US Investors Evince Interest in UAE Capital Markets

The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), ranked among the world’s top 20 stock exchanges, has every reason to smile as its two-day Investor Conference in New York, held in collaboration with Morgan Stanley last week, met with roaring success.

The event also reinforced Abu Dhabi’s position as a global financial hub at the ADX, which led a delegation featured 15 of Abu Dhabi’s largest listed issuers, with a combined market capitalisation exceeding $300 billion, met directly with major US institutional investors.

The event also featured the participation of a high-level economic delegation from Abu Dhabi, comprising over 100 senior representatives from both government and private sectors, led by Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) Chairman Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi.

The Abu Dhabi delegation’s participation in the ADX roadshow, alongside the exchange’s delegation headed by ADX Group Chairman Ghannam Al Mazrouei reflected a shared vision to strengthen trade and investment ties with the US while showcasing the Emirate’s journey of sustainable growth and development.

This joint effort underscored the high level of integration among Abu Dhabi entities, reinforcing the emirate’s position at the forefront of innovation and sustainable economic growth. The event showcased how global investors can participate in Abu Dhabi and the UAE’s growth story through ADX’s innovative, dynamic, and transparent marketplace.

Over 80 senior decision-makers from prominent institutional investors managing in excess of $10 billion in AUM attended the event, underscoring the growing international appetite for Abu Dhabi-listed companies. Institutional investor trading values (buy + sell) on the ADX totalled $105 billion during the first nine months of 2025, up 11.8% compared with $94.4 billion in the same period last year.

Throughout the roadshow, ADX and senior management from participating companies held more than 100 one-on-one meetings with investors, presenting the exchange’s forward-looking growth vision and successful strategy to expand liquidity and market capitalisation.

Diversification and Sustainable Growth

ADX Ghannam Al Mazrouei said that with the successful conclusion of this roadshow, ADX was proud to stand alongside them in this collective endeavour, which showcased the resilience and diversity of Abu Dhabi’s capital markets and underscored the emirate’s commitment to diversification and sustainable growth.

Abdulla Salem Alnuaimi said that this roadshow reaffirmed the ADX’s pivotal role in Abu Dhabi’s transformation into a knowledge- and investment-driven economy.

“We are broadening market access, deepening liquidity, and enhancing resilience, seamlessly connecting international capital with dynamic investment opportunities in Abu Dhabi and the UAE. Foreign investment continues to expand, with international investors now accounting for nearly half of our investor base, reflecting both the UAE’s economic diversification agenda and its commitment to long-term sustainable growth,” he added.

Accompanying the ADX delegation were over 50 CEOs, CFOs, and senior executives from some of the largest and most dynamic Abu Dhabi-listed companies, who leveraged the opportunity to highlight their performance, share their growth strategies, and showcase the strength of Abu Dhabi’s diverse sectors to global investors.

With nearly 200 listed securities spanning equities, ETFs, derivatives, and debt instruments, ADX’s market capitalization surged from $202 billion at the end of 2020 to $816 billion by the end of 2024, representing an exceptional CAGR of 41.8%.

During the first nine months of 2025, net foreign investment reached $4.7 billion, up 23.3% from $3.8 billion) during the same period in 2024. Foreign investors accounted for more than 41% of the value traded on the exchange during the first nine months of 2025, compared to 36% in the same period in 2024.