The UAE has ranked first among global real estate investment destinations in a new survey commissioned by Arada Group, with 56% of international investors expressing serious interest in the local market. That figure puts the UAE ahead of the United States at 54%, the United Kingdom at 41%, France at 28%, and Spain at 27%.
The Arada UAE Real Estate Investment Index was compiled by US-based research firm Penta Group, which surveyed 689 property investors across 12 major markets between 1 and 23 April 2026. According to the group, it is the first study of its kind to measure international buyer sentiment specifically toward the UAE market.
Familiarity with UAE real estate opportunities came in at 51%, on par with the UK at 51% and close to the US at 53%, suggesting the country has established parity with longer-standing investment markets in global investor awareness.
The UAE’s appeal is strongest among investors in nearby markets. Some 92% of Egyptian investors, 91% of Indian investors, and 85% of Saudi investors ranked the UAE among their top three preferred destinations. Among European investors, the UAE placed first as an out-of-country investment destination for French respondents at 63%, Germans at 60%, and Swiss at 57%.
Globally, the prospect of high returns ranked as the leading investment motivation at 38%, with Australian investors citing it at 57%, Spanish at 56%, and British at 41%. Safety and stability proved decisive for Chinese investors at 65% and German investors at 58%, with respondents pointing to regulatory clarity, political stability, and legislative transparency. Ease of purchase was cited by 34% of all participants overall, rising to 57% among Saudi investors and 41% among Egyptian investors.
Ahmed Al Khoshaibi, chief executive of Arada Group, said the findings confirm what the company has observed in its own sales performance. “International investors recognise the structural advantages the UAE offers: regulatory maturity, a consistent track record, and solid economic fundamentals, even against the backdrop of recent challenges,” he said. “The UAE’s ability to adapt quickly has always been the cornerstone of its rise as a global investment destination. Whether during the pandemic or financial crises, it has repeatedly proven that it adapts faster than any other market in the world.”
The survey’s publication coincides with a series of large infrastructure announcements in the UAE, including Dubai’s AED 34 billion Golden Metro Line, the world’s first commercial air taxi network, and a AED 6 billion Fourth Federal Axis project aimed at improving inter-emirate connectivity and reducing congestion.
Arada, which has a development portfolio valued at more than AED 130 billion globally, is using the findings to support its expansion strategy into markets including the UK and Australia.
