UAE Top 10 Developers Sell AED 113.7 Billion in H1 2026

2026-08-13

The ten largest property developers in the UAE sold more than AED 113.7 billion of real estate in the first half of 2026, according to results compiled by Gulf News from company disclosures published in August. Abu Dhabi's Modon tops the table with AED 23 billion of UAE sales, a 2.6-fold jump on the prior year, edging past Dubai's Emaar at AED 22.4 billion. Just as telling as the totals: 80 per cent of Aldar's UAE sales went to international buyers, and Emaar's revenue backlog has climbed to AED 164.9 billion. The market is not only breaking records, it is increasingly funded by foreign capital committed years in advance.

The H1 2026 league table

Ranked by property sales inside the UAE between January and June 2026, the top ten looks like this:

The combined total, AED 113.7 billion in six months, is remarkable on its own. The composition is just as interesting: the top two alone account for AED 45.4 billion, yet the table also has room for design-led boutique names like Ellington and Omniyat, each clearing AED 6 billion plus. Depth, not just a strong head, is what distinguishes this cycle from earlier ones.

Modon's leap and Emaar's machine

Modon is the story of the half. The Abu Dhabi developer multiplied its sales 2.6 times year on year, reaching AED 26 billion across all markets, of which AED 23 billion came from the UAE. Revenue rose 40 per cent to AED 9.2 billion. The surge was powered by rapid sell-outs on Reem Island and, reportedly, by the launch of Hudayriyat Golf Estates, which generated around AED 13 billion of residential sales within days of release. Abu Dhabi has spent years preparing this moment with infrastructure and destination projects; H1 2026 is when the sales numbers caught up with the ambition.

Emaar, meanwhile, remains the most complete machine in the market. Its UAE sales of AED 22.4 billion sit inside group property sales of AED 26.6 billion, including AED 4.2 billion sold internationally. The figure that matters most for the next several years is the backlog: AED 164.9 billion of sold-but-not-yet-recognised revenue, up 13 per cent year on year. That pipeline underwrites construction, dividends and land bids well into the 2030s. For a closer look at how Dubai's developer rankings split by value and volume, see our earlier analysis of Emaar and Azizi leading Dubai developer sales.

Aldar: 80 per cent of buyers are international

Aldar's headline number, AED 9.5 billion of UAE sales in the ranking, understates the group's half: total development sales reached AED 12.1 billion, net profit rose 18 per cent to AED 4.9 billion, and the revenue backlog stands at AED 71.6 billion, of which AED 59.9 billion is in the UAE. The statistic that deserves the most attention is buyer origin: international investors accounted for 80 per cent of Aldar's UAE sales, worth AED 7.6 billion. Abu Dhabi property, long a domestic and GCC market, is now selling predominantly to overseas capital.

The growth at Aldar's international arms points the same direction: Egypt's SODIC grew sales by 171 per cent and the UK's London Square by 236 per cent. UAE developers are no longer just import magnets for capital, they are exporting their model.

Backlogs mean the boom is pre-funded

A sceptic will ask whether AED 113.7 billion in six months is a peak. The backlog data suggests the cycle has structural support. Emaar alone is sitting on AED 164.9 billion of contracted future revenue, Aldar on AED 71.6 billion. Backlog is money buyers have already committed under sales agreements, typically paid in instalments tied to construction milestones. It cushions developers against a demand pause and keeps contractors, banks and suppliers busy for years. This is a fundamentally different market structure from 2008, when projects depended on speculative flippers and short-term credit.

What it means for investors and business owners

For anyone using property as a route into the UAE, or building a business that serves the sector, H1 2026 offers several practical signals:

• Abu Dhabi is now a first-tier market. Modon outselling Emaar, and 80 per cent of Aldar's buyers coming from abroad, mean investors should price the capital alongside Dubai, not as its quieter neighbour.
• Off-plan remains the market's engine. Record launches sell out in days, so access to allocations and early payment plans matters more than negotiating skill.
• Property of AED 2 million or more remains a recognised route to the 10-year UAE Golden Visa, and the depth of the AED 6-23 billion developer table means qualifying stock exists at every price point above the threshold.
• The ecosystem around developers, brokerages, fit-out firms, property management, proptech, inherits the same growth curve. A sector selling AED 113.7 billion in six months needs suppliers.

Foreign buyers should also plan the plumbing before the purchase: a local bank account makes instalment payments, service charges and eventual rental income far easier to manage. Our guide to opening a UAE bank account explains the requirements for residents and non-residents.

How Atlant Capital can help

Atlant Capital works with investors and founders entering the UAE market. We register companies in free zones and on the mainland, including vehicles for holding property and for operating real-estate-adjacent businesses, open corporate and personal bank accounts, and run visa and residency processes end to end, from investor visas to the Golden Visa. If the H1 2026 numbers are part of your reason for looking at the Emirates, our company setup service is the right starting point, and we will map the structure, banking and residency steps for your specific case.

Conclusion

AED 113.7 billion of sales by ten companies in six months confirms that the UAE property cycle broadened in 2026: Abu Dhabi's Modon leads the country, Emaar's backlog reached AED 164.9 billion, and international buyers took 80 per cent of Aldar's UAE sales. The pipeline is pre-funded, the buyer base is global, and the second half of the year starts from a higher base than any market in the region has seen. For investors and entrepreneurs, the question is less whether the UAE market is real, and more how quickly they can position themselves inside it.

FAQ

How much property did the top 10 UAE developers sell in H1 2026?

More than AED 113.7 billion between January and June 2026. Modon led with AED 23 billion of UAE sales, followed by Emaar with AED 22.4 billion and DAMAC with AED 16 billion. The remaining places went to Aldar, Binghatti, Meraas, H&H, Ellington, Omniyat and Beyond, each selling AED 6.6-9.5 billion.

Who is Modon and why did it outsell Emaar?

Modon is an Abu Dhabi developer behind large destination projects including Hudayriyat Island. In H1 2026 its sales grew 2.6 times year on year to AED 26 billion across all markets, with AED 23 billion in the UAE, helped by rapid sell-outs on Reem Island and the Hudayriyat Golf Estates launch, which reportedly took around AED 13 billion in days.

Are foreign buyers active in the UAE property market?

Yes. International investors accounted for 80 per cent of Aldar's UAE sales in H1 2026, worth AED 7.6 billion, and Emaar sold a further AED 4.2 billion internationally. Foreign buyers can own freehold property in designated areas of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and a purchase of AED 2 million or more can qualify for the 10-year Golden Visa.

What does a developer backlog mean for buyers?

Backlog is revenue from homes already sold under contract but not yet handed over. Emaar's backlog reached AED 164.9 billion and Aldar's AED 71.6 billion in H1 2026. A large backlog signals that construction is funded by committed buyer instalments rather than speculative credit, which supports delivery timelines and market stability.