CBUAE approves first USD-backed stablecoin

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WHAT WE’RE TRACKING TODAY

THIS MORNING: UAE eyes investments in Rosatom’s nuclear projects + Adnoc, IHC out of the race for Lukoil’s assets

Good morning, friends, and happy FRIDAY. We close out the week with a brisk issue, led by good news for the crypto sector as the Central Bank of the UAE approves the country’s first USD-backed stablecoin for digital asset settlement.

The move comes as the stablecoin landscape deepens, with stablecoin payments creeping further into the mainstream and not one, but several AED-backed stablecoins now in circulation.

Now that a foreign payment token has entered the chat, expect more mainstream activity as it becomes easier to flip between AED for local payments and USD for global asset settlement all within the UAE’s regulated banking perimeter.

Other big news to keep an eye on this morning: First Abu Dhabi Bank is tapping debt markets again, this time in Taiwan, and ADQ’s CEO has stepped down from the sovereign wealth fund to head up asset manager Lunate.

Happening today

Gulfood is on its final day. This year, it’s taking place in two different venues: Dubai World Trade Center and Dubai Exhibition Center in Expo City. The massive F&B event gathers food distributors, producers, government officials, and investors and startups alike under, now, two roofs.

Plus: The World Customs Organization’s Technology Conference is also wrapping up today at the Adnec Center Abu Dhabi.

Our fellow photo nerds in the UAE have been looking forward to this year’s Xposure, on until 4 February. This year’s global celebration of visual storytelling features a who’s who of talented photographers — including our friend Romany Hafez, whose haunting analog work explores memory, presence, and sacred spaces. Romany will be giving a talk tomorrow, 31 January headlined Between Memory and Light. Don’t miss it if you love black-and-white photography as much as we do.

WEATHER- Another warm, sunny day is ahead of us, with highs of 25°C in Dubai and 24°C in Abu Dhabi, and an overnight low of 16°C in both emirates.

Happening next week

Mena’s MEVCA Investors Summit 2026 takes place on 4 February in Abu Dhabi, gathering the venture capital community as capital allocators and fund managers assess fundraising conditions, LP sentiment, and sector priorities shaping the region’s VC pipeline.

The World Governments Summit 2026 runs 3-5 February in Dubai under the theme Shaping Future Governments. Government leaders, international organizations, and private-sector executives will focus on governance reform, technology, and global policy challenges.

Dubai hosts PropTech Connect Middle East 2026 on 4-5 February, bringing investors, developers, and property-tech firms together to discuss AI, data, blockchain, and digital tools reshaping real estate markets across the region.

The International Arab Actuarial Conference also runs 4-6 February in Dubai, bringing together actuaries, insurers, regulators, and banks from across Mena. Sessions will focus on AI, health insurance, cyber risk, catastrophe modelling, and pension sustainability.

Watch this space

DIPLOMACY — UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Moscow to talk trade, investment, tech, space, and energy, though no new MoUs or agreements were inked, Wam reports.

Geopolitical issues were also on the table: Putin said he wants to discuss current tensions in Iran with the president, highlighting the urgency of the situation following recent US threats to execute military action, Reuters reports. His comments came a day after Trump threatened an attack on Iran if the country refuses to negotiate an agreement on nuclear weapons. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov had earlier urged restraint from both the US and Iran, warning that any further retaliation will destabilize the region’s security system.

REMEMBER- Abu Dhabi will host the next round of Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations this Sunday 1 February, following an initial round held this week after which issues like security assurances and territorial disputes emerged as sticking points.

Also from the visit: The UAE expressed interest in investing in nuclear energy projects by Russia’s state-owned nuclear energy entity Rosatom, Russian news agency Interfax quotes Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev as saying. Turkey was specified as a possible target country, and Rosatom is also active in Iraq and Egypt, Asharq Business reported.

Rosatom has sent the UAE proposals for “large and small NPPs, land-based and floating options,” Likachev said, adding that the proposals are being studied.

Rosatom is already active in other Emirati sectors, including transport. The company is partnering with port operator DP World on a project for an international logistics operator to boost integration between BRICS nations, and bolster supply chains and trade.

Adnoc’s global trading arm secured a lease for fuel oil storage units in Singapore, the latest sign that it’s looking to boost trade volumes to Asia, Reuters reports, citing market sources. Two sources say the firm is leasing 160k cubic meters of capacity at the Jurong Port Universal Terminal, the largest onshore terminal for storage of the residue fuel in the city state.

ALSO- Adnoc looks to be out of the race for Lukoil’s assets — as is IHC: US private equity firm Carlyle Group is said to have come to an initial agreement to buy most of Russian oil firm Lukoil’s foreign assets, according to a statement. Its assets span Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia, and Mexico, including a controlling stake in Iraq’s West Qurna 2 oilfield.

Background: The US imposed sanctions on Lukoil and Rosneft last October and gave Lukoil until 17 January to sell its international assets, valued at around USD 22 bn. IHC had been in talks to potentially acquire some of Lukoil’s assets, as was Adnoc, which had been eyeing in particular its natural gas operations in Uzbekistan.

Data point

653 — the number of new companies that set up shop at Dubai South in 2025, lifting the total number of operational businesses to more than 4.2k, Wam reports. The zone also recorded a 90% retention rate and a 65% increase in new business licences.

What’s driving it: Activity picked up across real estate, logistics, and aviation. New logistics and aviation facilities came online, while global operators including DHL, UPS, and Avia Solutions Group have signed agreements to expand in the area. On the residential front, Dubai South delivered 800 residential units in 2025, with another 1.3k units scheduled for handover in 2026.

The big story abroad

All eyes are on markets this morning as a tech rout deepens on Wall Street, sending Microsoft’s shares plunging by the most since 2020, with some USD 360 bn in market value wiped out. This came amid further concerns of Microsoft’s AI spending and its exposure to OpenAI. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite fell as much as 2.6% on Thursday morning, before paring losses to settle 0.7% lower, while the S&P 500 was down 0.1%.

Apple’s record USD 144 bn in revenues and strong growth forecast did not help markets recover, especially after the tech giant warned that component prices are rising and could potentially hit margins, with futures down at the open.

Another day of volatility could be in the cards: US President Donald Trump is set to announce his pick for the US Federal Reserve today, Bloomberg reports. The now-four person shortlist could see one of several people appointed as chair to succeed Jerome Powell: BlackRock’s Rick Rieder; former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh; Fed Governor Christopher Waller; and White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett, who was previously seen as a potential favorite for the job but who Trump later said he’d like to keep in his current post.

^^ Reuters has more. The newswire notes that the common denominator with the four candidates is an agreement that interest rates need to be lower than where they are now.

Also from OpenAI: The startup could be getting a USD 50 bn investment from Amazon, according to sources, and is separately said to be eyeing a public listing in 4Q of this year, Wall Street Journal reports.

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Universal registers UAE’s first USD-backed stablecoin

Universal is first out of the gate on foreign payment tokens: Abu Dhabi-based Universal Digital Intl has secured the UAE’s first license for a USD-denominated stablecoin, making it the first registered foreign payment token issuer under the Central Bank of the UAE with the launch of USDU, according to a press release. USDU is the only registered foreign payment token currently permitted for digital-asset settlement in the UAE.

A framework refresher: Under the CBUAE’s framework, only fiat or registered foreign payment tokens can be used for digital asset derivatives payments. With USDU the only token registered under the framework, it essentially sets up a compliant USD settlement rail for the UAE’s regulated digital asset market.

How USDU works: FRSA-regulated Universal will back USDU, which will be used for digital asset settlement and derivatives in the UAE — not general payments — by 1:1 reserves.

Who else is involved? The reserve funds are held in onshore accounts with our friends at Mashreq and Emirates NBD. Al Maryah Community Bank is also onboard as a banking partner and Universal partnered with Aquanow, a VARA-regulated digital-asset infrastructure provider, on adoption and distribution.

Integration with AE Coin is also in the cards, with work underway to allow users to convert between USDU and the UAE’s first AED-pegged stablecoin for domestic settlement.

IN CONTEXT- The move comes as stablecoins are being increasingly integrated into payments systems in the UAE, however for now, it is AED-backed tokens that are dominating the scene. Players like Network International, 7X, Air Arabia, the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, and Tawasul Taxis are amongst those now accepting AE Coin as payment. IHC, ADQ, and First Abu Dhabi Bank are developing a regulated AED token, and Rakbank is developing an AED-backed stablecoin.

FAB returns to debt markets for second time this month with five-year Formosa bond

First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) is marketing a USD-denominated five-year Formosa bond, Zawya reports. The Regulation S notes are floating-rate, with final price guidance of 75 basis points over the secured overnight financing rate (SOFR) and an expected Aa3 rating from Moody’s, based on FAB’s own rating. The size of the issuance wasn’t disclosed.

Formosa bonds? They are foreign-currency bonds issued in Taiwan by offshore borrowers, typically listed on the Taipei Exchange and sold primarily to Taiwanese institutional investors. For issuers, Formosas offer access to a deep institutional base — especially insurers — often at competitive pricing and longer tenors, while diversifying funding sources.

Our take: FAB is leaning into demand for high-grade paper. The issuance marks its second debt issuance this year, following a USD 750 mn five-year Eurobond issued in January at a 4.299% fixed coupon. The lender has also previously tapped the Formosa market, raising USD 800 mn through green Formosa bonds in 2024.

Other UAE issuers have also issued Formosas:

Emirates NBD sold USD 700 mn of five-year senior unsecured Formosa notes in 2025;
Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank also completed two Formosa issuances last year, each USD 600 mn five-year floating-rate issuance;
Mubadala issued USD 750 mn in Formosa bonds in 2024.

ADVISORS- Crédit Agricole’s Taipei branch, Standard Chartered Bank (Taiwan), and KGI Securities are acting as joint managers on the issuance.

DFM and ADCB turn in earnings

Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank

Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) posted a net income after tax of AED 11.4 bn in 2025, rising 22% y-o-y, according to its management discussion and analysis report (pdf). The lender’s total income saw a 14% uptick to AED 22.2 bn during 2025, as non-interest income was up 20% y-o-y. Its total assets rose 19% to AED 774 bn and its capital position was also strengthened by its AED 6.1 bn rights issue, representing the largest transaction of a company listed on the ADX. It closed the year with a total market capitalization of over AED 100 bn.

The bank’s 4Q performance was similarly strong, logging a bottom line of AED 3.3 bn, up 30% y-o-y. Its topline inched up 2% to AED 5.6 bn.

Inflows were supported by an acceleration in loans and growth in deposits. Net loans grew 16% y-o-y to AED 406 bn, marking sustained credit demand across the company’s retail and corporate portfolios. Customer deposits also rose 19% to AED 500 bn.

Dividends: The bank is recommending a dividend payout of nearly AED 5 bn for the year, accounting for about 44% of net income.

Dubai Financial Market

Dubai Financial Market reported a net income of AED 969.1 mn for 2025, up 157.5% y-o-y, according to its financials (pdf). Total income more than doubled to AED 1.3 bn, up from AED 632.3 mn in 2024, supported by stronger trading activity, higher investment and dividend income, and a one-off gain of AED 461.9 mn from the sale of an investment property. It had sold a plot in Business Bay for AED 826.7 mn in May as part of a divestment drive.

Market activity remained robust throughout the year: Total traded value rose 63% y-o-y to AED 174 bn, while average daily traded value reached AED 692 mn, according to a separate earnings release (pdf). The DFM General Index grew by 17.2% over the year, with market capitalization reaching AED 992 bn by year-end.

Investor participation continued to broaden, with 97.4k new investors joining the market in 2025, 84% of whom were foreign. Foreign investors accounted for 51% of total traded value, while institutional investors made up 71% of trading activity.

ADQ CEO steps down after tripling assets to lead Lunate’s next growth phase

From ADQ to Lunate: Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund ADQ’s CEO Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi is stepping down from the helm of the emirate’s fastest-growing wealth fund to join Abu Dhabi-based alternative asset manager Lunate as executive chairman and managing partner, according to a statement. ADQ hasn’t named a successor so far.

The asset game: Alsuwaidi has led ADQ since its 2018 launch, overseeing the build-out of the platform and the tripling of assets to more than USD 263 bn. He now lands at Lunate — which manages around USD 115 bn — as the firm accelerates plans to more than double assets under management over the next five years and expand its global footprint.

Lunate has been busy as of late, becoming the first Abu Dhabi-based asset manager to launch UCITS ETFs in Europe at the start of the year, taking a minority stake in global hedge fund manager Brevan Howard, and launching the region’s first thematic ETF on the ADX last September.

Japanese investment bank Nomura has bolstered its Dubai investment advisory team with the hire of Kshitij Sawhney, who reports to Matthew Peh, head of investment advisory for Southeast Asia, Global South Asia, and the Middle East, CityWire reports, citing a memo. Sawhney’s career has included a tenure at UBS as executive director, as well as director-head of investment consulting (NRI and Africa) at Credit Suisse.

Kitopi gets USD 50 mn to expand, DAE leases again to Morocco, and NMDC’s dredging backlog gets bigger

Kitopi secures USD 50 mn in a growth round

UAE-based cloud kitchen Kitopi has secured USD 50 mn in growth capital, with Singapore-based private credit platform EvolutionX leading the round, according to a press release. Funds will be used to expand Kitopi’s portfolio of local brands across its five GCC markets. Currently it operates over 200 locations, and is pushing ahead with regional and international franchising plans.

BACKGROUND- Kitopi has raised more than USD 800 mn across multiple rounds. It reached unicorn status in 2021 after closing a USD 415 mn Series C round, followed by a USD 300 mn Series C extension in 2022.

NMDC expands its fleet + secures a new contract in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi’s NMDC just signed an AED 618 mn agreement for an advanced self-propelled dredger, to add to its current 170-strong fleet, according to a press release (pdf). The new dredger should be ready by 1Q 2027.

A full plate: The move aims to help with the EPC and marine dredging group’s growing backlog of projects, which reached AED 62.3 bn as of last September. This backlog is only getting larger, after it secured another contract from Abu Dhabi’s Department of Municipalities and Transport for dredging and reclamation work in Rabdan, according to a separate disclosure (pdf). The new contract is worth AED 157 mn, and NMDC expects to complete it in 4Q 2026.

DAE leases more aircraft to Morocco

Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) will lease 13 new Boeing 737-8 aircraft to Moroccan national carrier Royal Air Maroc (RAM), according to a press release. Delivery is slated for 2027, and comes as RAM aims to roll out nine new international destinations from Casablanca starting early April.

Aircraft are hot commodities currently, with Airbus and Boeing’s total backlog standing at more than 11 years. Currently, DAE owns, manages, and has orders for a total of 237 Boeing planes, with a wider total of 750 aircraft valued at USD 22 bn.

The lease follows a previous agreement in June by DAE leasing two Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft to the Moroccan airline. Elsewhere, back in December, DAE also leased 10 new Boeing 737-8 jets to Turkey’s flagship airline Turkish Airlines and budget carrier AJet.

AI, geopolitics, and capital redirection will shape M&A activity in 2026 -Bain

It’s a pivot from rebound momentum to reinvention discipline for M&A this year, according to Bain’s 2026 outlook (pdf). M&A is set to be a key tool for capturing gains as themes like tech and post-globalization dominate the investment scene.

Activity looks set to hold up: About 80% of M&A executives expect to sustain or increase transaction activity this year, as the macro backdrop improves and a growing number of assets are ripe for exiting. Boards are likely to set higher ROI thresholds as acquisitions compete head-to-head with dividends, buybacks, reinvestment via capex, and R&D, and reconsider the importance of accessing assets through resilient supply chains, as well as simply owning them.

Among the trends set to shape M&A flows next year: AI, which had a foot in over half of all tech-related takeovers last year. While lots of emerging tech is still in the early stages, sectors linked to technology like machinery and equipment are set for a big year, following on from 2025, which saw 20% of tech acquisitions involve manufacturing equipment.

AI is quietly reshaping the workflow: Beyond influencing what gets bought, Bain points to rising use of AI in diligence to stress-test cost, revenue, and integration assumptions, reflecting lower tolerance for narrative-driven underwriting as competition intensifies.

A shifting geopolitical landscape will see a flurry of alignment and divestment, with M&A a way for companies to either retrench in line with international partners or pull back and divest from others as they evaluate trade-offs including proximity to clients and supply chains. In 2025, 70% of executives told Bain that trade restriction policies would not affect divestment plans — but fragmentation is reshaping how capital is deployed, driving greater use of minority stakes, joint ventures, and carve-outs to manage risk without full balance-sheet exposure.

Another sign of the times is the cutting out of the middle man, as traditional intermediate players are bypassed with firms going straight to the source with consumers, shaking up where capital is directed.

By the industry: Private equity in defense is rising sharply, with Europe being an epicenter for agreements, medtech agreement valuations are being led by divestitures and spin-offs, and the mining industry is pivoting from greenfield projects to acquisitions. In oil and gas, M&A is increasingly being dominated by a few big names, while in pharma, trendy, next-gen drugs are leading big pharma to snap up smaller fish to secure an end-to-end pipeline. Over in software, the focus is on identifying future-proof AI takeover targets.

**Missed our 2025 coverage? We wrote that global M&A snapped back unevenly last year: transaction value surged while volumes lagged, tech — especially AI-linked transactions — carried the rebound, scope strategies hit record share, and M&A still lost the budget fight as companies kept acquisition spending at roughly 7% of total capital allocation, with capex and R&D taking priority.

MARKETS THIS MORNING-

Asian markets are mixed this morning, with South Korea’s Kospi and Japan’s Nikkei both in the green, and China’s CSI 300 and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng in the red. Over on Wall Street, futures point to another volatile trading day with a likely lower open, as tech jitters continue to weigh on markets.

ADX	10,364	-0.3% (YTD: +3.7%)
DFM	6,482	-0.5% (YTD: +7.2%)
Nasdaq Dubai UAE20	5,255	-0.6% (YTD: +7.5%)
USD : AED CBUAE	Buy 3.67	Sell 3.67
EIBOR	3.4% o/n	3.7% 1 yr
TASI	11,382	-0.7% (YTD: +8.5%)
EGX30	47,786	-0.1% (YTD: +14.2%)
S&P 500	6,969	-0.1% (YTD: +1.8%)
FTSE 100	10,172	+0.2% (YTD: +2.2%)
Euro Stoxx 50	5,892	-0.7% (YTD: +1.7%)
Brent crude	USD 70.71	+3.4%
Natural gas (Nymex)	USD 2.77	+1.5%
Gold	USD 5,466	+2.1%
BTC	USD 84,520	-4% (YTD: -4.8%)
Chimera JP Morgan UAE Bond UCITS ETF	AED 3.8	+1.3% (YTD: +1.3%)
S&P MENA Bond & Sukuk	151.61	-0.1% (YTD: -0.2%)
VIX (Volatility Index)	USD 16.9	+3.2% (YTD: +12.3%)

THE CLOSING BELL-

The ADX fell 0.3% yesterday on turnover of AED 1.3 bn. The index is up 3.7% YTD.

In the green: Agility Global (+3.1%), Rapco Investment (+2.5%), and Abu Dhabi National Hotels Co. (+2.5%).

In the red: Al Wathba National Ins. Co. (-8.6%), Sudatel Telecommunications Group Company (-4.5%), and Abu Dhabi National Co. for Building Materials (-4.0%).

Over on the DFM, the index fell 0.5% on turnover of AED 742 mn. Meanwhile, Nasdaq Dubai was up 0.6%.

Maalexi CEO on the problems facing small farmers, tokenizing agricultural assets, and the importance of taking risks

Closing the 60-day gap: Azam Pasha (LinkedIn), CEO and co-founder of Maalexi, says agricultural exporters can take up to 60 days to receive payments for their shipments. This can mean a massive disruption in their own investment cycle and capital hurdles that stifle their activity.

He and his co-founder Rohit Majhi (LinkedIn) have been working on making the process a little more streamlined for both farmers and buyers alike, with a digital platform that connects SME exporters with international buyers, provides real-time monitoring, and gives farmers their money upfront.

We sat down with Pasha for this morning’s My Morning Routine to get to know how he manages the company, what’s next for Maalexi, and his life outside of work. Every Friday, My Morning Routine goes behind the scenes with a successful member of the community to see how they start their day, while throwing in some business questions for fun. Edited excerpts from our conversation:

EnterpriseAM: What led you to the SME financing industry in the first place? How did you start Maalexi?

AP: Over the past 25 years, I’ve worked closely with small farmers and SMEs involved in food production, and have been based out of Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. I found that a lot of farmers and SMEs couldn’t access fair prices and export to international markets.

A small agri-trader and buyers in different countries struggle to work with each other because of distance, and uncertainty about the shipment’s safety and timeliness. It can take up to 60 days for an exporter to be paid, creating a gap in capital and preventing them from investing for the next season.

That’s when we decided to build our platform, acting as an all-in-one digital agent for agri-trade. Our AI sensors check quality and the IoT trackers in the shipping containers show it arrived safely. That data then acts as the collateral, and we secure the goods in an approved warehouse. We use our dp to pay sellers almost immediately once the goods arrive, and now around 451 agri-trade SMEs are operating through our platform.

E: Where is Maalexi currently based?

AP: I am based in between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and my co-founder is between Abu Dhabi and Bangalore, as we also have an office in India. Around 50% of our commodities and procurement flow out of India, so the zero-duty UAE and India corridor is important for us.

E: Tell us about your new agricultural asset token exchange. Why does the world need one?

AP: Maatex is the world’s first agri tokenized exchange that takes physical food sitting in a warehouse and turns it into a digital token to provide the buyer with real-time tracking. A foreign buyer can get instant ownership of the product without physically possessing it.

We are currently running a fundraising round for its rollout. We’re aiming to close the funding round in the next three months, perhaps by March or April, so hopefully the fully regulated exchange will be live by either next May or June. We’re looking to be licensed by the Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA), and also filed a patent on the technology in the US. In the future, we’re hoping to expand into Saudi Arabia, as well as work with US-exporters.

E: What is the plan in terms of physical warehouse infrastructure to support the exchange?

AP: Right now we’ve contracted DP World as our main logistics space provider in Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port, and on the shipping line side, we’re currently in talks to partner with other global logistics and shipping providers.

E: What does a typical workday look like for you?

AP: I usually wake up at around 6:30 in the morning. My workday starts with having a call with my operations and sales teams about the plan for the day. Then I spend some time focusing on our active investor discussions and also on customer engagement.

Later in the day, I like to spend some time reading something on the tech or economic side of how things are shaping up in the world, as it’s linked to our business. At the end of the day, I like having time for myself, to go out for some exercise, and just talk with friends and get to hear about new developments in their own industries.

E: How do you like to relax and switch off when work is done?

AP: One thing I try now is disconnecting from all business-related things on Sundays and spending time with my family instead. I prioritize having meals with them, and any kind of activity that brings the whole family together, like cycling. Different documentaries that aren’t related to business help me unwind.

I like researching different fields that are new to me and writing in-depth papers on them, like genetics, biomimicry, or blockchains. I’ve taken up courses and degrees, and have studied at Stanford, Wharton, and most recently Harvard two years back. My research papers are listed on the SSRN journal, as well as on the Triple Helix peer-reviewed journal.

E: What’s next for you on a personal and professional level?

AP: A lot of my time will be dedicated to developing Maatex and looking at developing new variants of product offerings on the exchange. I’d also like to look at bringing in an investor network, and developing some derivative products to offer alongside buying contracts.

E: What’s one piece of bad advice you’ve been given and how did it impact you?

AP:I think the worst advice I was ever given was to pursue something more safe and predictable. This kind of advice didn’t work with me because I believe we have to take risks in life and build things that are different from the status quo. There are problems in the world that can only be solved by experimenting and building a solution that’s never been built before.

Azam’s recommendations:

What he’s reading: Recently, I’ve enjoyed Ray Dalio’s Principles for Dealing with The Changing World Order, as well as Chip War by Chris Miller and Biomimicry by Janine Benyus.

For films and podcasts, two of my favorite films are The Big Short and Rising Phoenix, and I like listening to Bloomberg’s Odd Lots podcast as well as Bankless and Acquired.

CALENDAR

JANUARY

26-30 January (Monday-Friday): Gulfood, Dubai Exhibition Center and Dubai World Trade Center.

28-30 January (Wednesday-Friday): World Customs Organization Technology Conference, Adnec Center, Abu Dhabi.

31 January-1 February (Saturday-Sunday): Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival, Spark, Sharjah.

31 January-7 February (Saturday-Saturday): Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open, International Tennis Center, Zayed Sports City.

FEBRUARY

Signposted to happen sometime this month: Investopia, Lagos, Nigeria.

3-5 February (Tuesday-Thursday): The World Governments Summit, Dubai.

4 February (Wednesday): Ministerial dialogue for Pax Silica members, Washington, DC.

4 February (Wednesday): Investors Summit, ADGM, Abu Dhabi.

4-5 February (Wednesday-Thursday): PropTech Connect Middle East, Grand Hyatt Dubai.

4-5 February (Wednesday-Thursday): MRO Middle East, Dubai World Trade Center, Dubai.

4-6 February (Wednesday-Friday): Arab Actuarial Conference, Millennium Plaza Downtown Hotel, Dubai.

9-11 February (Monday-Wednesday): AIBC Eurasia, Dubai Festival City, Dubai.

10 February (Tuesday): AVCJ Private Equity Forum, Four Seasons Hotel, Abu Dhabi.

11 February (Wednesday): Family Office Summit, Park Hyatt Dubai, Dubai.

11-13 February (Wednesday-Friday): MedTech World Middle East, Dubai.

12-15 February (Thursday-Sunday): The Society for Incentive Travel Excellence Global Conference, Abu Dhabi.

9-12 February (Monday-Friday): World Health Expo (WHX), Dubai.

10-11 February (Tuesday-Wednesday): Top Advisors and Investors Summit, Abu Dhabi.

MARCH

31 March – 2 April (Tuesday-Thursday): Arab Media Summit, Dubai.

26-28 March (Thursday-Saturday): Social Capital Conference, Dubai.

28-29 March (Saturday-Sunday): Emirates International Congress on AI & Visionary Leadership in Transforming Healthcare, Adnec Center Abu Dhabi.

30 March – 2 April (Monday-Thursday): IAAPA Middle East Exhibition and Conference, Adnec Center, Abu Dhabi.

APRIL

7-9 April (Tuesday-Thursday): Future Health Summit, Adnec Center Abu Dhabi.

13-15 April (Monday-Wednesday): AIM Congress, Dubai World Trade Center.

13-15 April (Monday-Wednesday): The International Glass Manufacturing Show, Dubai.

14-16 April: (Tuesday-Thursday): the International Property Show, Sheikh Zayed Rd, Dubai.

21-23 April (Tuesday-Thursday): UITP Public Transport Summit, Dubai.

MAY

11-15 May (Monday-Friday): Dubai Future Finance Week, Dubai.

11-13 May (Monday-Wednesday): AI Everything Global, Adnec Center.

19-20 May (Tuesday-Wednesday): Capital Market Summit, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai.

19-22 May (Tuesday-Friday): Abu Dhabi Water and Energy Week, Adnec Center, Abu Dhabi.

JUNE

15 June – 15 September (Monday-Thursday): Dubai Mallathon, Dubai.

JULY

31 July (Friday): Large businesses achieving annual revenues equal to or above AED 50 mn must appoint an accredited service provider for e-invoicing implementation.

Signposted to happen sometime in October 2026:

Abu Dhabi Space Week, Abu Dhabi.

NOVEMBER

9-10 November (Monday-Tuesday): Annual government meetings, Abu Dhabi.

DECEMBER

2-4 December (Wednesday-Friday): UN Water Conference, UAE.

Signposted to happen in 2026:

The UAE to host the Arab Competition Forum;
Investopia Global Talks, Tashkent.

Signposted to happen sometime in 2027:

1 January: Deadline for large businesses to implement e-invoicing;
1Q 2027: Completion of the first phase of Hassyan seawater desalination project;
31 March: Small businesses with annual revenues of less than AED 50 mn are obliged to contract with an accredited service provider for e-invoicing implementation;
31 March: Government entities are required to appoint an accredited service provider for e-invoicing implementation;
1 July: Deadline for small businesses to implement e-invoicing;
1 October: Deadline for governments to implement e-invoicing;
Abu Dhabi’s solar and battery energy facility, combining 5.2 GW of solar capacity and 19 GWh of battery storage, is set for commissioning.

Signposted to happen sometime in 2029:

Sibos 2029 organized by the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT), Dubai;
The commissioning of the seventh phase of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park.

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