RIYADH: The number of companies licensed by the UAE’s Capital Markets Authority rose 43 percent year on year in the first nine months of 2026, while the amount of licensed professionals increased 64 percent.

The figures point to continued expansion of the UAE’s regulated financial services sector, with the combined market capitalization of the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange and the Dubai Financial Market reaching 3.7 trillion dirhams ($1.01 trillion) by the end of September.

Total trading value for the first nine months of 2026 reached 408 billion dirhams, the state-run Emirates News Agency, also known as WAM, reported, citing the authority.

The UAE economy is projected to contract 3.9 percent in 2026 before rebounding with 7.7 percent growth in 2027, according to the International Monetary Fund’s October 2026 World Economic Outlook.

The country’s debt capital market is also expected to expand moderately through the second half of 2026 and into 2027, supported by funding diversification, cross-sector financing needs and regulatory reforms, according to Fitch Ratings.

Foreign investment supports market activity

The newly released WAM statement said: “Foreign investors accounted for 49 percent of the total trading value, and the general indices for both the ADX and DFM closed in September 2026 at higher levels compared to the same period last year.”

Market volatility eased in the third quarter, while bond and sukuk issuances reached 576 billion dirhams in the first nine months of 2026. The number of local investment funds rose 94 percent year on year to 97, with assets under management increasing 30 percent to 28.6 billion dirhams.

Companies also recorded capital increases of 3.4 billion dirhams, while the number of registered financial influencers rose 125 percent year on year to 198, according to the authority.

Regulator steps up investor protection

The authority also stepped up investor protection, with the number of financial fines rising 246 percent year on year and their total value increasing 23 percent to 12.9 million dirhams.

It handled 192 percent more complaints and returned approximately 1.2 billion dirhams to clients, compared with 8 million dirhams in the same period of 2025.

The authority also issued six regulatory instruments, including a comprehensive virtual assets framework, and registered 102 virtual assets during the third quarter.