Dubai Financial Market has announced that it has received recognition from the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority, FINMA, as a foreign trading venue, marking a new step in its efforts to expand international investor participation and strengthen its links with global financial markets.

This recognition allows Swiss participants regulated by FINMA to gain direct access to Dubai Financial Market’s trading platform. It also opens the way for the securities of companies incorporated in Switzerland to be traded on the market.

The move creates a regulated channel between Dubai and Switzerland, two prominent global financial centers. It gives Swiss financial institutions a clear path to connect with Dubai Financial Market, while also offering broader opportunities for Swiss-incorporated companies through the potential trading of their securities in Dubai.

FINMA’s recognition reflects the strength of Dubai Financial Market’s regulatory framework, as the market operates under the supervision of the UAE Securities and Commodities Authority. It also highlights the level of cooperation between regulators in the UAE and Switzerland, especially as both sides are signatories to the IOSCO Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding on consultation, cooperation and the exchange of information.

This development comes at a time when Dubai Financial Market has a broad investor base of more than 1.2 million investors from 212 nationalities, with foreign investors accounting for around 85% of registered investors. The new recognition is expected to further support this international base by making it easier for Swiss institutions to access the market through a direct and regulated framework.

Hamed Ali, CEO of Dubai Financial Market and Nasdaq Dubai, said FINMA’s recognition of Dubai Financial Market represents an important milestone in the market’s strategy to broaden international access and support Dubai’s vision for developing its financial markets. He noted that the step provides Swiss financial institutions with a direct and organized route to engage with the market’s ecosystem, while creating new opportunities linked to the securities of companies incorporated in Switzerland. He added that this supports Dubai’s position as an interconnected global financial center.

For his part, Waleed Saeed Al Awadhi, CEO of the UAE Securities and Commodities Authority, said the recognition reflects the close regulatory cooperation between the authority and FINMA, and confirms the strength of the UAE’s regulatory environment. He added that the step establishes a clear channel for cross-border participation while preserving market integrity and reinforcing the UAE’s position as a trusted global financial center.