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

A sovereign wealth fund (SWF) is a state-owned investment fund that manages national savings, typically derived from budget surpluses, trade surpluses, or natural resource revenues. SWFs invest across global asset classes including equities, fixed income, real estate, infrastructure, and private equity. Their primary purposes include stabilizing government revenues, preserving wealth for future generations, and funding strategic national development initiatives.

UAE Context

The UAE is home to some of the world’s largest and most influential sovereign wealth funds. Abu Dhabi alone hosts three major SWFs: the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), Mubadala Investment Company, and ADQ. Dubai operates the Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD). Collectively, UAE sovereign wealth funds manage estimated assets exceeding USD 1.5 trillion, placing the country among the top three globally by total SWF assets. These funds were originally capitalized from oil revenues but have evolved into sophisticated global investors spanning technology, healthcare, renewable energy, and infrastructure.

Key Data

  • ADIA: Estimated USD 990 billion in assets under management, one of the world’s largest SWFs
  • Mubadala: Approximately USD 300 billion AUM, focused on strategic and technology investments
  • ADQ: Manages a portfolio of major Abu Dhabi enterprises across food, utilities, and logistics
  • ICD: Dubai’s principal investment arm overseeing Emirates airline, du, and other state entities
  • Global ranking: UAE SWFs collectively rank among the top three worldwide

Significance for Vision 2031

UAE sovereign wealth funds are the financial backbone of the Vision 2031 diversification strategy. They channel oil-era wealth into future-economy sectors including artificial intelligence, space technology, renewable energy, and biotechnology. By deploying capital domestically and globally, these funds accelerate the UAE’s transition from a hydrocarbon-dependent economy to a diversified, knowledge-driven one while preserving intergenerational wealth.

  • ADIA - Abu Dhabi Investment Authority
  • Mubadala - Abu Dhabi’s strategic investment company
  • Non-Oil GDP - The economic metric SWFs help improve
  • ADNOC - The oil company whose revenues historically funded UAE SWFs