Dubai, UAE — Abu Dhabi’s real estate market more than doubled in value during the first half of 2026, buoyed by record foreign investment, expanding investment zones and strong demand for property, underscoring the emirate’s growing appeal as a global investment destination.
Data released by the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC) showed total real estate transactions reached AED117 billion ($31.9 billion) in the first six months of the year, up 112 percent from a year earlier, while the number of transactions rose 61.7 percent.
Sales accounted for the bulk of activity, climbing 163.7 percent to AED86.1 billion across 16,838 transactions, reflecting robust end-user demand and a widening investor base. Mortgage transactions increased 33.5 percent to AED26.7 billion through 8,876 deals, while musataha and long-term lease transactions totalled about AED4 billion. Gift transactions reached AED311.5 million.
The standout trend was foreign direct investment, which surged 309 percent year-on-year to AED13.8 billion, exceeding the total recorded during all of 2025 and marking the highest first-half foreign investment on record for Abu Dhabi’s property market.
The number of nationalities represented by non-resident investors rose to 116 from 82 a year earlier, with investors from Britain, China, Russia, the United States, Germany and France among the leading contributors.
Investment zones open to buyers of all nationalities attracted AED75 billion during the period, up 181 percent from AED26.7 billion a year earlier.
The data points to sustained international appetite for Abu Dhabi property as the emirate continues to diversify its economy beyond oil, supported by regulatory reforms, long-term residency initiatives and infrastructure investment aimed at attracting global capital.
“The true measure of success lies not only in the scale of growth, but also in how that growth is achieved,” ADREC Director-General Rashed Al Omaira said, adding that transparent regulation and reliable market data remained central to investor confidence.
The regulator expanded the market’s investment landscape by approving eight new investment zones, bringing the total to 50 across the emirate. It also registered 28 new real estate projects in the first half, 16 percent more than a year earlier, signalling a steady pipeline of future developments.
Professional activity also accelerated. ADREC issued 2,040 licences for real estate professions, up 34 percent year-on-year, taking the number of licensed brokers to 3,302.
The regulator said it continued to improve transparency through digital services, with its Madhmoun platform issuing more than 41,200 permits for property advertisements since its launch to improve the quality and credibility of real estate listings.
