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More action from Swiss players on the DFM?
The Dubai Financial Market (DFM) is now recognized as a foreign trading venue by Switzerland’s financial regulator Finma, in a move set to expand the pool of international investors and issuers able to connect with the exchange, according to Dubai Media Office. The move gives Swiss participants direct access to DFM’s trading venue and lets Switzerland-registered firms trade their equities in Dubai.
IN CONTEXT- Finma cited strong regulation as prompting the move, and the development comes amid a wider push by Emirati exchanges to strengthen cross-border market access. Earlier this month, Jordan’s Amman Stock Exchange became the latest bourse to join ADX’s Tabadul platform. The DFM also signed an MoU in 2024 to strengthen cross-border exchanges with Shenzhen Stock Exchange, and later in May 2025 inked another MoU with Taiwan’s stock exchange.
Algebra AI raises USD 7 mn for enterprise AI play
Dubai-based Algebra AI has emerged from stealth with USD 7 mn in funding to help mid-sized businesses deploy and manage AI systems, according to a press release.
About Algebra AI: Backed by UAE-based Beco Capital, Jordan’s Silicon Badia, New York-headquartered Infinity Constellation, and Saudi’s Waseel Investments, the company integrates AI into workflows to boost operational efficiency. The firm’s focus is on GCC mid-market firms seeking solutions that won’t break the bank. Its current customer base spans financial services, manufacturing, distribution, and food and beverage.
Where will the money go? Algebra AI plans to use the funding to expand its client base across the GCC and grow its engineering team in Dubai.
AD Ports starts Safaga trial run
AD Ports has kicked off trial operations at Noatum Ports’ Safaga Terminal, with the UAE port operator’s USD 200 mn Red Sea terminal set for a full launch later this year. The terminal is designed to handle 450k TEUs, 5 mn tons of dry bulk and general cargo, 1 mn tons of liquid bulk, and 50k CEUs of Ro-Ro cargo once fully operational.
The Red Sea gateway has come a long way. AD Ports secured the 30-year Safaga concession in 2023, tapped Hassan Allam Construction for infrastructure works, brought in new STS and RTG cranes earlier this year, and locked in USD 115 mn project financing from IFC and NBK Egypt to push the terminal toward completion.
Safaga has already been pulled into Egypt’s Red Sea pressure test, with the port handling 4.2k shipments in the first half of March — up 75% y-o-y — as shippers leaned harder on Egypt’s Red Sea network during regional disruption.
More multi-bn AED projects hit the market
Developers are still launching multi-bn AED projects despite signs of acoolingmarket. Beyond Developments, part of Dubai-based Omniyat Group, has unveiled The Yards, an AED 4 bn (USD 1.1 bn) master-planned residential destination in Dubailand's City of Arabia, according to a press release. The project is expected to house nearly 1.6k residential units, starting with Arancia Yards, a 272-unit residential cluster spread across three low-rise buildings.
The launches aren't limited to Dubai: Sharjah-based developer Alef Group unveiled Linar, an AED 4 bn waterfront project in Al Mamzar that will deliver more than 2.6k residential units across five residential towers alongside a commercial tower, Sharjah24 reports.
The launch adds to a growing pipeline of large-scale projects coming to market. In recent weeks alone, Majid Al Futtaim unveiled plans for an AED 62 bn mixed-use community in Dubai South, Aldar said it intends to roll out 20 mn sqm of residential and mixed-use developments in Abu Dhabi, and Brookfield and Alshaya unveiled plans for a 480k sq ft mixed-use project in Dubai Hills.
