Dubai Financial Market (DFM) posted exceptional results for the first half of 2025, achieving a net profit before tax of AED777.1 million, marking a 298% increase compared to the same period in 2024. This performance reflects strong investor confidence, elevated trading volumes, and deepening market participation amid Dubai’s expanding role in global finance.
Robust Financial and Market Performance
DFM’s consolidated revenue surged 191% year-on-year to AED888.9 million, driven by higher operating income, solid investment returns, and one-off income from the sale of investment property. Q2 2025 revenue alone reached AED702.5 million, significantly up from AED157.6 million in Q2 2024. Correspondingly, Q2 net profit before tax stood at AED642.2 million, a sharp rise from AED99.8 million the previous year.
The DFM General Index rose 10.6%, signalling continued investor trust in Dubai’s capital markets. Market capitalisation also grew 9.7% to AED995 billion. During H1 2025, average daily traded value (ADTV) rose 75% to AED692 million, with total traded value climbing to AED85 billion. The average number of daily trades also increased by 37%, demonstrating sustained investor engagement.
DFM onboarded 53,655 new investors during this period. Notably, 84% of these were foreign investors, pushing the total investor base beyond 1.2 million. Foreign investors accounted for 53% of trading activity and now hold 20% of the total market capitalisation, while institutional trading surged to 71%.
Milestone IPOs and Global Outreach
A major highlight of H1 2025 was the listing of Dubai Residential REIT (DUBAIRESI), the GCC’s first listed REIT focused exclusively on residential leasing. The IPO raised AED2.145 billion (US$584 million), receiving oversubscription of approximately 26 times, with gross demand exceeding AED56 billion. DUBAIRESI debuted with a market capitalisation of AED14.3 billion (US$3.9 billion), underscoring investor confidence in Dubai’s property market.
Helal Saeed Al Marri, Chairman of DFM, said, “DFM delivered a positive performance in the first half of 2025, underpinned by growing market depth and investor engagement… Looking ahead, we will continue enhancing our market infrastructure and diversifying our offerings to support sustained market growth.”
DFM also strengthened its global presence by participating in HSBC’s GCC Exchanges Conference in London. The event attracted over 300 institutional investors, more than 100 corporates, and representatives from all GCC exchanges. The 33% surge in GCC IPO activity during Q1 2025 reinforced growing global interest in the region’s capital markets.
Digital Enhancements and Sectoral Strength
In May 2025, DFM hosted the third edition of the MENA Capital Market Summit, attracting over 1,500 attendees and more than 100 speakers. During the event, two AI-powered features were introduced on DFM’s iVestor app: Smart Disclosures, offering concise summaries of corporate announcements, and Financial Summary, presenting key metrics clearly. These tools aim to simplify access to financial data and empower informed decision-making.
DFM also continued developing its Arena platform to broaden capital access and diversify investment avenues. Market depth was further reinforced by a diverse sectoral mix: Financials (40%), Real Estate (20%), Utilities (17%), Industrials (12%), Communication Services (5%), and others.
Hamed Ali, CEO of DFM and Nasdaq Dubai, said, “DFM’s performance in the first half of 2025 reflects a market evolving with purpose… As we expand access to new products and deepen market infrastructure, DFM remains a magnet for capital and a launchpad for the region’s most ambitious issuers.”
Conclusion
DFM’s stellar H1 2025 results demonstrate not only financial momentum but also strategic progress in enhancing market access, global engagement, and digital capabilities. With investor confidence at an all-time high and new listings gaining traction, DFM is set to continue shaping the future of capital markets in the region.
