being guided by a long-term plan to widen access, deepen liquidity and support companies seeking capital.

“Every initiative we pursue is guided by a long-term vision to build a deeper, more dynamic and more accessible capital market. Markets are built on confidence, and confidence is earned through transparency, innovation and consistent execution. Our role is to ensure Dubai continues to offer a platform where businesses can grow, investors can participate with confidence and capital can flow efficiently."

DFM is also developing Arena, its next-generation capital-raising platform, to support SMEs and high-growth companies.

The platform is designed to improve liquidity for private investors and connect issuers with DFM’s base of more than 1.2 million investors. It gives growing companies another route to capital before they move towards larger funding rounds or public markets.

The wider strategy is to build a broader market ecosystem across listed equities, private capital, sukuk and fixed-income products, giving businesses and investors more ways to participate in Dubai’s financial market growth.

The briefing also covered the role of regulatory innovation, market infrastructure and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, in strengthening Dubai’s financial markets.

Dubai is using DFM and Nasdaq Dubai as distinct but connected platforms, with DFM focused on equity market growth and Nasdaq Dubai expanding the emirate’s reach in sukuk, bonds and international listings.