UAE Sets FDI Record: AED 177.3 Billion and 9th Place Globally Ahead of AIM Congress 2026

2026-08-12

The UAE attracted a record AED 177.3 billion ($48.3 billion) in foreign direct investment in 2025, up 6% year on year and the fourth consecutive annual record, according to UNCTAD's World Investment Report 2026. The country climbed to 9th place globally as an FDI destination, up from 10th a year earlier, and its cumulative FDI stock reached AED 1.171 trillion by the end of 2025. By the number of new greenfield projects the UAE ranked second in the world for the third year running, with 1,562 projects announced. The momentum now feeds directly into the 15th AIM Congress, one of the world's largest investment forums, which takes place on September 7-9, 2026 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

The record in numbers

The headline figures published ahead of AIM Congress 2026 draw a consistent picture: capital keeps flowing into the Emirates at a growing rate, and the country's share of global investment activity keeps expanding.

Two of these numbers deserve a closer look. First, the greenfield ranking: unlike portfolio flows or one-off acquisitions, greenfield projects mean investors building new factories, offices, warehouses and headquarters from scratch, which is the strongest possible vote of confidence in a jurisdiction. Only the United States attracted more new projects than the UAE in 2025. Second, the non-oil trade figure: at AED 1.937 trillion for the first half of 2026 alone, it shows that the investment inflow is feeding a real, diversified economy rather than a single commodity cycle.

Why capital keeps choosing the UAE

A record year is never an accident. The UAE has spent the past decade systematically removing the classic barriers that keep foreign investors out of emerging markets:

• 100% foreign ownership of mainland companies in most sectors, with no local sponsor required;
• a competitive tax system: 9% corporate tax with free zone incentives for qualifying income, no personal income tax, no capital gains tax for individuals;
• more than 40 free zones with sector-specific infrastructure, from commodities and logistics to fintech and AI;
• long-term residency through the Golden Visa program for investors, entrepreneurs and skilled professionals;
• a banking sector integrated with global markets and used to serving international holding structures;
• political stability, a pegged currency and a location within an eight-hour flight of two thirds of the world's population.

The result shows up not only in UNCTAD statistics but in corporate earnings across the country: we recently covered how ADNOC L&S posted a record quarterly profit on the back of the UAE's expanding role in global trade and logistics. Investment inflows, trade volumes and corporate results are moving in the same direction.

AIM Congress 2026: the record's showcase in Dubai

The 15th edition of AIM Congress (Annual Investment Meeting) takes place on September 7-9, 2026 at the Dubai World Trade Centre under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The event is organized by the AIM Global Foundation under the theme "Reshaping Global Prosperity: Unlocking New Investment Pathways Towards a Sustainable and Inclusive Future".

The scale of the previous edition explains why the forum matters: AIM Congress 2025 gathered 15,831 participants from 181 countries, with 1,385 speakers across 431 sessions. The congress brings together sovereign wealth funds, investment promotion agencies, family offices, multinationals and startups, and it has become the place where governments compete for the same capital that keeps breaking records in the UAE. For the Emirates, hosting the forum weeks after publishing record FDI numbers is a deliberate message: the country is not just receiving investment, it is positioning itself as the marketplace where global investment decisions are made.

What the record means for companies working with the UAE

Statistics aside, the practical question is what a record FDI year changes for a founder or investor considering the Emirates. Three things follow directly from the numbers.

First, competition for quality is rising. With 1,562 new projects landing in one year, free zones, banks and regulators are dealing with unprecedented application volumes. Well-prepared files move fast; incomplete ones queue. Second, the infrastructure keeps improving: record inflows finance new commercial space, new banking products and faster government digital services, which lowers the operating friction for everyone already in the market. Third, the direction of policy is predictable. A country that has climbed from 10th to 9th place globally and holds 38% of the region's greenfield capital expenditure has every incentive to keep its regulatory regime investor-friendly.

In practice, entering the market starts with two steps: choosing the right jurisdiction and licence through a UAE company setup on the mainland or in a free zone, and securing a corporate bank account that matches the company's activity profile and expected flows. Both steps are significantly easier when the structure is designed before the first application is filed rather than patched afterwards.

How Atlant Capital can help

Atlant Capital sets up companies in the UAE for founders and investors from the CIS and beyond. We select the optimal free zone or mainland licence for the planned activity, register the company, open corporate and personal bank accounts, and arrange residency visas for shareholders and employees. If the UAE's investment momentum matches your plans, write to us through the contact form: we will map the structure, costs and timeline for your specific case, including how to time an entry around events like AIM Congress 2026.

Conclusion

The UAE closed 2025 with AED 177.3 billion of foreign direct investment, a top-10 global ranking and the world's second-largest pipeline of new greenfield projects for the third consecutive year. The AED 1.171 trillion of accumulated FDI stock shows this is a long-term trajectory, not a spike. With AIM Congress 2026 opening in Dubai on September 7, the country is converting statistical leadership into convening power. For businesses weighing an entry into the region, the record is less a headline than a signal: the infrastructure, the capital and the policy direction are all aligned, and the earlier a company positions itself inside the hub, the more of that alignment it captures.

FAQ

How much FDI did the UAE attract in 2025?

The UAE attracted a record AED 177.3 billion ($48.3 billion) in foreign direct investment inflows in 2025, up 6% year on year and the fourth consecutive annual record. The country's cumulative FDI stock reached AED 1.171 trillion by the end of 2025, according to UNCTAD's World Investment Report 2026.

Where does the UAE rank globally as an investment destination?

The UAE ranked 9th in the world by FDI inflows in 2025, up from 10th place in 2024. By the number of new greenfield projects it ranked 2nd globally for the third consecutive year, with 1,562 projects, and it accounted for 38% of all greenfield capital expenditure in the Middle East.

When and where is AIM Congress 2026?

The 15th AIM Congress takes place on September 7-9, 2026 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The theme is "Reshaping Global Prosperity: Unlocking New Investment Pathways Towards a Sustainable and Inclusive Future". The 2025 edition gathered 15,831 participants from 181 countries.

Why do foreign investors choose the UAE?

Key drivers are 100% foreign ownership of mainland companies in most sectors, a 9% corporate tax with free zone incentives, no personal income tax, more than 40 specialized free zones, Golden Visa long-term residency, a globally connected banking sector and political stability. These factors have produced four consecutive record FDI years.