As one of the fastest-growing financial hubs, Dubai continues to attract global investors with its pro-business policies, world-class infrastructure and strategic vision. The emirates’s commitment to excellence has once again been reaffirmed with a historic achievement in the Dubai Financial Market, which exceed a market capitalization of AED907 billion ($247 billion) in 2024.
This growth represents a 32% increase from the previous year, reflecting Dubai’s robust financial ecosystem, strategic market market initiatives, and investors confidence at an all-time high.
Exceptional Market Performance
The DFM General Index witnessed an impressive surge of 27.1%, closing at 5,158.67 the highest level since September 2014. This marks the largest annual gain in three years and solidifies Dubai’s standing as the GCC’s best-performing market for the second consecutive year.
Accompanying this stellar market performance was an increase in average daily trading value (ADTV), which grew by 5% to AED 423 million ($115.2 million). The total traded value saw a parallel rise of 5.5%, reaching AED 107 billion ($29.1 billion). The sustained expansion in both retail and institutional investors has contributed significantly to these figures.
Strong Financial Results
DFM reported AED 632.3 million ($172.2 million) in total revenues for 2024, a 15.5% increase from 2023. This includes AED 353.1 million ($96.1 million) in operating income and AED 279.2 million ($76 million) in investment returns. The pre-tax net profit rose by 24% to AED 409.3 million ($111.4 million).
The Board of Directors has approved the annual results and proposed a cash dividend of AED256 million ($70 million), representing 3.2% of capital and 97% of the total retained earnings available for distribution.
IPO Boom and Increased Investor Participation
In 2024, DFM saw a remarkable 120.5% increase in new accounts, onboarding 138,262 investors, with foreign investors driving 85% of this growth. Foreign investors also accounted for 50% of total trading value, up from 47% in 2023, while institutional investor participation rose sharply to 65%, compared to 58% the previous year.
A key highlight was the surge in IPO activity, with DFM facilitating three major listings—Parkin, Spinneys, and talabat, the largest global tech IPO of the year. These IPOs raised AED 10.48 billion ($2.9 billion), a significant jump from AED 1.97 billion ($536.4 million) in 2023.
The heightened investor interest led to increased retail tranches in IPOs, with Spinneys expanding its retail offering from 5% to 7% and Parkin increasing from 10% to 12%.
With solid growth and continuous improvements, DFM reinforces its position as the region’s top financial exchange, ensuring Dubai remains a key destination for global investors.
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