UNCTAD: UAE outward FDI hits $63.353bn in 2025, stock at $402.729bn
Version 2: A third outlet, Aletihad, published the same UNCTAD figures and portfolio breakdown, adding one more business outlet to a story whose facts and numbers are unchanged.
In short
UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) data show outward foreign direct investment flows from the UAE reached $63.353 billion in 2025, with outward FDI stock at $402.729 billion at the end of the year, compared with $55.560 billion in 2010. Global FDI flows totalled $1.6 trillion in 2025, according to UNCTAD's World Investment Report 2026. The reports describe UAE investment spanning six continents, with North America accounting for 44% of Mubadala Investment Company's portfolio and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority holding a similarly diversified allocation.
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Outward foreign direct investment flows from the UAE reached $63.353 billion in 2025, and the country's outward FDI stock stood at $402.729 billion at the end of the year, according to UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) data cited by WAM, Emirates 24|7 and Aletihad. The stock figure compares with $55.560 billion in 2010. Global FDI flows reached $1.6 trillion in 2025, per UNCTAD's World Investment Report 2026. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The reports say UAE investments span advanced and emerging economies across six continents and cover energy, infrastructure, ports and logistics, technology, artificial intelligence, industry, real estate, financial services and healthcare. In North America, they say, investments cover technology, energy and industry, and the region accounts for 44% of Mubadala Investment Company's portfolio, with more than 80 direct investments and $170 billion in assets under management. Europe accounts for 15% of Mubadala's portfolio and Asia-Pacific for 13%, while Latin America and the Caribbean represent 1%, per the same accounts. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority's long-term strategic portfolio allocation is described as ranging from 45% to 60% for North America, 15% to 30% for Europe, 10% to 20% for emerging markets and 5% to 10% for developed Asia. In Africa, the reports say, UAE investments span logistics, ports, energy and infrastructure, while investments in Australia and the Pacific include logistics and energy. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Ports and logistics are given as an example of the international expansion of UAE companies, with DP World described as operating in more than 80 countries. All three documents end at that point in the text, so the rest of the section is not available. The accounts carry identical figures: WAM attributes the data to UNCTAD, Emirates 24|7 does the same, and Aletihad credits WAM. None of the three offers independent comment on the figures or on returns from the investments. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The figures place UAE state-linked investors among the larger sources of cross-border capital, and the reported spread across energy, ports, technology and infrastructure indicates where that capital is deployed. For readers outside the UAE, the data are a measure of how much global investment flows are shaped by Gulf sovereign and state-linked funds. All three accounts rest on the same UNCTAD release and give no assessment of returns or risks.
Key facts
- UNCTAD data put UAE outward FDI flows at $63.353 billion in 2025. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- UAE outward FDI stock stood at $402.729 billion at the end of 2025, compared with $55.560 billion in 2010. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Global FDI flows reached $1.6 trillion in 2025, per UNCTAD's World Investment Report 2026. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- North America accounts for 44% of Mubadala Investment Company's portfolio, with more than 80 direct investments and $170 billion in assets under management. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Europe accounts for 15% of Mubadala's portfolio and Asia-Pacific 13%, while Latin America and the Caribbean represent 1%. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority's long-term strategic allocation ranges from 45% to 60% for North America, 15% to 30% for Europe, 10% to 20% for emerging markets and 5% to 10% for developed Asia. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- UAE investments in Africa and in Australia and the Pacific span logistics, ports, energy and infrastructure. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- DP World is described as operating in more than 80 countries. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- UAE outward FDI flows reached $63.353 billion in 2025 and outward FDI stock stood at $402.729 billion at the end of the year, per UNCTAD data. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Global FDI flows reached $1.6 trillion in 2025, according to UNCTAD's World Investment Report 2026. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- North America represents 44% of Mubadala Investment Company's portfolio, with more than 80 direct investments and $170 billion in assets under management. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority's strategic allocation ranges from 45% to 60% for North America, 15% to 30% for Europe, 10% to 20% for emerging markets and 5% to 10% for developed Asia. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Details of UAE ports and logistics operations abroad beyond the statement that DP World operates in more than 80 countries. All three documents are truncated at the same point in the text, so the remainder of that section is not available.
- How the UAE's 2025 outward FDI figures compare with other countries' or where the UAE ranks among global investors. None of the documents provides comparative rankings or peer-country figures.
- Returns, performance or risk profile of the reported UAE investments abroad. The documents give figures and allocations only; no outlet offers independent comment or assessment.