Dubai Financial Market Reports Record Profit as It Marks 25 Years

Dubai Financial Market (DFM) posted a net profit before tax of 1.06 billion dirhams ($288.6 million) for 2025, up 159 percent from the previous year, driven by strong trading activity and sustained confidence in Dubai’s capital markets. The exchange celebrated 25 years since its establishment in 2000, highlighting its evolution into a globally connected and institutionally active marketplace, according to a report by the Emirates News Agency.

Total consolidated revenues for the year rose to 1.28 billion dirhams, while earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) reached 1.13 billion dirhams, yielding an 88 percent margin. The fourth-quarter net profit before tax increased to 124.4 million dirhams, compared with 110.6 million dirhams in the same period of 2024, reflecting continued momentum toward the end of the year.

Market performance remained robust in 2025. The DFM General Index rose 17.2 percent, while total market capitalization reached 992 billion dirhams. Average daily traded value climbed to 692 million dirhams, with total traded value hitting 174 billion dirhams—the highest liquidity levels in more than a decade. The average daily number of trades increased 31 percent year-on-year, supported by growing institutional and cross-border participation.

Investor participation also expanded significantly. During the year, 97,394 new investors joined DFM, of whom 84 percent were foreign. Foreign investors accounted for 51 percent of total trading value, while institutional investors represented 71 percent of market activity. The total investor base reached 1.25 million, reinforcing the exchange’s status as a hub for regional and international capital.

Capital-raising activity further strengthened DFM’s sectoral footprint. The exchange hosted the region’s first publicly traded residential leasing real estate investment trust, Dubai Residential REIT, which drew subscriptions 26 times over, generating total demand of 56 billion dirhams. It also saw the secondary offering of Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Co. and the initial public offering of ALEC Holdings, the UAE’s largest construction-sector listing to date, which attracted 30 billion dirhams in subscriptions—21 times oversubscribed.

DFM continued to enhance market infrastructure and innovation, launching a centralized securities lending and borrowing framework and introducing AI-enabled features on its digital platform, iVestor. The exchange strengthened international engagement through global roadshows and partnerships, including a memorandum of understanding with the Taiwan Stock Exchange to support cross-border listings and investor outreach.

Helal Al-Marri, chairman of DFM, said, “DFM’s performance in 2025 reflects the continued strength of Dubai’s capital markets and the confidence of global investors in the emirate’s economic vision. As we mark 25 years, the exchange continues to play a central role in supporting transparency, liquidity, and long-term market development.”

Hamed Ali, CEO of DFM and Nasdaq Dubai, added, “Our focus remains on improving market accessibility, supporting diverse investment activity, and ensuring efficient operations for both issuers and investors. Looking ahead, we aim to expand liquidity, product offerings, and global connectivity while maintaining a strong financial position.”