Members of regulators and exchanges from the United Arab Emirates and Far East countries have formed a joint working group officially in Dubai to increase the level of capital market integration, creating new opportunities for cross-listing, Islamic finance, and sustainable investments in the Middle East and Asia regions.
The new collaboration comprises four market leaders—the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX), the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), and Nasdaq Dubai. Through the standardization of their operations, the project is set to provide an opportunity for the direct capital movement, giving the Gulf issuers an ability to use Asian pools of liquidity and the Far Eastern institutions a chance to invest in the Middle East.
Central to the alliance’s scope is the expansion of Sharia-compliant wealth solutions—specifically sukuk products—and joint initiatives in green finance and fintech innovation. The emirate has long cemented its status as a premier global hub for Islamic bond issuances, while Hong Kong continues to actively deepen its engagement with Gulf markets. The collaborative framework will also explore standardized listing rules to encourage potential dual listings and facilitate streamlined market entry for regional enterprises.
“Nasdaq Dubai’s position provides a strong platform to connect issuers and investors across the Middle East and Asia, particularly in sukuk and sustainable finance,” said Hamed Ali, Chief Executive of Nasdaq Dubai and Dubai Financial Market (DFM).
The agreement builds on HKEX’s recent operational footprint expansion in the emirate, where it set up a dedicated business unit to scale its regional commodities footprint. Bonnie Y Chan, Chief Executive Officer of HKEX, emphasized that the exchange operator’s growing presence underscores a long-term commitment to developing the trade and investment corridor linking both dynamic markets.
As sovereign wealth funds and corporate entities across the Arabian Gulf steadily expand their investment footprints into Asia, this bilateral alliance reinforces Dubai’s ambition to serve as the ultimate financial gateway for Asian capital targeting the wider Middle East and Africa.
