MENA Cements Its Place in Global Portfolios as Regional Market Leaders Gather at Arqaam Capital’s 13th Annual MENA Investor Conference
CEOs of regional exchanges, leading economists, investors and business leaders examined the trends, opportunities and capital flows shaping MENA’s next phase of growth.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates – 10th June 2026: The Middle East and North Africa is entering a new phase of capital market growth, supported by rising foreign investment, expanding debt and equity markets and increasingly diversified economies, according to investors, policymakers and business leaders gathered at Arqaam Capital’s 13th Annual MENA Investor Conference.
Held under the theme “From Resilience to Market Leadership: Scaling Capital Across MENA,” the conference convened some of the region’s most influential voices across finance, investment and capital markets, including H.E. Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, alongside senior leaders from regional exchanges, financial institutions, sovereign investors and listed companies. Across two days, participants examined the forces reshaping the region’s investment landscape, spanning capital markets, fixed income, venture capital, entrepreneurship, real estate, artificial intelligence, quantitative investing and index strategies.
Strength and diversification of the GCC economy emerged as a central theme. Discussing the UAE’s outlook, Simon Ballard, Managing Director and Chief Economist at First Abu Dhabi Bank, noted that approximately 76% of UAE GDP is now generated by non-oil sectors, reflecting the success of the country’s long-term diversification strategy. Speakers also highlighted that GCC foreign direct investment inflows reached an estimated US$300 billion between 2019 and 2024, with the UAE accounting for more than half of the total, underpinned by its fiscal strength, business-friendly regulation and ability to attract both capital and talent.
The evolution of regional capital markets featured prominently. In a fireside discussion, Hamed Ali, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Financial Market and Nasdaq Dubai, pointed to DFM’s continued growth, with market capitalisation approaching AED 1 trillion and average daily trading value surpassing AED 1 billion for the first time. Foreign investors now account for 51% of trading activity and institutional investors for roughly 70% of volumes, while 84% of new investors joining DFM in 2025 were foreign nationals underscoring the increasingly international character of regional capital flows.
Regional exchange leaders also outlined initiatives to deepen liquidity, broaden participation and expand access, through market reforms, debt-market development, exchange-traded funds, securities-lending frameworks and enhanced infrastructure. In Oman, institutional investors now represent around 75% of market participation, while trading volumes exceeded OMR 6 billion in the first five months of 2026, already surpassing the OMR 5 billion recorded across the whole of 2025.
Fixed income was a further focus, with investors examining an estimated US$508 billion of GCC debt maturities expected over 2026–2030. Arqaam Capital’s Omar Musharraf, Fady Gendy and Jad Raouda joined regional participants in discussing the opportunities this refinancing cycle presents for issuers and investors as regional debt markets mature. Several speakers noted that GCC fixed income is increasingly viewed as a strategic allocation within global portfolios, supported by resilient sovereign balance sheets, strong corporate fundamentals and a widening universe of issuers.
Beyond traditional asset classes, discussions turned to how artificial intelligence, private capital, entrepreneurship, quantitative investing and demographic shifts are creating new opportunities across MENA. Sessions with venture capital investors and founders explored the evolving funding landscape for regional startups, while others examined the growing role of quantitative strategies and index investing in shaping institutional flows.
Dubai’s real estate sector was highlighted as a key beneficiary of these trends. Speaking in the session “Rebuilding the Regional Real Estate Thesis,” Aliaa Elesaaki, Senior Research Manager at Knight Frank, noted that Dubai recorded approximately 58,000 property transactions worth AED 176 billion by the end of April 2026, with off-plan sales accounting for 73% of activity and cash buyers continuing to dominate. She characterised the current cycle the market’s third since 2002, now in its fifth consecutive year of growth as increasingly driven by genuine end users rather than speculative activity: the share of units resold within twelve months has fallen to 4%, down from 17% and 25% in the previous two cycles, a sign of structural confidence rather than short-term flipping.
Commenting on the long-term outlook for GCC real estate and regional capital markets, Jaap Meijer, Partner and Head of Research at Arqaam Capital, said:
“While recent geopolitical developments have understandably led to greater investor selectivity across capital markets, we do not view this as a long-term reflection of the GCC real estate sector. The region continues to benefit from strong economic fundamentals, population growth and sustained demand across key markets. We continue to see opportunities for high-quality issuers and remain confident that GCC real estate will continue to attract investor interest as market conditions stabilise.”
That confidence extends to the top of the market. Dubai accounted for 23% of all global residential transactions above US$10 million in 2025, with 500 such deals versus 326 in New York and 261 in Los Angeles, and recorded 163 transactions in this bracket in the first quarter of 2026 alone, its highest quarterly total on record, reinforcing the city’s appeal among international investors and high-net-worth individuals.
Commenting on the conference, Riad Meliti, Chief Executive Officer of Arqaam Capital, said:
“For more than a decade, investors have viewed MENA through the lens of resilience. Today’s discussions made clear that the region has entered a new phase — one defined by scale, liquidity and increasingly sophisticated capital markets. From fixed income and equities to private capital and technology, MENA is no longer simply attracting capital; it is helping shape where global capital goes next.
This year’s conference reflected growing confidence in the region’s long-term trajectory. As economies diversify, capital markets deepen and opportunities broaden, MENA continues to strengthen its position in global investment conversations.”
Now in its 13th year, Arqaam Capital’s MENA Investor Conference continues to serve as a platform for substantive dialogue between investors, policymakers, business leaders and market participants on the trends shaping capital markets, investment flows and economic growth across the Middle East and North Africa.
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