[Last updated: 1 February 2026, unless otherwise noted]

Nasdaq Dubai is an international exchange located in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). Nasdaq Dubai is owned by the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) and Borse Dubai. Nasdaq Dubai was established in 2005 as Dubai International Financial Exchange and was rebranded as Nasdaq Dubai in 2008.

In July 2010, an Exchange consolidation occurred whereby Nasdaq Dubai started using the DFM platform in a push to create a single regional liquidity pool.

In 2011, the exchange transferred the listing authority from its own control to the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), which, in 2012, reduced the minimum market capitalization requirement for listed companies from US$50 million to US$10 million.

In 2020, the DFSA implemented changes to the listing rules to allow for less onerous criteria to be applied to the listing of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and Nasdaq Dubai established a Growth Market (distinct from its main market) on which SMEs could be listed (although to date no such SME listings have occurred). In the context of an application for listing of shares, an SME is defined as a company with a market capitalization of less than US$250 million and, as a consequence, the minimum market capitalization requirement for a listing on the main market was increased to US$250 million. There is no minimum market capitalization requirement for an SME, and the DFSA retains the discretion to reduce the minimum market capitalization requirement for an applicant to list on Nasdaq Dubai's main market on a case-by-case basis.

Nasdaq Dubai does not specialize in or encourage listings by particular types of companies. It does, however, position and market itself as the international stock exchange in the region, where companies not based in the DIFC or United Arab Emirates can seek a listing. Indeed, in 2014 there was an agreement with the Misr for Central Clearing, Depository and Registry to support the dual listings by Egyptian companies, in 2017 Nasdaq Dubai was recognized by the ESMA under EU regulations, in 2018 the DFM futures index launched and in January 2019 the Saudi Equity Futures index launched.

Nasdaq Dubai permits dual-listed and cross-listed companies but maintains the same listing standards for companies regardless of whether they are listed on another exchange (although the DFSA retains discretion to modify the listing standards to accommodate such listings where appropriate, provided holders of the relevant issuers shares would not be unduly prejudiced by those modifications). The listing standards of Nasdaq Dubai, as developed by the DFSA, are in line with international best practices.

Nasdaq Dubai’s regulator is the DFSA, which is the regulator of financial services conducted in or from the DIFC. The DFSA is an independent regulator with a regulatory mandate that covers asset management, banking and credit services, securities, derivatives, collective investment funds, custody and trust services, commodities futures trading, Islamic finance, insurance, an international equities exchange and an international commodities derivatives exchange. The DFSA is also responsible for the supervision of anti-money laundering, counter-terrorist financing and sanctions compliance of relevant entities operating in and from the DIFC.