Dubai has reinforced its position as the world’s leading destination for greenfield foreign direct investment (FDI) projects for the fifth consecutive year, according to data published by the Financial Times Ltd’s fDi Markets database.

In 2025, Dubai delivered one of its strongest inward FDI performances since 2015 with total announced greenfield FDI projects rising to 1,253, a 10.5 per cent increase from 2024. Dubai also secured a record-high 7 per cent share of global greenfield FDI projects, the highest in its history, according to the data.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, said: “Dubai’s sustained global leadership in attracting foreign direct investment reflects the confidence the world places in our economy, our institutions and our vision for the future. It is the outcome of a long-term strategy built on openness, connectivity, strategic partnerships and a commitment to creating the conditions for businesses to succeed. We are proud of the trust that investors, entrepreneurs and innovators from around the world continue to place in Dubai. This confidence reflects the resilience of our economy, the strength of our fundamentals and our ability to constantly create new opportunities for growth.

Strategic, future-focused sector leadership

Strengthening its position as a preferred global base for multinational corporations, Dubai retained the No.1 global ranking for headquarters greenfield FDI projects for the fourth consecutive year, reflecting sustained confidence in the emirate’s ability to support regional and international expansion. Dubai also maintained its global leadership in artificial intelligence-related greenfield FDI projects for the fourth year running, reinforcing its position as a centre for innovation-led growth and advanced technologies.

Dubai also ranked No.1 globally across several strategic clusters, including ICT and electronics, creative industries, professional services, life sciences, consumer goods, financial services, industrial equipment, and environmental technology. For the first time, Dubai ranked No.1 globally in manufacturing FDI projects, marking a significant milestone in the city’s economic diversification journey and highlighting its growing role as an emerging cutting-edge manufacturing centre, directly aligned with the goals of the D33 Agenda.

Dubai also secured the No.1 global position in Transportation and Warehousing across projects, reflecting its continued strength as a global logistics and trade gateway.

Further, Dubai ranked first globally in several high-impact industries, including food and beverages, electronic components, healthcare, business machines and equipment, cleantech, metals and e-commerce. Notably, Dubai was the only destination city worldwide to attract more than 10 Greenfield FDI projects across several of these sectors, meeting the global ranking threshold and demonstrating the breadth of its diversified economic base and its ability to sustain investment momentum across both established and future-focused industries.

Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), said: “While global markets may have navigated significant challenges in recent months, Dubai entered this period with quantifiable momentum, attracting record levels of capital that provided a strong foundation for sustained growth. This performance underscores the strength of Dubai’s diversified economy, the depth of its public-private partnerships, and the efficacy of a well-defined forward-looking regulatory framework that continues to attract high-quality investment across priority sectors. These results further reinforce the ambitions of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, highlighting Dubai’s position as one of the world’s most resilient investment destinations.”

Sustained capital inflows

Beyond the headline rankings, 2025 saw broad-based growth across capital deployment and project activity, underlining the continued strength and diversification of Dubai’s investment ecosystem. The city attracted $8.83 billion (Dh32.43 billion) in greenfield FDI capital in 2025, according to the fDi Markets database. Greenfield FDI also supported the creation of 38,918 jobs in 2025, an 18.8 per cent increase from 32,754 jobs in 2024. Performance during the year was also shaped by a mix of investment types, with continued momentum across greenfield projects, reinvestments, venture capital-backed activity, mergers & acquisitions and strategic expansions.

Source markets and sectors

Dubai FDI Monitor data confirmed continued confidence from a diverse mix of international source markets, reinforcing the emirate’s role as a globally connected investment hub. Source markets varied across capital flows and project activity, reflecting broad-based investor confidence from North America, Europe, Asia, and the GCC. This geographic diversity of investment sources further positions Dubai as a strategic bridge between East and West, supported by world-class connectivity, trade facilitation reforms, and a regulatory environment that is both transparent and continuously modernised.

Sectoral performance remained broad-based, with strong investment activity across business services, hotels and tourism, transportation and warehousing, consumer products, real estate, software and IT services, and financial services, demonstrating continued momentum across both traditional and future-economy sectors.

Hadi Badri, CEO of the Dubai Economic Development Corporation (DEDC), the economic development arm of DET, said: “The scale and quality of FDI inflows in 2025 reflect sustained global confidence in Dubai’s long-term growth trajectory. The continued inflow of capital investment is further evidence that investors are deepening their operational presence rather than adopting short-term positioning strategies.”

Dubai’s annual GDP reached Dh937 billion in 2025 reflecting 5.4 per cent growth for the year, with Q4 growth accelerating to 6.4 per cent, demonstrating sustained expansion despite ongoing global market volatility.

https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/economy/dubai-tops-greenfield-fdi-ranking-for-fifth-straight-year?amp=1