UAE investment: Global capital is moving towards the GCC — here’s why

Dubai: Global capital is increasingly flowing towards the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as investors seek regulatory certainty, talent, opportunities, and execution capabilities, according to senior banking and business leaders discussing the evolving investment landscape at AIM Congress 2026 in Dubai. Salman Mahdi, Global VC at Deutsche Bank Private Bank, emphasized during a panel that the GCC serves as the "centre point of the world today," with capital flows intersecting there.

Mahdi highlighted the GCC's unique position as a hub between Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia's high-growth markets. The panel identified three major capital pools shaping global investment: intergenerational wealth, family offices, and sovereign capital. Intergenerational wealth transfers are projected to reach $85 trillion over the next two to three decades, with a significant portion occurring in the Middle East and GCC.

Family offices, comprising $7 trillion globally, are predominantly located in the Middle East and Asia. Sovereign capital totals over $15 trillion worldwide. Investors are drawn to the UAE for its regulatory certainty, talent, and execution capabilities, as emphasized by Mahdi and other panelists. The UAE's appeal is rooted in its stability, openness, and ability to bring together people, businesses, and capital from across the globe.

The panelists stressed the importance of investing in people and communities, beyond financial returns, as the region navigates geopolitical tensions, shifting supply chains, and technological disruption.