February 23, 2026
Methodology About Newsletter
WE THE UAE 2031
The Vanderbilt Terminal for the UAE's National Transformation
INDEPENDENT GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE FOR THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
UAE GDP: AED 2.03T ▲ 5.7% | Non-Oil GDP Share: 84.3% ▼ -5.2pp | FDI Inflows: $45.6B ▲ 48.7% | GDP Growth: 4.0% ▲ -0.3pp vs 2023 | Inflation: 1.7% ▼ +0.0pp vs 2023 | Female Participation: 55.1% ▲ +0.6pp vs 2023 | Population: 11.0M ▲ 4.8% | Emiratisation Rate: 12.5% ▲ 2.1pp | Global Competitiveness: #7 ▲ 3 places | Clean Energy Capacity: 7.2 GW ▲ 18.4% | ADX Index: 9,842 ▲ 4.7% | DFM Index: 4,621 ▲ 6.2% | UAE GDP: AED 2.03T ▲ 5.7% | Non-Oil GDP Share: 84.3% ▼ -5.2pp | FDI Inflows: $45.6B ▲ 48.7% | GDP Growth: 4.0% ▲ -0.3pp vs 2023 | Inflation: 1.7% ▼ +0.0pp vs 2023 | Female Participation: 55.1% ▲ +0.6pp vs 2023 | Population: 11.0M ▲ 4.8% | Emiratisation Rate: 12.5% ▲ 2.1pp | Global Competitiveness: #7 ▲ 3 places | Clean Energy Capacity: 7.2 GW ▲ 18.4% | ADX Index: 9,842 ▲ 4.7% | DFM Index: 4,621 ▲ 6.2% |

Definition

The Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) is the federal regulatory body responsible for supervising and developing the UAE’s securities and commodities markets. Established in 2000 under Federal Law No. 4 of 2000, the SCA oversees the licensing and regulation of exchanges, brokers, investment funds, listed companies, and other market participants operating on the UAE’s mainland exchanges. The SCA sets disclosure requirements, corporate governance standards, and market conduct rules to maintain orderly and transparent capital markets.

UAE Context

The SCA regulates the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) and the Dubai Financial Market (DFM), as well as commodities markets operating outside the independent financial free zones (DIFC and ADGM, which have their own separate regulators). The authority has progressively modernized its regulatory framework, introducing updated listing rules, enhanced corporate governance codes, and anti-market-manipulation provisions. The SCA also administers the licensing of investment funds and manages oversight of IPO processes on mainland exchanges.

Key Data

  • Established: 2000
  • Legal basis: Federal Law No. 4 of 2000 (amended)
  • Scope: ADX, DFM, mainland brokers, investment funds, listed companies
  • Key functions: Licensing, disclosure rules, corporate governance, enforcement
  • Headquarters: Abu Dhabi
  • Exclusions: DIFC and ADGM entities (regulated by DFSA and FSRA respectively)

Significance for Vision 2031

The SCA is a foundational institution for the UAE’s capital markets development strategy. Under Vision 2031, strengthening the SCA’s regulatory framework supports national goals of deepening market liquidity, attracting foreign portfolio investment, and encouraging private-sector IPOs. A robust and credible federal regulator underpins investor confidence and ensures that UAE capital markets meet international standards of transparency and governance.