Dubai: Premier Investment Destination, Unveils Hamdan bin Mohammed

Dubai has topped the global rankings for attracting new foreign direct investment projects for the eighth consecutive time, pulling in 643 new FDI projects in the first half of 2025. This marks the best performance by any city in a six-month period since Financial Times fDi Markets began tracking this data in 2003, with Dubai beating its closest competitor by a massive 478 projects.

The achievement reflects Dubai's growing dominance as a global investment hub. Since the second half of 2021, the emirate has consistently held the top spot, but this latest performance sets a new benchmark. Dubai now captures 8% of the global FDI market and commands 56% of all new FDI projects in the Middle East region.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, said this success stems from a long-term vision to position Dubai as the city of the future and a primary destination for investors. The results directly support Dubai's D33 Economic Agenda, which aims to double the emirate's economy by 2033 and establish it among the world's top three economic cities.

The numbers tell a compelling story for investors and businesses. Dubai attracted around AED 40.4 billion ($11 billion) in FDI capital during the first half of 2025, representing a 62% increase compared to the same period in 2024. Total announced FDI projects jumped 28.7% to 1,090 projects, while job creation from these investments surged 46.7% to 38,433 positions.

Dubai also claimed the global top spot for attracting business headquarters, with projects in this category rising 60% from 20 to 32 compared to the previous year. This positions the emirate as a preferred base for multinational corporations looking to establish regional or global operations.

The emirate advanced significantly in other key metrics. It moved from fourth to second place globally in terms of total FDI capital, and climbed from fourth to third in job creation through FDI projects. These gains demonstrate Dubai's ability to attract not just more projects, but larger and more substantial investments.

Investment diversity has been crucial to Dubai's success. New projects accounted for 52.4% of total investments, followed by new forms of FDI at 36.1%. The emirate attracted capital across multiple sectors, with business services leading at 31.3% of capital flows, followed by construction at 28.6%, and retail at 10.7%.

Dubai's appeal spans traditional and emerging sectors. The city leads globally in attracting FDI across information technology, electronics, creative industries, professional services, life sciences, consumer goods, financial services, industrial equipment, transport and storage, and environmental technology. It has also maintained leadership in emerging fields like artificial intelligence and fintech.

Geographic diversification of investment sources strengthens Dubai's position. The top five source countries contributed 68.7% of total FDI capital flows, led by the United States at 35%, followed by the United Kingdom at 10.6%, France at 8.9%, India at 8.9%, and Saudi Arabia at 5.2%.

Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism, emphasized that this performance reflects the emirate's ability to adapt to global economic transformations. He noted that Dubai continues to convert investments into opportunities, creativity, and innovation for long-term growth.

The results come despite challenging global economic conditions, highlighting Dubai's resilience and the strength of its investment ecosystem. The emirate's strategic location, clear regulatory framework, advanced infrastructure, and digital services continue to attract investors seeking stable, growth-oriented markets.

For the global investment community, Dubai's performance signals several key trends. The emirate's success in attracting headquarters demonstrates the growing importance of regional hubs in an increasingly multipolar world economy. The diversity of sectors and source countries also suggests that Dubai has built a robust, diversified investment platform that can weather various economic cycles.

Looking ahead, Dubai officials say they will continue expanding partnerships and strengthening the innovation ecosystem to maintain the emirate's position as a preferred global destination for investors seeking growth and stability.