Countries · Middle East
United Arab Emirates
The UAE is a regional trade and finance hub, and its sovereign funds are among the largest investors in the world.
At a glance
Net inflows of foreign direct investment were $48.2bn in 2025, against an average of $19.6bn a year in 2015–2024. Investors based in United Arab Emirates put a net $63.4bn into direct investment abroad in the same year, more than United Arab Emirates received. Investors in United Arab Emirates held $116.1bn of US Treasury securities at the end of August 2026, +$7.4bn on a year earlier, and $270.8bn of US shares.
Abu Dhabi's sovereign wealth funds invest oil revenues abroad, and Dubai is a centre for trade, logistics and finance. Direct investment into the UAE has risen every year since 2015 in the World Bank figures. The UAE joined BRICS in 2024.
United Arab Emirates's holdings of US securities
Treasuries, shares and bonds issued in the US and held by investors in United Arab Emirates.
Holdings of US securities
End of month, Aug 2025 to Aug 2026, $bn.
Net purchases of long-term US securities
Each month, $bn. Positive means net buying.
The US Treasury records holdings by the country where securities are held in custody, which is not always the owner's country. Why this matters.
Direct and equity investment
Annual net flows, $bn. Direct investment means building or buying businesses; portfolio equity means buying listed shares and fund units.
Net flows by year
Direct investment into and out of United Arab Emirates, and foreign buying of its shares, $bn.
Current account and reserves
The balance of trade and income with the rest of the world, and the reserves held by the central bank.
Current account balance
Each year, $bn. A surplus means the country lends to the rest of the world.
Foreign exchange reserves, including gold
End of year, $bn.
The economy
GDP
Current US dollars, $bn. Dollar figures also move with exchange rates.
Growth and inflation
Real GDP growth and consumer price inflation, per cent.
All figures
Annual figures from the World Bank, as published. Download them for every country on the data page.
| Indicator | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (m) | 8.51 | 8.94 | 9.22 | 9.35 | 9.45 | 9.40 | 9.58 | 10.07 | 10.48 | 10.99 | 11.51 |
| GDP ($bn) | 382.0 | 381.7 | 403.4 | 440.6 | 433.9 | 357.2 | 422.4 | 511.4 | 522.6 | 552.3 | — |
| GDP per person ($) | 44,910 | 42,721 | 43,734 | 47,135 | 45,939 | 37,992 | 44,118 | 50,760 | 49,851 | 50,274 | — |
| Real GDP growth (%) | 7.1 | 5.7 | −1.1 | 1.5 | 1.3 | −8.7 | 4.6 | 7.5 | 4.3 | 4.0 | — |
| Inflation (%) | 4.1 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 3.1 | −1.9 | −2.1 | 0.2 | 5.3 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.3 |
| Current account ($bn) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 72.80 | 86.86 | 81.75 |
| Current account (% GDP) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 13.9 | 15.7 | — |
| Reserves incl. gold ($bn) | 93.9 | 85.4 | 95.4 | 99.5 | 108.4 | 106.7 | 131.1 | 138.4 | 189.5 | 237.9 | 292.3 |
| Direct investment in ($bn) | 8.55 | 9.60 | 10.35 | 10.39 | 17.87 | 19.88 | 20.67 | 22.74 | 30.70 | 45.63 | 48.24 |
| Direct investment out ($bn) | 16.69 | 15.71 | 14.06 | 15.08 | 21.23 | 18.94 | 22.55 | 24.83 | 22.30 | 77.18 | 63.35 |
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