Panellists at the Securities Finance Symposium in Dubai highlighted securities financing and repo transactions as essential infrastructure for developing the UAE's capital markets. Speakers from HSBC, BNP Paribas Asset Management, and Broadridge noted that regional demand has expanded from directional shorting into relative value, index rebalancing, and balance sheet management strategies. The panel emphasised that scalable technology, straight-through processing, and standardised market practices are necessary to transition from market access to consistent ecosystem participation.
The UAE Capital Market Authority is targeting asset tokenisation, artificial intelligence, and alternative trading systems as priorities for its 2027 regulatory agenda. During the first nine months of 2026, foreign investors accounted for 49 percent of the AED 408 billion traded across the Abu Dhabi and Dubai bourses. The regulator also reported a 43 percent year-on-year surge in licensed firms alongside heightened supervisory enforcement.
The UAE Capital Market Authority reported a 43 percent increase in licensed financial companies during the first nine months of the year, alongside a 64 percent rise in accredited financial professionals. Trading across the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange and Dubai Financial Market reached AED 408 billion, with foreign investors accounting for 49 percent of activity. Enforcement actions also intensified, resulting in AED 12.9 million in penalties and approximately AED 1.2 billion in client refunds.
The UAE's Capital Market Authority facilitated approximately AED 1.2 billion in client refunds during the first nine months of 2026, up sharply from AED 8 million in the same period last year. Licensed firms rose 43% year-on-year as regulatory complaints handled jumped 192%. The expansion comes in the CMA's first nine months operating under Federal Decree-Laws No. 32 and 33 of 2025.
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