Abu Dhabi gets vote of confidence from Blackstone

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WHAT WE’RE TRACKING TODAY

THIS MORNING: THIS MORNING: Al Jaber wraps energy diplomacy spree in Washington + Gulf in for a USD 25 bn repair bill for damage to energy infrastructure, Rystad Energy says

Good morning, everyone, and a very happy FRIDAY. We hope some of you managed to get some sleep in spite of the torrential downpour and incessant thunder and lightning that hit the country overnight.

If that wasn’t enough to interrupt our sleep, we also received a safety alert in Dubai a few hours ago warning of ongoing missile threats. That followed a slightly more active day of attacks from Iran on the UAE, with the Defense Ministry saying it engaged 15 ballistic missiles and 11 UAVs yesterday. The attacks led to two fatalities in Abu Dhabi and three injuries.

Business remains slow, but moving, with investments still pouring into Abu Dhabi from Blackstone, who’s backing a new gaming fintech with a USD 250 mn check. Plus: Borouge is making more headway with its ongoing merger, now putting in place its executive board, and Mubadala Energy landed another concession in Indonesia…

PSAs

If you’re a fan of Primark… You may have seen the endless queues lining up outside of its newest (and first) store in the UAE, which it launched in partnership with Kuwait’s Alshaya Group. The retailer now has 60k sq ft worth of real estate in the mall, according to a press release. Two more stores are set to open in the emirate in City Center Mirdif in April and Mall of the Emirates in May.

⛈️ WEATHER- It should be the final day of this stormy weather, with scattered rain and thunderstorms expected throughout the day before clearing the way for breezy, sunny conditions throughout the weekend. Look for a high of 27°C and a low of 20°C in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

From the Dept. of Diplomacy

Industry and Advanced Technology Minister Sultan Al Jaber was busy this week wrapping up a diplomatic sweep in Washington DC, meeting with key US officials including Vice President JD Vance, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Senator Dan Sullivan, and Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jacob Helberg, according to a series of LinkedIn posts (here, here, here, here, and here).

Under discussion: Talks, which also included tech and energy titans like US semiconductor giant AMD’s Chair Lisa Su and Shell CEO Wael Sawan (here and here), focused on securing energy flows and forging partnerships to power AI growth and stabilize supply chains amid recent regional disruptions.

IN CONTEXT- UAE officials have been on a diplomatic spree in recent weeks to strengthen global energy ties. Al Jaber recently visited Tokyo to sign a trade and economic partnership agreement, during which he reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to ensuring Japan’s oil supply amid ongoing Strait of Hormuz disruptions. UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan also touched base on energy security with Vietnam in a phone call with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh earlier this month.

Watch this space

BUSINESS — Abu Dhabi is tightening how family business disputes are handled: A new decree sets up dedicated committees to step in to handle disputes related to family businesses between family members in Abu Dhabi, as well as external parties, according to Abu Dhabi Media Office.

Their moment to shine? When disputes aren’t resolved through internal family councils or mediation centers, the committees step in with fast-tracked decisions that carry the same weight as a Court of First Instance ruling, with the option to appeal under existing civil procedures.

What they can do: The committees can take urgent and preventative action to keep businesses running during disputes — including steps to avoid operational disruptions, financial problems, and reputational damage. They can also pull in technical experts, government specialists, or sector-specific advisors for support.

The committees will also review appeals filed against decisions made by family councils, which must be made within a 30-day window before they are dismissed. Each committee will be chaired by a judge and will also include a secretary and two experts from the judicial, financial, and family business management sectors.

FINANCE — Dubai is now ranked seventh in the Global Financial Centers Index (GFCI), marking it as the top financial hub in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia (MEASA), according to a press release. It’s the only one in the region to make it to the top 20.

Dubai did even better in other categories, securing a position within the top five for fintech, government and regulatory, and professional services. It also made it into the top 10 for business environment, human capital and infrastructure, and financial sector development.

DIFC is leading the growth, having attracted a wave of global hedge funds, wealth management firms, and fintechs to the emirate. The center is getting an AED 100 bn expansion as firms continue to flock to Dubai, and occupancy hits 99.8%.

Data point

USD 25 bn — That’s the potential bill for repairing energy infrastructure across the Gulf from the damage of the war, with engineering and construction taking the biggest share, followed by equipment and materials, according to Rystad Energy.

Qatar is in for the headline shock — but the UAE has also seen a fair amount of damage to some of its assets. Damage at Shah gas, Ruwais refinery, and Bab & Habshan fields is less severe but still material, placing them in the moderate disruption bracket where timelines hinge on how quickly operators can mobilize EPC contractors and secure replacement equipment.

What’s next: Operators are expected to prioritize restoring existing output over new builds, funneling work toward contractors and OEMs with regional track records and standing NOC relationships. Near-term activity will center on inspections, engineering, and site prep before shifting into equipment replacement as supply constraints ease.

The big story abroad

US President Donald Trump has once again extended his deadline for Iran to lock in an agreement with the US before its energy facilities are targeted, this time for a 10-day period. He also doubled down on his claims that talks are ongoing and are going “very well,” saying that any claims to the contrary are being propagated by “Fake News Media.” Iranian media has repeatedly claimed that Iranian officials are denying that negotiations are taking place, and the US’ 15-point peace plan was rejected by Iran initially, which demanded undisputed control over the Strait of Hormuz, war reparations, and other conditions.

He also claimed Iran had allowed 10 oil tankers to pass through the Strait this week as a “present” to the US, helping oil prices fall slightly, with Brent Crude dipping to USD 105.94 per barrel.

At the same time… the US is reportedly considering sending over 10k troops to the Middle East in another sign that Trump is preparing for an extended war, the Wall Street Journal reports. That’s up from around 2-3k troops it said it plans to deploy earlier this week.

Markets aren’t very optimistic: The Nasdaq entered correction territory yesterday, falling 2.4%, and more than 10% from recent highs. The S&P 500 also closed down 1.7%.

Speaking of Trump, expect to see his signature on USD 100 bills as of this June, marking the first time a sitting US president signs paper currency in 165 years and dropping the US treasurer’s signature.

ALSO- Elon Musk could be putting 30% of SpaceX up for retail investors as part of its highly anticipated IPO, 3x more than the usual amid what is said to be strong demand among Musk’s large follower base.

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Blackstone still ♥️s the UAE

Blackstone writes multi-mn-USD check into Abu Dhabi amid war: Blackstone, the world’s largest alternative asset manager, funneled USD 250 mn into a new Abu Dhabi-based fintech for the gaming industry, according to a press release. The move marks the buyout giant’s first inbound private equity investment here at home since the outbreak of the Iran war.

A unicorn from the get-go: The newly formed business, Advanced Digital Gaming Technology (ADGT), is understood to be valued at around USD 1 bn, according to Bloomberg. It was set up under a partnership between Blackstone and Abu Dhabi’s Raya Holding, alongside Las Vegas-based gaming fintechs NRT Technology and Sightline.

The point of ADGT is to provide the B2B infrastructure that connects a player’s money to a regulated gaming operator. It is currently the only licensed platform in the UAE to be able to contract across both physical venues (like Wynn’s USD 3.9 bn gaming resort in Ras Al Khaimah) and online operators.

The ongoing war has not seemed to deter dealmaking activity — specifically M&A and investments — in the UAE just yet, and the likes of Blackstone are doubling down and reaffirming their confidence in the region. “We see significant opportunity to deploy capital at scale in the UAE to build companies that can grow both domestically and internationally, despite near term headwinds,” Blackstone’s President and COO Jon Gray said.

Blackstone follows other PE giants like KKR, Carlyle, and Bain, which have shifted from treating the GCC as a source of capital to a place to invest in and build and grow platforms. This is Blackstone’s third major infrastructure play here, following its USD 5 bn logistics platform Glide and its stake in Property Finder last year.

ADVISORS- Kirkland & Ellis, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, and Alaeddini & Co provided counsel to Blackstone, while Morgan Lewis provided counsel to ADGT.

Zooming out

The UAE has been making strides on the gaming front for a while now, after issuing its national gaming framework in 2024. The General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority awarded the UAE’s first lottery license to The Game, as well as vendor approvals for TSCHuxley and Australia’s Aristocrat.

Mubadala Energy is doubling down on Indonesia

Mubadala Energy has been awarded the Southwest Andaman exploration production sharing contract in Indonesia, taking a 100% participating stake to operate the block and adding a fourth asset to its position in the basin, according to a press release.

The new block sits adjacent to its existing South Andaman, Central Andaman, and Andaman II sites, strengthening what the company describes as a core growth cluster built around multi-tn cf of gas discoveries.

BACKGROUND- In December 2025, Mubadala signed a heads of agreement to supply gas from its Andaman Sea fields to PLN Energi Primer Indonesia, covering potential volumes linked to the Tangkulo field in South Andaman, which holds an estimated 2 tn cf of gas in place.It reported a gas discovery at Tangkulo in 2024 and also at the Layaran-1 well in South Andaman in 2023. It is also working alongside a UK firm and Indonesia’s Energy Ministry to develop the Central Andaman oil and gas block.

Modernizing the mandate: Mashreq’s architecture for global Islamic finance

Modern Islamic finance is defined less by product range and more by institutional design. Following his recent recognition at the MEA Finance Awards, Ibrahim Al Mheiri, CEO of Islamic Banking at Mashreq, exemplifies a model in which jurisprudence and digital infrastructure operate as a single system rather than as parallel tracks.

Licensed and supervised by the Central Bank of the UAE and guided by the Higher Shari'ah Authority (HSA), alongside its internal Sharia Supervisory Committee, Mashreq Al Islami applies layered governance to product structuring, documentation, and operational controls from inception to launch. Islamic funds remain fully segregated from conventional activities and are subject to approvals, audit oversight, and continuous monitoring, reinforcing regulatory discipline and ethical integrity at scale.

Digital capability at Mashreq is built on governance, not in place of it. Retail journeys have been digitized, contractual language simplified, and approval sequences integrated directly into digital workflows to enhance clarity without diluting Sharia standards. Expansion into markets such as Pakistan reflects a capability-led model that prioritizes digital deployment over infrastructure replication. The result is a structurally modernized approach to Islamic banking in which governance rigor supports digital fluency, and compliance functions as a platform for sustainable growth rather than a constraint.

New leadership at Borouge International

Adnoc and OMV tapped a new executive board for Borouge Group International, with Emirati Industry and Advanced Technology Minister Sultan Al Jaber (LinkedIn) named as chairman of the firm’s supervisory board, according to a press release. The global polyolefins powerhouse was formed through the merger of the Abu Dhabi state oil giant’s Borouge and the Austrian oil and gas player’s Borealis, and Canada-based Nova Chemicals.

The new hires: Roger Kearns (LinkedIn) — currently serving as president and CEO of Nova — will take the wheel as CEO of the firm. Kearns brings over 40 years of experience in the chemicals sector. Borealis CEO Stefan Doboczky will be chief commercial officer, and Borouge’s Hasan Karam (LinkedIn) will join as chief operating officer. Borealis’ Daniel Turnheim (LinkedIn) will serve as interim CFO until someone is tapped for the position by May.

IN CONTEXT- As we reported yesterday, Adnoc closed the merger of its plastic unit Borouge with OMV’s Borealis. The wider merger is set to be finalized at the end of the month.

Dubai Residential REIT bulks up portfolio, MovitOn secures funding, and another crypto firm secures a license

Dubai Residential REIT is adding AED 241 mn units to its portfolio

Dubai Residential REIT has brought 56 new villas bought for AED 241 mn in the Garden View Villas community, according to a press release (pdf). The new villas were secured through a forward purchase agreement and were recently valued at AED 260 mn, indicating a 7.9% increase in value. The new additions bring the community’s total units to 341.

Elsewhere, it’s on track for its plan to add 220 units to its Jebel Ali Village portfolio by 2Q, which along with the Garden View Villas additions, will add AED 70-80 mn to its top line once revenues stabilize.

Background: The platform raised AED 2.1 bn in its May 2025 IPO, after seeing upwards of AED 56 bn in demand. The REIT already operates one of the largest portfolios in the market, with over 35.7k homes. The REIT has shed nearly 18% of its value since the start of the war amid a sell-off that has hit property-linked stocks — and bonds — the hardest.

MovitOn is connecting everyday travelers with shipping customers

MovitOn raises USD 2 mn in community pre-sale to facilitate global shipping logistics: Dubai-based decentralized logistics platform MovitOn closed USD 2 mn in a community pre-sale round to develop its international shipping and last-mile delivery network, according to a press release.

MovitOn? The firm essentially allows customers who want to send something to pass packages to travellers headed in that direction anyway, for delivery to be picked up in secure boxes or by hand. It says it’s up to 75% cheaper than traditional shipping options, and can offer delivery on the same day, weekends, and holidays. It relies on blockchain smart contracts and a peer-to-peer (P2P) delivery model, using its MVON token as a primary payment tool.

Up next? The funding will drive the rollout of some of its core platform features, including MovitBox terminals and an AI-driven compliance engine, and will also prepare to launch its blockchain sandbox network in April. For now, it’s targeting markets in the UAE, the wider MENA region, Europe, CIS countries, and Asia.

Another crypto license secured from Dubai’s virtual assets watchdog

XBase joins Dubai’s crypto scene: UK-based Relm Group’s subsidiary XBase secured a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) license from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (Vara). Dubai’s regulated crypto landscape continues to mature, with Vara having now issued 43 VASP licenses.

A wider wealth gap?

The ongoing war didn’t feature much in Larry Fink’s latest annual letter, but what did is AI — unsurprising given the amount of developments in that space since he wrote his last letter, when energy infrastructure and pragmatism took precedence.

Another topic that’s once again absent? ESG and climate — topics that featured prominently in his older letters but not since last year, as the AI infrastructure narrative begins to push them further into the margins and bring the more balanced concept of “energy pragmatism” into focus.

Why Fink’s letter matters: He’s the co-founder of the world’s largest asset manager, with some USD 14 tn. His annual letter to shareholders is now regularly read and scrutinized by the world’s top investors and traders.

So, what about AI? Fink mentions its potential, yes, but also its potential downside. He argues that asset ownership remains the driving line in wealth creation, and that AI risks amplifying that gap unless more people gain access to markets. “Companies with the data, infrastructure, and capital to deploy AI at scale are positioned to benefit disproportionately” from the AI boom, Fink cautions.

And the solution? More investing, Fink says. “When market capitalization rises but ownership remains narrow, prosperity can feel increasingly distant to those on the outside,” he explains.

Financial education is part of it, but so is widening the avenues for participation. Early-stage investing accounts for children is an option and can often lead to wider economic growth further down the line. Better social security systems, tweaked for longer-term investments and wider access to tokenization, are others. His argument? The growth of the individual should come with the growth of a country. “[Y]our future and your nation’s future become linked. You help finance its growth. It helps finance yours,” he writes.

Yes, but: The letter fails to acknowledge that it’s not just the lack of access to capital markets that’s stopping people from investing, but also the lack of access to capital itself, as the Financial Times ’ Simon Mundy writes.

You can read the full letter here, and read what others are saying here: Bloomberg | Reuters | The Wall Street Journal | CNBC.

MARKETS THIS MORNING-

Asian markets are mostly in the red amid a global sell-off as the outlook on the war remains uncertain. South Korea’s Kospi is leading the declines, falling 2.6%, while Japan’s Nikkei is close behind, down 0.9%. Over on Wall Street, indices are set to open in the green after Trump extended his deadline for Iran to secure an agreement overnight.

ADX	9,602	-1.8% (YTD: -3.9%)
DFM	5,518	-3.2% (YTD: -8.8%)
Nasdaq Dubai UAE20	4,540	-3.6% (YTD: -7.1%)
USD : AED CBUAE	Buy 3.67	Sell 3.67
EIBOR	3.4% o/n	3.9% 1 yr
TASI	11,090	+0.1% (YTD: +5.7%)
EGX30	47,002	-1.0% (YTD: +12.3%)
S&P 500	6,477	-1.7% (YTD: -5.4%)
FTSE 100	9,972	-1.3% (YTD: +0.4%)
Euro Stoxx 50	5,566	-1.5% (YTD: -3.9%)
Brent crude	USD 107.13	-0.8%
Natural gas (Nymex)	USD 2.97	-1.1%
Gold	USD 4,406	-0.1%
BTC	USD 68,902	-3.4% (YTD: -22.4%)
Chimera JP Morgan UAE Bond UCITS ETF	AED 3.66	0.0% (YTD: -0.2%)
S&P MENA Bond & Sukuk	149.28	-0.1% (YTD: -1.7%)
VIX (Volatility Index)	27.44	+8.3% (YTD: +83.6%)

THE CLOSING BELL-

The DFM fell 3.2% yesterday on turnover of AED 1.3 bn. The index is down 8.8% YTD.

In the green: National General Ins. Company (+3.1%), Tecom Group (+0.6%), and GFH (+0.6%).

In the red: Emirates NBD (-5.0%), National Cement Company (-4.9%), and Emirates REIT (CEIC) (-4.8%).

Over on the ADX, the index fell 1.8% on turnover of AED 1.1 bn. Meanwhile, Nasdaq Dubai was down 3.6%.

From the Big Four to fintech

Not everyone can say they can pay for lunch with stablecoin, but in Lugano, Switzerland, that’s exactly what Serena Sebastiani (LinkedIn) did. Sebastiani is a long-time crypto expert, who’s worked with crypto — including stablecoins — from a regulatory standpoint, a consulting standpoint, and, now, as part of a fintech company that plays a key role in the regional crypto industry. She’s currently group chief strategy and venture officer at Fuze, and naturally, she has also become a regular crypto user.

In many ways, the UAE is not too far off from being like Lugano, where crypto payments are embedded into the local economy. “The UAE is actually pioneering at scale not only adoption, but the regulation — and therefore, trusted adoption of — stablecoins,” she told us in a sit-down a few weeks back.

We spoke with Sebastiani about what it will take for the UAE to actually adopt stablecoins at scale — outside of just trading — and her experience moving from working with regulators and PwC on crypto and digital assets to building the infrastructure for the sector. And, of course, we asked her about her morning routine, from how she starts her day to the hobbies and rituals that keep her in check. Edited excerpts from our conversation:

EnterpriseAM (E): You were at PwC before Fuze for 15 years. What made you make the shift to a crypto startup?

Serena Sebastiani (SS): At PwC, I set up and then led our fintech and digital asset platform for the Middle East, but I took that not only as a consulting business, but also as a way to be part of the ecosystem proactively. I was already co-chair of digital assets at MENA Fintech Association, the president for GCC at the Association of Women in Crypto, and a lot of other ecosystem roles. I don’t think you can advise or consult properly if you are not fully embedded in something that is so new and grows so rapidly.

Fuze was one of PwC’s digital asset infrastructure partners. I also worked a lot with regulators, like the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority, the Central Bank of the UAE, the Saudi Central Bank, and others. Eventually, it felt like a very natural move. And Fuze is the fastest-growing fintech in the Middle East. It's good to be on the other side and practically lead the change.

E: What does Fuze do then? How did you know it was the right place to be?

SS: It’s one of the fastest-growing fintechs in the Middle East, and we’re growing very responsibly with a regulator-first and license-first approach. We are one of the only companies with a double-license approach, one with Vara for our virtual asset leg and another with the Central Bank for our payments and fiat leg. Last year, we processed USD 5.5 bn in volumes, and we’re looking at almost triple-digit percentage growth for the next year and the year after.

We offer distribution channels for the tokens we work with, meaning we offer them liquidity on the secondary market to drive circulation and adoption, because if your currency doesn’t circulate, it’s worthless. We distribute and facilitate all the well-established stablecoins: Tether, Circle, Paxos… we have them all. We are now also working on partnerships with AED-denominated stablecoin issuers so that we can become a distribution partner for them as well.

We are also expanding our product stack and adding new features. We are already launching rewards on our crypto trading, and we’ve launched a shariah-compliant offering, which is the first and only globally available shariah-compliant BTC offering.

We are expanding geographically as well. We’re partnering with banks and fintechs in Jordan to bring our digital asset solutions there, and we’re setting up our office in Saudi Arabia. We are looking at APAC and Africa as well — any jurisdiction that is high in adoption or that has payment frictions and lots of remittances.

E: Several government entities and even commercial airlines have started to accept AED-backed stablecoins as a form of payment. Do you think adoption will come fast?

SS: The use of the AED stablecoin is mostly limited to domestic, real economy payments. The large majority of stablecoin transactions that take place in the UAE are via the USD stablecoin. For general use cases like trading, older estimates say there’s around 32% adoption in the UAE, but I think by now, that’s quite underestimated. I think we can safely assume there’s around 40% adoption, judging by the number of wallets that we have in circulation.

Adoption is there, but how they’re used is a different story. The biggest use case by far right now is still for trading purposes. We will soon start seeing some use cases on the cross-border use of AED-pegged stablecoins. I think stablecoins are great for remittances and trades specifically. We are very lucky in the UAE because we are a bit of a hub between the West and the East, and the South and Europe. We see a lot of trades channeled through the Gulf.

All these corridors that we are able to build are rails that will facilitate not only payments but the exchange of value cross-border more broadly, especially in countries where SWIFT does not excel. SWIFT excels in many advanced jurisdictions, but there are still more than a few countries where, unfortunately, there is not that reach, or if there is reach, transactions still take three to five days. This is something that stablecoins can help with.

So one part is creating liquidity in the market for stablecoins here, and the other is expanding use cases beyond just payments, like remittances or for intra-company settlement purposes and treasury as well. Tourism is another area that would really benefit, because tourists can just use stablecoins instead of having to exchange money to the local currency.

E: So, what’s your morning routine?

SS: Even when I travel, I always have a strict routine. I wake up very early, even though my Whoop says I should sleep more, but I love early mornings. I watch the sunrise from my terrace, have my electrolytes first, and then my coffee. I go to the gym each and every day. I never skip a gym day.

If I run in the morning, which I do a couple of times per week, I like to do it without any music or distractions. It helps me a lot to think things through. Then I come back home, have breakfast, read the news, um, start with emails, and go to the office. At the end of the day, I just like to have dinner and take a nice walk after. It helps me clear my mind and also allows new ideas or solutions to earlier problems to pop up.

If I really need to switch off, I need to be in nature. So, hiking, climbing, swimming in the sea — anything that is outdoors.

Serena’s recommendations

What she listens to: I love my friend’s podcast; it’s called FUMO, and I was on there once. They speak to founders, VCs, and CEOs, and there are a lot of cool stories there. I really like Bankless too.

What she’s reading: I enjoy business books, but when I’m on the beach, I like something chill — an actual beach read. I like a bit of thriller and the sort of Italian-set 007 genre.

On her bucket list: Personally? I’m preparing for a marathon. Professionally, I’m just looking for ways to create a positive social and economic impact. We do that by helping people build their digital wealth and exchange value more easily.

CALENDAR

MARCH

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

APRIL

6-9 April (Monday-Thursday): Dubai AI Week, Dubai.

7-8 April (Tuesday-Wednesday): Dubai AI Festival, Dubai World Trade Center, Dubai.

21 April (Tuesday): FAO Regional Conference for the Near East (NERC38), Al Ain.

28-29 April (Tuesday-Wednesday): Innovation Summit Middle East & Africa, Abu Dhabi.

MAY

4-8 May (Wednesday-Saturday): Make It in the Emirates, Adnec Center, Abu Dhabi.

8-24 May (Saturday-Sunday): Dubai Esports and Games Festival, Dubai.

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

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

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.

20-21 May (Wednesday-Thursday): Arab Competition Forum, Dubai.

JUNE

3-4 June (Wednesday-Thursday): MENA Investor Conference, Ritz-Carlton DIFC, Dubai.

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

22-24 June (Monday-Wednesday): The International Glass Manufacturing Show, 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.

AUGUST

17-20 August (Monday-Thursday): Arabian Travel Market, Dubai World Trade Center, Dubai.

SEPTEMBER

1-3 September (Tuesday-Thursday: Middle East Energy, Dubai World Trade Center, Dubai.

7-9 September (Monday-Wednesday): AIM Congress, Dubai World Trade Center.

7-9 September (Monday-Wednesday): International Property Show, Dubai World Trade Center, Dubai.

12-13 September (Saturday-Sunday): Emirates International Congress on AI & Visionary Leadership in Transforming Healthcare, Adnec Center Abu Dhabi.

OCTOBER

4-10 October (Sunday-Saturday): World Space Week, Abu Dhabi.

12-14 October (Monday-Wednesday: Airport Show, Dubai World Trade Center, Dubai.

20-22 October (Tuesday-Thursday): Future Health Summit, Adnec Center Abu Dhabi.

Signposted to happen sometime in October 2026:

Abu Dhabi Space Week, Abu Dhabi.

NOVEMBER

4 November (Wednesday): Digital Transformation Summit, Sofitel, Abu Dhabi.

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

10-12 November (Tuesday-Thursday): Dubai International Electric Vehicle Exhibition & Conference, Dubai World Trade Center.

DECEMBER

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

Signposted to happen in 2026:

Investopia Global Talks, Tashkent;
Investopia, Abu Dhabi.

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;

1-3 February (Monday-Wednesday): World Governments Summit;
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;
21-22 April (Wednesday-Thursday): Token2049, Dubai;
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 2028:

Artificial Intelligence Summit.

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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