ABU DHABI, Jan 26, 202 (GDM) – The UAE’s Capital Market Authority (CMA) announced Monday a record annual jump in licensing activity, with approvals soaring 150% in 2025 amid a broader expansion of the country’s financial markets.
The federal regulator completed 3,170 licenses and approvals last year, up from 1,272 in 2024, it said in a statement. Assets under management in the UAE reached approximately $470 billion.
“The increase in licensing activity and the expansion of managed assets demonstrate growing confidence in the regulatory environment,” said CMA CEO Waleed Saeed Al Awadhi.
The number of locally domiciled investment funds under the CMA’s oversight more than quadrupled, growing by 322%, as the authority implemented a new federal decree law to strengthen market governance.
The figures signal the UAE’s continued push to establish itself as a regional financial hub, attracting institutional capital and developing domestic asset management capabilities.
