UAE Edition 
Egypt Edition 
Saudi Edition 
MENA <> India Corridor 
Logistics (MENA) 
Climate (MENA) 
Regulation
Home / Regulation
Regulation
How global crises are turning into financial assets
Daily trading volumes on Polymarket exceed USD 100 mn
Prediction markets boom amid legislative showdown in the US
New research shows that prediction markets are leading in price discovery and outperforming professional analysts
Inside the Capital Market Authority’s expanded remit and what it means for markets
We spoke with Abeer Jarrar, partner at Baker McKenzie, on how the CMA’s new powers…
THIS MORNING: CBUAE holds rates steady + Al Habtoor exits Lebanon !_StoryHedWeb_! THIS MORNING: CBUAE holds rates steady + Al Habtoor exits Lebanon
Plus: RAK eyes investments from China and Hong Kong
Legislation
UAE overhauls pharma distribution rules
The move replaces the long-standing single-distributor model, under which global manufacturers appointed one local agent…
New year, new rules: 2026 edition
The UAE’s 2026 rule changes span tax, invoicing, hiring, digital platforms, and banking
The end of the “onshore-offshore” divide?
The amendments finally bring sophisticated tools like multi-class shares and drag-along rights into the mainland…
Brics’ NBD’s list USD 50 bn note program on Nasdaq Dubai + Several firms join new FIDA cluster in Abu Dhabi
ALSO- An agentic AI platform for lawyers raises pre-seed round
Taxation
THIS MORNING: An Emirati ChatGPT is in the works + more robotaxis are coming to Dubai
Good morning, everyone. Industrial interest in our Northern Emirates is our big story today, as…
THIS MORNING: UAE launches strategic partnership talks with the EU + corporate tax credit refunds, explained
Plus: Will Gulf sovereigns continue backing Paramount Skydance’s hostile bid for Warner Bros Discovery?
THIS MORNING: Pax Silica Summit kicks off in the US with the UAE present + The Gulf is more involved in Paramount’s Warner Bros bid than meets the eye
Plus: Excise tax on sweetened beverages clarified
Delays in e-invoicing roll-out will be subject to fines
Fines of up to AED 5k per month will be slapped on those who fail…
Customs
Mercantile & Maritime makes big SAF moves
Plus: Etihad + Condor to launch new Germany-UAE daily routes in 2026
THIS MORNING: G42 to launch sovereign AI cloud in France soon + Emirates NBD could get nod from Indian central bank for controlling stake in RBL
Plus: IEA expects supply glut in 2026
More trouble for Eshraq as Goldilocks loses value
PLUS: Invest Bank secures CBUAE license for Islamic banking window
Arabian Construction secures AED 2 bn contract for Design Quarter development from Meraas
Plus: Moody’s upgrades RAK Bank’s outlook
Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth funds could repurpose their strategies toward critical sectors in case of a war escalation
Funds could shift towards “resilience investments” and sectors like logistics, security infrastructure, and defense
Mubadala-owned firm set to begin construction on Southern Europe’s largest green hydrogen plant
The plant is earmarked for hard-to-abate sectors and is set to offset some 250k tons…
RedBird IMI makes a EUR 4.4 bn merger, Mubdala invests USD 50 mn in Hungary’s 4iG, 2PointZero Group acquires healthtech firm
RedBird IMI to merge France’s Banijay and UK’s All3Media Abu Dhabi-backed RedBird IMI agreed to…
Mubadala buys into Egypt concession, Emirates NBD diversifies into silver, and Abu Dhabi-Swiss JV looks to sovereign cloud and AI infrastructure
Mubadala Energy acquired a 15% interest in Egypt’s Nargis Offshore Concession from Italy’s Eni
ADQ
Abu Dhabi centralizes sovereign wealth by folding ADQ into L’imad
The move creates a single enlarged sovereign vehicle, overseeing hundreds of bns of USD, amid…
ADQ CEO steps down after tripling assets to lead Lunate’s next growth phase
The leadership move comes as Lunate targets a doubling of assets under management over the…
ADQ secures massive USD 5 bn loan from banks across Greater China
The offering was 3x oversubscribed
Another acquisition for e&’s European arm, AD Ports expands in Pakistan, and Tecom launches a new phase in Dubai Internet City. Plus: ADQ, Gates to invest in AI education for Africa
e&’s acquisition pushes it further into bundled connectivity in Europe, where competition increasingly favors convergence…
ADIA
Adia pivots capital into PayPay Nasdaq listing following USD 3.1 bn Medline exit
Adia is part of a consortium investing over USD 200 mn in PayPay’s US listing
THIS MORNING: Adia eyes investing in Indian renewables player’s IPO + FinMin raises AED 550 mn in T-sukuk
Plus: Abu Dhabi real estate transactions up 44% in value last year
THIS MORNING: Two DP World partners pause future investments + Adia stays firm on selling Vier Gas stake
Plus: Singapore-India-Gulf submarine cable to land in UAE
Adia taps the debt market in int’l portfolio push
The debt will be backed by minority stakes in four Australian infrastructure assets held through…
ICD
ICD-backed Alec taps banks ahead of planned IPO
Alec appointed Emirates NBD Capital and JPMorgan Chase as advisors
Dubai Holding now holds a minority stake in Emirates NBD
ICD transferred over 900 mn shares to Dubai Holding
EIA
Mubadala earns third highest score in Global SWF’s governance, sustainability, and resilience ranking
The SWF also came in second globally in terms of capital deployed over the past…
Central Bank of the UAE
THIS MORNING: Attacks on energy infrastructure in the Gulf continue + Flights disrupted last night due to missile threat
Plus: Fitch sees Strait of Hormuz closure as posing a “limited” shock to oil prices
Several acquisitions in the works, a new BlueFive subsidiary, CBUAE and Hong Kong link up, and RAK gets a new AED 25 bn development
BlueFive is targeting USD 1 bn for its investment vehicle as part of the new…
FAB participates in Hong Kong’s RMB Business Facility + joins open finance framework
PLUS: Beltone folds Chimera regional assets into its balance sheet in USD 1 acquisition
FAB participates in Hong Kong’s RMB Business Facility + joins open finance framework
PLUS: Beltone folds Chimera regional assets into its balance sheet in USD 1 acquisition
Securities and Commodities Authority
Markets absorb reopening shock as investors retreat to cash
Only six companies on the DFM and the ADX closed in the green yesterday
ADX, DFM are closed today and tomorrow as regulatory body assesses the situation
Expect “high-beta real estate and financial stocks” to feel the initial heat when markets reopen
DFM and ADCB turn in earnings
ADCB saw its net income grow by double digits, while DFM’s net income more than…
UAE capital markets entered their mature era in 2025
Despite the UAE seeing only three listings in 2025, the rise in follow-ons has signaled…
DFM
THIS MORNING: Attacks on energy infrastructure in the Gulf continue + Flights disrupted last night due to missile threat
Plus: Fitch sees Strait of Hormuz closure as posing a “limited” shock to oil prices
Markets absorb reopening shock as investors retreat to cash
Only six companies on the DFM and the ADX closed in the green yesterday
ADX, DFM are closed today and tomorrow as regulatory body assesses the situation
Expect “high-beta real estate and financial stocks” to feel the initial heat when markets reopen
DFM and ADCB turn in earnings
ADCB saw its net income grow by double digits, while DFM’s net income more than…
ADX
THIS MORNING: Fuel prices slashed for January + Minimum wage hiked for Emiratis
Plus: Major banks begin phasing out OTP texts
US-listed ETFs land on ADX, and KKR makes a Gulf investment
The ADX is now the first exchange in the Arab region to cross-list US-domiciled ETFs
ADCB wraps biggest-ever ADX rights issue
The lender said all 592.2 mn new shares were fully subscribed at AED 10.3 each
ADX launches region’s first high-dividend index
The new index offers investors a gateway to the market’s strongest dividend-generating companies
Courts
UAE establishes dedicated bankruptcy court for financial disputes
The court will oversee all disputes and applications related to the federal insolvency and financial…
Dubai’s Hatta Hydro plant to begin clean energy exports in April 2025
The 250 MW plant, designed with 1.5k MWh of storage and an 80-year life span
Sharjah to get public prosecution, judicial department
The council will have financial and administrative autonomy
ADIA-backed Lake Shore lines up USD 143 mn green loan
Plus: Mastercard to roll out biometric checkout authentication with Noon, replacing one-time passwords
Public policy
THIS MORNING: World Economic Forum kicks off in Davos + President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan is in India
Plus: DWC and Informa Events’ JV could hit the DFM this year
THIS MORNING: Rakbank is the latest to join the stablecoin party + Contract awards fell in 2025
Plus: Health and Prevention Ministry is drafting rules to cap salt levels in food
New rules for contracts, asset ownership, and buyer protections set under new federal decree laws
The laws introduce rules for disclosures of pre-contract negotiations, as well as managing assets as…
Sharjah 2026 budget set at new high
The budget allocates the majority share to the infrastructure sector at 35%
Diplomacy
UAE, Japan finish CEPA negotiations, discuss energy supplies in light of disruptions
Al Jaber said Japan’s energy security is a priority, but the Strait of Hormuz disruption…
UAE, Ecuador seal CEPA agreement, with USD 3 bn project pipeline in sight
The agreement will help ease trade barriers across sectors like clean energy, advanced technology, mining,…
War hits the region
The regional security and economic landscape lurched over the weekend as the US and Israel…
UAE, South Korea sign USD 35 bn defense pact, agree to “restructure” investments
Seoul and Abu Dhabi are dialing up their strategic partnership — this time with a…
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi inflation ticks up to 1.6% in January
The consumer price index declined 0.1% m-o-m
Abu Dhabi raises USD 3 bn from first debt issuance of the year
The move comes ahead of the UAE’s removal from JPMorgan’s EM bond index
UAE funds Gaza housing project near Rafah
The project has not been publicly announced by the UAE
THIS MORNING: It’s the first day of Ramadan + Sustainable bond issuance to rise in MENA this year
Plus: Emirates Mars Mission has been extended
Dubai
Industrial sprawl heads north as Dubai, Abu Dhabi hit capacity, says Knight Frank
The UAE’s infrastructure could support — but not fully resolve — the shift
THIS MORNING: Italian president lands in UAE today + XRG raises stake in Rio Grande LNG project
Plus: Sharjah is eyeing more data centers
THIS MORNING: UAE bond yields spike amid global bond rout + Abu Dhabi’s L’Imad is now the owner of McLaren stake
Plus: FAB expands to Turkey, and into wearable payments tech
Tadweer opens up down under, India’s state giants make oil find in Abu Dhabi, a petrochem plant for Jebel Ali, and Emaar and Alef team up in Sharjah
Tadweer plans to divert some 700k tonnes of waste from landfill a year in Australia
Sharjah
Dubai’s office rents, sale prices climbed in 2025 amid ongoing supply crunch
Sale prices rose almost 26% last year, while rents climbed nearly 23%
UK family office consultancy comes to Dubai + Al Warsan waste-to-energy plant to be expanded
Charles Park Family Office will open in Dubai in partnership with AES International
Aldar extends Dubai’s property skyline with AED 38 bn developments
The expansion brings its total Dubai development pipeline to over 2.3 mn sqm
Property delivery in Dubai still lags annual projections, keeping oversupply concerns at bay
Developers completed just 36k homes in 2025, according to ValuStrat
Ras Al Khaimah
US, UAE ink commerce collaboration, Shipfinex eyes ship tokenization, and APT Global to build RAK facility
Abu Dhabi’s commerce chamber eyes cooperation with the US The Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce…
Sales prices outpace rents in RAK as 2027 handovers loom
Sales prices in the emirate rose 32% y-o-y in 2025, compared with rental growth of…
FAB Formosa draws in USD 750 mn, FinMin secures AED 1.1 bn in t-sukuk, Tarabut acquires Bahraini AI player, and a PPP for Ras Al Khaimah
FAB’s Formosa bonds kept their initial price guidance of 75 basis points over the secured…
London hotel goes to Abu Dhabi real estate magnate, USD 1.1 bn Arrowpoint comes to town, and hotels make headway in Al Marjan
Arrowpoint joins the ranks of global hedge funds establishing a presence in the emirate
Ajman
THIS MORNING: ADQ could be vying for Sicily’s Catania Airport + Etihad Airways plans USD 15 bn investment over seven years; but no firm IPO timeline
Plus: Space42 ships first domestically assembled SAR satellites to US
THIS MORNING: Gems Education eyes Saudi school operator + Air taxis to hit Ras al Khaimah’s skies in 2027
Plus: Abu Dhabi earmarks AED 42 bn for livability strategy
THIS MORNING: Newly launched PE firm BlueFive Capital to set up China-focused PE fund with CICC
Plus: Long weekend for Prophet Muhammad’s birthday confirmed
THIS MORNING: G42 in line for compute from Northern Data? + Dubai Land Department eyes wider rollout of tokenization program this fall
Plus: New working group to bring investment to Ajman
Umm Al Quwain
BitOasis expands to Bahrain
Plus: Landmark to develop USD 1.4 bn Skyscraper in Dubai
Umm Al Quwain gets new sprawling “downtown” coastal development
Dragon Oil inks slew of agreements at Gotech 2025
Shelf Drilling taps Arabian Drilling rigs in new global offshore expansion pact
The partnership is aimed at expanding their offshore drilling operations worldwide
The UAE's first pilot vertiport will be at the Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal
Tech startup incubator Soul launched in Umm Al Quwain FreeTrade Zone
Fujairah
UAE-Iraq consortium plans USD 700 mn subsea-to-land data cable to Turkey
A subsea cable will run from Fujairah to Turkey via Iraq’s Faw peninsula
Holcim launches project to mineralize CO2 underground in Fujairah
The facility will capture five tons of CO2 per day from Holcim’s cement plant
Adipec day three: Movement on petrochems, oil and gas, and SAF projects in the UAE
Ta’ziz, Brooge, Mubadala Energy, and others advance key projects
THIS MORNING: Emirates NBD’s push in India could move ahead as Indian regulators mull raising foreign investment cap + Are Emirates NBD and FAB eyeing expansions in Egypt?
Plus: CBUAE drafts telemarketing regs for banks and financial institutions