• Hamed Ali: “A significant milestone in our strategy is to broaden international access to our market and implement Dubai's vision to develop its capital markets” 

Dubai: As part of its ongoing efforts to broaden market accessibility for international investors, Dubai Financial Market (DFM) today announced that it has been granted recognition by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) as a foreign trading venue. 

The recognition spans two dimensions: it permits Swiss participants supervised by FINMA to gain direct access to DFM's trading venue, and it enables the trading of equity securities of companies incorporated in Switzerland on the market. Together, these establish a regulated channel between two of the world's leading financial centres, allowing Swiss financial institutions to connect directly to DFM and opening the door for Swiss-incorporated companies' shares to be traded in Dubai. 

The recognition reflects the strength of DFM's regulatory framework, which operates under the supervision of the UAE Capital Market Authority (CMA), and the close cooperation between the UAE and Swiss regulators both signatories to the IOSCO Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding Concerning Consultation and Cooperation and the Exchange of Information. 

DFM is home to a base of more than 1.2 million investors from 212 nationalities, with foreign investors representing approximately 85% of registered investors an international base the recognition is set to deepen by opening a direct, regulated route for Swiss institutions. 

Commenting on the recognition, Hamed Ali, CEO of DFM and Nasdaq Dubai, said: “FINMA's recognition of DFM is a significant milestone in our strategy to broaden international access to our market and implement Dubai's vision to develop its capital markets. It opens a direct, regulated pathway for Swiss financial institutions to connect to our ecosystem and creates new opportunities around Swiss-incorporated securities, reinforcing Dubai's position as a globally connected capital-markets hub.”  

H.E. Waleed Saeed Al Awadhi, CEO of the UAE Capital Market Authority (CMA), added: “This recognition reflects the close supervision cooperation between the CMA and FINMA and the strength of the UAE’s regulatory framework. It establishes a clear, well-regulated channel for cross-border participation that upholds market integrity and reinforces the UAE’s standing as a trusted global financial centre.”

The development advances DFM's strategy to deepen international investor participation and strengthen Dubai's standing as a gateway connecting regional and global capital markets, in line with the emirate's wider ambitions to grow its financial sector and attract cross-border capital flows. 

About Dubai Financial Market:   

Dubai Financial Market (DFM) was established as a public institution with its own independent corporate body. DFM operates as a secondary market for the trading of securities issued by public shareholding companies, bonds issued by the Federal Government or any of the local Governments and public institutions in the country, units of investment funds and any other financial instruments, local or foreign, which are accepted by the market. The DFM commenced operations on March 26, 2000 and became the first Islamic Shari’a-compliant exchange globally since 2007. Following its initial public offering in November 2006, when DFM offered 1.6 billion shares, representing 20 per cent of its paid-up capital of AED 8 billion, DFM became a public joint stock company, and its shares were listed on 7 March 2007 with the trading symbol (DFM). Following the IPO, the Government of Dubai retained the remaining 80 per cent of DFM Company through Borse Dubai Limited. www.dfm.ae 

For further information, please contact: 
Noora Alsoori
Communications and Public Relations 
Dubai Financial Market 
Tel: +971 4 305 5437
E: nalsoori@dfm.ae

Shruti Choudhury                                         
Associate Director                                                  
Edelman Smithfield                                                       
M: +971 54 586 7874                                                   
E: dfmedelmansmithfield@edelman.com