• Recognition enables FINMA-supervised Swiss financial institutions to gain direct access to DFM, and allows trading of equity securities of Swiss-incorporated companies on the market
• 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”

As part of its ongoing efforts to broaden market accessibility for international investors, Dubai Financial Market (DFM) 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.

Source: Dubai Financial Market