UAE property and industrial firms show IPO interest, says capital markets regulator

Résumé détaillé

The Capital Market Authority (CMA) is also reviewing the regulatory framework for retail and fractional sukuk, says its chief Waleed Saeed Al Awadhi ...

Companies in the real estate and industrial sectors continue to show interest in listing on the UAE’s public markets, according to Waleed Saeed Al Awadhi, chief executive of the Capital Market Authority (CMA).

Al Awadhi said, however, that it would be premature to forecast how many initial public offerings (IPOs) and new listings the UAE will see in 2027. The regulator’s priority, he said, is to ensure that companies entering the market meet the required governance and disclosure standards while giving investors a wider range of opportunities.

The CMA is also reviewing the regulatory framework for retail and fractional sukuk, which could allow investors to access fixed-income products through smaller contributions.

During 2026, the CMA approved the public offering of shares in DIP Holding, which announced its intention to list on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM).

Earlier this month, said Hamed Ali, CEO of the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) and Nasdaq Dubai, also said that Dubai’s IPO pipeline is “looking good” despite only one offering having hit the market so far this year.

“The pipeline is looking good across a number of different sectors,” Ali said at the Dubai Fintech Summit.

The Dubai bourse, he added, is working to bring more issuers to the market. "When we look at the growth of the market, one is IPOs and the second is post-IPO,” Ali explained.

Al Awadhi said regulated digital investment platforms could play an important role in simplifying access to financial markets, but must meet appropriate regulatory requirements. These include authorisation, transparent disclosure of costs and risks, protection of client assets and oversight of automated investment services.

“Lower investment thresholds do not necessarily mean lower risks, and our priority is to ensure that greater accessibility is accompanied by adequate investor safeguards,” he said.

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