Abu Dhabi Real Estate Transactions Surge 112% to AED 117 Billion in H1 2026

Abu Dhabi | EcoPulse24

Abu Dhabi's real estate market recorded one of its strongest performances on record during the first six months of 2026, with total property transactions reaching AED 117 billion, supported by surging sales activity, record foreign direct investment (FDI), and expanding international investor participation.

According to data released Friday by the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC), total real estate transactions increased 112% compared with the first half of 2025, while the number of transactions rose 61.7%, underscoring continued momentum across the emirate's property sector.

Property Sales Lead Market Expansion

Property sales remained the primary growth driver during the period.

The total value of sales transactions climbed 163.7% year-on-year to AED 86.1 billion, completed through 16,838 transactions, reflecting sustained demand from both domestic and international buyers.

Mortgage activity also expanded, with mortgage transactions rising 33.5% to AED 26.7 billion across 8,876 transactions.

Meanwhile:

• Musataha and long-term lease transactions totaled nearly AED 4 billion.

• Gift transactions reached AED 311.5 million.

Foreign Investment Reaches Record Levels

One of the strongest indicators came from foreign direct investment in Abu Dhabi's property market.

FDI reached AED 13.8 billion during the first half of 2026, representing a remarkable 309% increase compared with the same period last year.

ADREC said the figure exceeded the total foreign investment recorded during the whole of 2025, making it the highest first-half FDI level ever registered in Abu Dhabi's real estate market.

The number of non-resident foreign investor nationalities also expanded significantly, rising to 116 nationalities, compared with 82 a year earlier.

The United Kingdom, China, Russia, the United States, Germany and France ranked among the leading sources of foreign investment.

Investment Zones Continue to Attract Capital

Investment zones open to buyers of all nationalities generated AED 75 billion in investments during the first half of the year.

That represents an increase of 181% compared with AED 26.7 billion during the corresponding period of 2025.

The figures reflect growing international confidence in Abu Dhabi's freehold investment market.

Development Pipeline Expands

Supporting future market growth, ADREC approved eight new investment zones, increasing the total number across the emirate to 50.

The Centre also registered 28 new real estate projects during the first half of 2026, representing a 16% annual increase, highlighting continued expansion in Abu Dhabi's development pipeline.

The real estate profession also continued to expand.

During the period:

• 2,040 new real estate professional licenses were issued, up 34% year-on-year.

• The number of licensed real estate brokers reached 3,302.

Digital Transparency Initiatives Continue

ADREC said it continues expanding digital services to improve market transparency.

Since its launch, the "Madhmoun" platform has issued more than 41,200 permits for real estate advertisements, supporting greater accuracy, transparency and investor confidence across Abu Dhabi's property market.

EcoPulse24 Analysis

The first-half results suggest Abu Dhabi's property market is moving beyond a traditional cyclical recovery into a broader structural expansion driven by institutional capital, international investors and continued government-led market reforms.

The most significant figure is arguably not the AED 117 billion in transactions, but the 309% surge in foreign direct investment, which indicates that overseas investors are increasingly viewing Abu Dhabi as a long-term investment destination rather than a purely regional market.

The expansion of investment zones, the growing number of development projects and the continued digitalization of the regulatory framework further strengthen the emirate's investment proposition. Together, these factors create a deeper and more diversified property market capable of attracting both private and institutional capital.

If current momentum continues into the second half of 2026, Abu Dhabi appears well positioned to deliver another record year for real estate investment, reinforcing its status as one of the Middle East's fastest-growing property markets.