UAE launches new five-year retail T-Sukuk: Residents can invest from Dh1,000 in Shariah-compliant government bonds

UAE residents can now subscribe to a second five-year retail T‑Sukuk offering with a minimum investment of Dh1,000, the Ministry of Finance has confirmed. The sukuk is Shariah‑compliant, fully backed by the UAE government, and will be listed on Nasdaq Dubai after allocation and settlement. The move follows a strong debut for the sovereign retail programme, which drew Dh445 million in orders against an initial Dh50 million target for the first issuance.

"The Shariah-compliant investment instrument is fully backed by the UAE Government," the Ministry of Finance said, underscoring the sovereign guarantee behind the retail product.

The second issuance retains the Dh1,000 minimum subscription threshold introduced in the inaugural retail sukuk, a deliberate effort to widen access to government debt beyond institutional investors. The first retail sukuk initially targeted Dh50 million but attracted such demand that officials doubled its size to Dh100 million; orders for that round reached Dh445 million in total.

How to subscribe and who is eligible

• Eligibility: Open to UAE nationals and residents.
• Minimum investment: Dh1,000 per subscriber.
• Subscription channels: Dubai Financial Market's eIPO platform, the iVestor app, the DFM app, and digital channels operated by participating banks.
• Receiving banks: Emirates NBD is acting as lead receiving bank. Emirates Islamic, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Ajman Bank, Mashreq, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank and First Abu Dhabi Bank will also receive subscriptions.

The programme is part of a broader push to encourage long‑term saving and broaden participation in sovereign instruments. Data from the first round showed a retail investor base skewed toward smaller subscriptions and broad demographic involvement: about 76% of investors put in Dh10,000 or less, UAE nationals made up 72% of subscribers, and investors under 25 combined with women accounted for 45% of the investor base.

Pricing, listing and liquidity

The profit rate for the new five‑year sukuk is due to be announced on September 22. Once the subscription window closes and allocations are settled, the sukuk will be listed on Nasdaq Dubai, which will serve as the central securities depository and settlement platform. That listing gives investors the option to trade their holdings on the secondary market before maturity, providing liquidity similar to the earlier two‑year issuance that listed on July 2, 2026.

Emirates NBD's role as lead receiving bank, alongside major Islamic and conventional lenders, signals wide distribution capacity through bank digital channels as well as the DFM and iVestor platforms. For residents who missed the initial round or who want a longer‑term, government‑backed return with a low entry point, the new subscription window presents a fresh opportunity—pricing details to follow on September 22.