Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre records Dh51.7bn+ in real estate transactions in H1 2025
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)The Abu Dhabi real estate sector delivered outstanding performance in the first half of 2025, with the total real estate transaction value increasing by 39 per cent compared to the same period in 2024.The total value reached Dh51.72 billion, up from Dh37.2 billion last year, according to data released by the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC).The number of property transactions increased by 12 per cent, reaching 14,167 deals, reflecting accelerated market activity underpinned by notable increases in sales, purchases, and mortgage transactions.Sales and purchases transactions grew 32 per cent in value, reaching Dh32.69 billion through 7,964 transactions, while mortgage transactions recorded a significant 52 per cent increase in value, amounting to Dh19.03 billion through 6,204 deals.The first half of the year witnessed increased interest from international investors. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) transactions reached 890, a 3.3 per cent increase in total value, amounting to Dh3.38 billion. The number of nationalities who invested grew to 85, up 10 per cent compared to the same period last year, underscoring the growing global confidence in Abu Dhabi's real estate sector.The market attracted strong interest from investors from major and emerging economies including Russia, China, the United Kingdom, France, Kazakhstan and the United States, which reflects Abu Dhabi's position as a global investment hub that combines economic stability with high-quality opportunities.In terms of transaction values by area, Saadiyat Island maintained its lead at more than Dh9.1 billion, followed by Yas Island at Dh5.86 billion, and Al Bahia at Dh3.98 billion.Other locations that recorded strong transactions included Mohammed Bin Zayed City, Al Reem Island, Al Riyadh City, and Khalifa City, highlighting the broad geographic spread of real estate activity across the emirate.Rashed Al Omaira, Acting Director General of ADREC, said: 'The first-half performance reflects the growing confidence in Abu Dhabi's real estate market, from both global and national investors, reflected in the sustained growth in transaction values and continued increase in foreign investment. The recent launch of high-quality projects has further energised the market and opened doors to attractive investment opportunities, reinforcing Abu Dhabi's attractiveness as a leading destination for sustainable real estate investment. "Additionally, the initiatives ADREC recently launched and the facilitations it offered, including automation of a large number of processes and services, had a pivotal role in reaching this achievement, through streamlining the investor's journey, accelerating transactions and enhancing transparency.'
ADREC continues to advance its legislative framework and enhance the user experience in line with the emirate's economic ambitions, strengthening its regional and global competitiveness.
Source: Aletihad - Abu Dhabi
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Etihad
4 hours ago
- Al Etihad
UAE's ‘Paper Bag Boy' now an innovator with big, green dreams for Earth
8 Aug 2025 00:15 MAYS IBRAHIM (ABU DHABI)At 10 years old, Abdul Muqeet Abdul Mannan was already making paper bags out of recycled newspapers, distributing them to grocery stores to help curb plastic pollution. Now 24 and a computer engineer, he is building artificial intelligence (AI) tools to advance climate education. 'When I was in school in 2010, our principal announced that we would observe a 'No Plastic Day' for the UAE National Environment Day,' he recalled in a recent interview with Aletihad . 'I became curious about why we were not supposed to use plastic, especially since it was so common in everyday life.'What followed was a deep dive into the consequences of plastic use — from marine pollution to the deaths of camels in the desert and a resolve to do something about recycling initiative earned him the title 'Paper Bag Boy' and one of the UAE's highest civilian honours, the Abu Dhabi Award, setting him off on a life-long mission as an environmental advocate. 'Receiving this recognition gave me something priceless; it gave me credibility and confidence. It opened doors across the globe,' he said. 'It truly changed everything … and proved that even at a young age, I could make a real difference.' Merging Engineering with Environmentalism That same energy pushed Abdul Mannan into computer engineering, driven by curiosity about how digital systems work and how they can serve climate 2023, he teamed up with UNICEF's Office of Innovation to launch GreenPal FunDoo, an AI-powered chatbot unveiled at COP28 in Dubai to teach climate awareness in engaging, gamified a 2024 internship with cloud services firm Bespin Global MEA, he developed a tool that uses AI to analyse climate research and answer environmental questions, making science more accessible to the his interests have turned to the link between data governance, cybersecurity, and sustainability.'Data centres are among the most energy-intensive systems,' he said. 'If I could invent a new solution, it would be a smart energy management system for cloud data centres — one that automatically shifts workloads based on real-time access to renewable energy like solar or wind.'He also plans to work closely with companies to reduce e-waste, promote greener cloud usage, and improve sustainable office practices.'At the same time, I will keep leading workshops for students and professionals — because real change begins when people understand why sustainability matters and how they can contribute,' Abdul Mannan said. 'The UAE's sustainability vision is ambitious and inspiring, and I am excited to be part of the generation that helps bring it to life.'His advice for other young people? 'Start small, but start now. Everything on earth can be recycled, except time.''Find what you are passionate about, whether it is art, business, coding, writing, or something else, and look for ways to connect it to the environment,' Abdul Mannan said. He maintains that saving the planet needs creative thinkers, entrepreneurs, storytellers, and innovators, as much as scientists and policymakers.'Begin in your school or community. Learn about the challenges, ask questions, and take action, even something as simple as spreading awareness among friends can create a ripple effect. That is how real change starts,' he added. Youth Empowerment a National Priority for the UAE Growing up as a child advocate in the UAE, Abdul Muqeet Abdul Mannan has learnt that 'age does not limit impact'.Abdul Mannan has proudly represented the UAE on international platforms, showcasing its key climate milestones from Masdar City to the Net Zero by 2050 strategy. 'Each experience reinforced the importance of global dialogue and reminded me that environmental advocacy is not just a personal passion, it is a shared global mission,' he said. Over the years, he's seen youth involvement grow from symbolic gestures to full-fledged leadership, supported by the UAE's youth-focused initiatives and forward-thinking policies. 'From coding and design to environmental entrepreneurship, today's youth are using their individual strengths to drive change,' Abdul Mannan said. International Youth Day in 2025 will be celebrated on August 12 under the theme 'Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond'.The UAE has embedded youth empowerment into government strategies and national policies. The establishment of the Federal Youth Authority and appointment of the world's youngest Minister of State for Youth Affairs, Shamma Al Mazrui, in 2016, reflect the country's commitment to placing young people at the heart of national platforms like the Emirates Youth Council and programmes such as the UAE Youth Hub, the government provides resources, mentorship, and spaces for the youth to lead in fields ranging from sustainability and entrepreneurship to science and technology. These efforts align with the UAE Centennial 2071 vision, which recognises the youth as key architects of the country's long-term prosperity.
Al Etihad
10 hours ago
- Al Etihad
Spinneys posts Dh170 million H1 profit on strong sales momentum, store expansion
7 Aug 2025 18:25 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)Spinneys reported a net profit of Dh170 million for the first half of 2025, up 16.2% year-on-year, reflecting continued growth in like-for-like sales, increased online penetration, and the contribution of six new stores, which were opened during the for the six-month period rose 13.7% to Dh1.8 billion, while profit before tax jumped 24.4% to Dh202 million. Adjusted EBITDA increased by 20% to Dh365 million, maintaining an industry-leading margin of 20.1%. Gross profit for the half stood at Dh753 million, up 14.2% from the prior company's store network expansion strategy continued apace, with nine stores added across the UAE and Saudi Arabia over the past 12 months — including the recent launch of Spinneys Mina Port and The Kitchen by Spinneys in Wafi Mall. The total number of transactions grew 12.2% year-on-year to 20.6 million in H1, while average basket size remained stable at the first quarter of 2025 alone, Spinneys posted revenue of Dh910 million, a 16.2% increase from Q1 2024. Quarterly profit rose 18.5% to Dh85 million, while adjusted EBITDA grew by 19.3% to Dh183 Sunil Kumar said the first-half performance 'reflects the strength of the Spinneys brand and our continued focus on delivering fresh, high-quality food experiences to our customers across the region.''Strong like-for-like growth, the success of our Fresh and Private Label ranges, and the acceleration of our online and store expansion strategy have all contributed to robust top- and bottom-line results,' he also highlighted the successful launch of 'Discovery by Spinneys,' a new premium private label range that debuted with an exclusive Scottish strawberry variety. 'This marks the beginning of a broader journey to bring exclusive, high-quality products to our customers,' he said. Looking ahead, the company reaffirmed its full-year 2025 guidance, including the opening of 10–12 new stores across the UAE and Saudi Arabia and maintaining its strong adjusted EBITDA margin of 19–20%. An interim dividend of approximately Dh120 million was also approved for H1 2025, equivalent to 3.32 fils per share.
Al Etihad
10 hours ago
- Al Etihad
ADX welcomes Thndr as its first remote retail trading member
7 Aug 2025 17:55 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) on Thursday onboarded Thndr, a leading retail investment platform in the MENA region, as the first remote retail trading member on the largest exchange in the UAE, the second largest in the MENA region, and among the top 20 in the a Hub71 start-up, is one of MENA's first fully digital investment platforms. Regulated by the Abu Dhabi Global Market's (ADGM) Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA), Thndr is set to make its mark in the UAE following its strong track record in the 2024 alone, Thndr recorded over $13 billion in trading value and executed 12 million trades. With more than four million downloads, access to three markets – the UAE, Egypt, and the US – and a wide range of asset classes, including stocks, gold, mutual funds, and savings products, Thndr is building a true investment one-stop users will soon be able to invest directly in some of the most valuable listed companies and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the UAE through its mobile investment platform, demonstrating the ADX's commitment to connecting Abu Dhabi to global capital. This landmark announcement was made on Thursday during a special event at the ADX's headquarters in Abu Chief Executive Officer of the ADX, Abdulla Salem Alnuaimi, said, 'ADX onboarding Thndr is a transformative step in creating tangible trading bridges across the region's capital market. As the first exchange in the GCC to welcome Thndr, we are demonstrating our commitment to financial inclusion and our leadership in unlocking new investment opportunities in Abu Dhabi's robust capital market. We are setting a benchmark for digital innovation and cross-border collaboration in financial services as we continue to be a key driver in Abu Dhabi's transition to a knowledge- and investment-led economy.'Remote Trading Members allow more individuals, international brokers, and institutions to buy and sell ADX-listed securities, in line with many international practices, without the need for physical presence in the UAE, thereby growing and diversifying the investor base, attracting foreign investment, improving liquidity, and driving more trading in Egypt in 2020, Thndr has transformed investing in the region by leveraging technology to provide a modern and seamless investment solution to help users grow their wealth through an array of products.'We're proud to celebrate this milestone with the CEO of ADX, driven by a shared belief that retail investors deserve access to a grade-A investment service, whether through a seamless app experience or powerful content that makes investing simple and clear. This partnership gives our users the chance to invest in one of the region's strongest-performing markets over the past 5, 10, and 15 years, while also opening doors to exposure within MENA through Tabadul as well as beyond MENA. As an Egyptian founder, this moment is personal, it's about building on the historic ties between Egypt and the UAE and creating new bridges for our communities to grow, invest, and win together,' said Ahmad Hammouda, Co-founder and CEO of Thndr.'This launch is a major milestone for Thndr and a testament to an incredible partnership. The entire Thndr team worked as a united front with ADX, FSRA, Hub71, ENBD, and E& to clear major hurdles and ultimately make it simple for local and foreign individuals to participate in the UAE's impressive growth story. This collaboration truly showcases why the UAE, with ADGM at the forefront, is a beacon of progress for the region,' said Seif Amr, Thndr's Co-founder and Board onboarding of Thndr supports ADX's key initiatives, such as the Tabadul platform, the first digital exchange center in the region that is based on the mutual market access model, and complements strategic partnerships with global exchanges by fostering innovation, enabling knowledge transfer, and advancing cross-border collaboration. With a market capitalization of Dh3.1 trillion, the ADX reflects Abu Dhabi's role as a dynamic global investment hub. The ADX has been the best-performing market in the GCC region, outperforming the MSCI Emerging Markets Index over the past decade and global indices over the past 20 years.
