UAE Capital Market Authority 2025 Growth: Licensing Surge And Market Expansion

The Capital Market Authority reported strong growth across UAE capital markets indicators in 2025, with higher licensing activity, more funds, and greater assets under management. The regulator said these developments pointed to deeper investor engagement and a maturing regulatory framework that continues to support both domestic and international capital flows into the country’s securities and commodities markets.

Licensing and approval activity showed one of the sharpest increases in the Capital Market Authority’s history. The Authority completed 3,170 licences and approvals in 2025, compared with 1,272 in 2024. This represented year-on-year growth of about 150 percent, highlighting wider participation by firms and market participants seeking regulatory authorisations across the UAE.

The expansion in licensing within the UAE capital markets was matched by a broad rise in assets under management. Across funds and portfolio management activities, total assets under management in the UAE reached about US$470 billion in 2025. This increase pointed to greater institutional participation and indicated that more capital was being professionally managed under regulatory oversight.

These asset management trends also reflected the growing role of the Capital Market Authority in supervising UAE capital markets. The Authority observed strong growth in funds and portfolio management activities that fall within its mandate. This suggested that a larger share of the expanding asset base is operating under rules intended to promote transparency, governance, and investor protection.

Growth across UAE capital markets was also visible in the local investment funds segment overseen by the Capital Market Authority. In 2025, the number of locally domiciled investment funds rose by about 322 percent. The total number of funds under the Authority’s oversight, including passported funds, increased from 119 in 2024 to 197 in 2025, a rise of roughly 66 percent.

This larger funds universe within the UAE capital markets has contributed to a wider selection of investment strategies and structures. Individual and institutional investors now have access to more diversified vehicles, which can support market depth and help build longer-term resilience. The Capital Market Authority considers this broader choice an important part of the system’s overall development trajectory.

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Capital Market Authority role in UAE capital markets supervision

Regulatory developments also moved forward around the Capital Market Authority and UAE capital markets framework. Federal decree laws governing the Capital Market Authority and the regulation of capital markets came into effect in 2026. These measures strengthened the legal foundations that support securities and commodities markets, aiming to keep rules aligned with the scale and complexity of market activity.

Commenting on the Authority’s performance, His Excellency Waleed Saeed Al Awadhi, Chief Executive Officer of the Capital Market Authority, said, "The Authority’s performance in 2025 reflects the continued development of the UAE’s capital markets and the effectiveness of its regulatory framework. The increase in licensing activity and the expansion of managed assets demonstrate growing confidence in the regulatory environment and the strength of market participation. Looking ahead, the Authority will continue to enhance its supervisory approach and regulatory tools to keep pace with market developments. This will ensure that growth is supported by robust governance, transparency, and effective investor protection. Together, these developments point to a deepening pool of long-term capital and reinforces the UAE’s growing role as a regional and international hub for institutional investment."

When viewed together, the outcomes recorded in 2025 and the decree laws enforced in 2026 show an environment where UAE capital markets and the Capital Market Authority are developing in parallel. The figures indicate expanding activity, while the updated legal framework aims to secure effective oversight, uphold market integrity, and maintain investor confidence over the longer term.

With inputs from WAM