ABU DHABI / RankWire.AI / – In 2025, the UAE registered outward foreign direct investment totaling $63.353 billion, as reported by UN Trade and Development. By the end of that year, the country’s total outward FDI stock had climbed to $402.729 billion, marking a significant increase from $55.560 billion in 2010 and reflecting a notable surge in the valuation of UAE-controlled investments abroad. These latest statistics underscore how international investment has become one of the most prominent avenues for capital deployment in the country’s global strategy, illustrating the extensive growth of the UAE’s overseas asset portfolio over the past 15 years.
Today, the UAE’s investment footprint spans six continents and encompasses a diverse array of sectors, including energy, infrastructure, ports, logistics, technology, artificial intelligence, manufacturing, real estate, financial services, and healthcare. The UAE’s investments extend to both advanced and emerging economies, with holdings and operational assets distributed across North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Pacific. This broad geographic presence involves sovereign funds, state-linked groups, and private enterprises, reaching some of the world’s largest investment markets and demonstrating the country’s extensive global reach.
The 2025 total coincides with a broader trend of recovery in global foreign direct investment, as UN Trade and Development reported a 6% increase worldwide to $1.6 trillion after two years of decline. Investment flows into developed nations grew by 11% to approximately $723 billion, while developing economies experienced a modest 2% rise to $901 billion. The top 20 host economies attracted over 80% of the world’s FDI, with the report highlighting that investment remains concentrated within a relatively small group of countries and sectors.
UAE’s global investments span key markets
Mubadala Investment Company boasts one of the largest international portfolios among UAE entities, with North America representing 44% of its global holdings, including more than 80 direct investments and managing over $170 billion within that region. Europe accounts for 15%, while Asia-Pacific makes up 13%, and Latin America and the Caribbean comprise 1%. Mubadala’s diverse sectors include technology, energy, healthcare, financial services, industrial enterprises, and infrastructure, emphasizing the vast geographical and sectoral scope of this prominent UAE sovereign investor.
Similarly, the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) maintains a broad international distribution, with strategic long-term allocations of 45% to 60% in North America and 15% to 30% in Europe. Emerging markets are allocated 10% to 20%, and developed Asian markets hold 5% to 10%. The Ministry of Foreign Trade attributes this extensive overseas footprint to the UAE’s strengthening international economic relationships and Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements, which foster trade and investment ties with partner nations.
Ports and logistics firms expand their global footprint
Ports and logistics companies serve as another indicator of the UAE’s overseas investment reach. In 2025, AD Ports Group managed 34 ports and terminals across its domestic and international network, with offices in over 50 countries and a commercial presence spanning 158 nations, either directly or through representatives. The company’s operations integrate port infrastructure with maritime transportation, logistics, and economic zones along major trade routes, and it has continued to expand its presence throughout Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
Since 2010, the UAE’s outward investment stock has increased more than sevenfold based on UN data, with 2025 investments covering both established markets and developing regions across various industries. As global FDI has rebounded after two years of decline, UNCTAD’s 2026 report monitors annual investment flows and accumulated foreign investments by country, highlighting the significant scale of UAE capital already deployed abroad and the extensive breadth of its international investment base.