UAE economy continues global ascent, reports robust growth in early 2026

The UAE economy sustained strong momentum in early 2026, underpinned by a resilient banking sector and growing foreign trade and investment, official data and reports show. According to the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), total banking assets rose 1.1% in February to exceed AED5.472 trillion, while total credit increased 1.2% to AED2.63 trillion, supported by a AED20.6 billion rise in domestic credit. Bank deposits climbed 1.9% to AED3.4 trillion, with resident deposits at AED3.098 trillion.

"The UAE economy maintained its upward trajectory during the first months of 2026, supported by the strength of the financial and banking sector and rising foreign trade and investment indicators," said WAM.

Financial stability and sovereign ratings

The financial sector’s stability is reflected in regulatory ratios: the capital adequacy ratio stood at 17% at the beginning of March, and the liquidity coverage ratio exceeded 146.6%, both well above international regulatory standards. UAE banks also featured prominently in Forbes’ 2026 list of the world’s best banks, with national institutions such as First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB), Emirates Islamic, Emirates NBD and Commercial Bank of Dubai included.

International rating agencies reaffirmed the UAE’s sovereign strength. Moody’s maintained its Aa2 rating with a stable outlook following its review on 30 March 2026, while S&P Global Ratings affirmed the UAE’s sovereign credit rating at AA/A-1+ (local and foreign currency) with a stable outlook. S&P highlighted consolidated government net assets estimated at around 184% of GDP in 2026 and government liquid assets of approximately 210% of GDP.

Trade, investment and corporate activity

• Total foreign trade reached AED6 trillion in 2025, a 15% increase year-on-year, the UAE reported.
• Trade in services exceeded AED1.14 trillion for the first time.
• Non-oil merchandise trade rose 27% to AED3.8 trillion.
• The UAE entered the World Trade Organization’s list of the world’s top ten merchandise exporters, ranking ninth.

The government’s foreign trade push under the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPA) programme aims to increase non-oil trade to AED4 trillion by 2031; agreements were signed in Q1 2026 with the Philippines, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Gabon. Mubadala Investment Company reported assets of AED1.4 trillion and a cumulative return exceeding 10% over five- and ten-year periods, signalling continued resilience in sovereign investment portfolios.

On the corporate front, the UAE recorded more than 1.45 million registered companies by the end of February. Dubai Chamber of Commerce added 2,709 new companies in March 2026. Regional licence activity showed steady growth: Sharjah Economic Development Department recorded a 1% increase in issued and renewed licences in Q1 2026 versus Q1 2025, while Ajman issued 1,617 new licences and 8,777 renewed licences — the latter up 7% year-on-year.

Branding, markets and outlook

ADNOC entered the list of the world’s 100 most valuable brands and remained the UAE’s most valuable brand for the eighth consecutive year, with brand value up 11% to $21.13 billion — more than 350% growth since 2017. Dubai climbed to seventh place in the Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI), its highest ranking to date.

Sovereign debt markets also saw robust demand: the March 2026 dirham-denominated Treasury bonds auction issued AED1.1 billion, attracting total bids of AED4.85 billion — about 4.4 times the issuance size — particularly for tranches maturing in September 2027 and January 2031. With solid fiscal buffers and rising trade and corporate activity, the data point to continued macroeconomic resilience for the remainder of 2026.