ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Abu Dhabi’s real estate market recorded transactions worth a record 142 billion dirhams ($38.7 billion) in 2025, up 44 percent in value and 52 percent in volume compared with the previous year, the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC) said on Thursday.
Total transactions reached 42,814 during the year, reflecting what officials described as sustained investor confidence in the emirate’s property sector.
Sales and purchase transactions accounted for 99.4 billion dirhams across 25,604 deals, while mortgage activity totalled 42.7 billion dirhams from 17,210 transactions.
ADREC said the figures indicated balanced activity between end-users and investors, alongside continued lending support from financial institutions.
Foreign direct investment in Abu Dhabi’s property market reached 8.2 billion dirhams in 2025, marking a 13 percent increase from 2024. Investors from more than 100 nationalities participated in the market, with notable inflows from Russia, China, the United Kingdom, the United States, France and Kazakhstan.
Investment zones attracted significant foreign capital, with overseas investors accounting for 72 percent of total real estate investment. The value of foreign investment in these zones rose 65 percent to 54.13 billion dirhams, compared with 32.89 billion dirhams the previous year, according to ADREC data.
“The outcomes recorded in 2025 are not accidental. They reflect a real estate market shaped around trust, clarity and long-term confidence,” said Rashed Al Omaira, Director-General of ADREC.
He said regulatory reforms and improved governance had strengthened transparency and investor protection in the sector.
The authority also reported the registration of 56 new real estate development projects in 2025. The number of real estate professional licences issued during the year rose 57.7 percent to 3,566.
Officials said the 2025 performance positions the sector to continue contributing to Abu Dhabi’s broader economic diversification strategy in 2026.