UAE investment platform Baraka has opened access to stocks listed on the Dubai Financial Market and Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, giving eligible customers another route into the UAE's domestic equity market alongside its existing international investment offering.
The Dubai International Financial Centre-based platform announced the expansion on September 10, 2026. Customers can fund UAE investments in dirhams and access local securities through the same account used for international assets. Baraka said the addition takes its offering to nearly 10,000 local and global assets, although its current website advertises access to more than 20,000 assets across its broader product range.
Local Stocks Move Into the Same App
The mechanics of the launch are important. Investors are purchasing shares rather than contracts for difference, with UAE securities registered in the customer's name and held through Emirates NBD as custodian. Arqaam Capital facilitates access to DFM and ADX through a direct market access arrangement.
baraka has also integrated the issuance of the Investor Number required for UAE-market investing into its onboarding process, removing a separate application from the customer journey.
The platform said the number of customers investing in UAE stocks had increased more than 25-fold by August compared with its initial pre-launch pilot. More than 70% of baraka investors are under 35, giving the launch particular relevance to the UAE exchanges' efforts to expand retail participation.
Emaar and ADNOC Names Draw Early Interest
Among the UAE companies attracting the most customer interest are Emaar Properties, ADNOC Gas, ADNOC Distribution, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank and Salik, according to baraka.
The expansion arrives during a strong period for domestic market activity. DFM recorded AED119.5 billion in trading value during H1 2026, up 40.4% year on year, and added 42,864 investors. International investors accounted for 71.4% of those new registrations.
ADX was considerably larger by market capitalization at AED2.8 trillion as of June 30, with H1 trading value reaching AED171 billion. More than 30,000 investors joined during the period, 77% of them foreign.
ETFs Are Part of the Access Story
For GCC investors, the expansion also brings UAE-listed ETFs closer to the same digital distribution channels already used for overseas securities. ADX has developed a growing range of locally listed ETFs covering UAE equities, GCC markets, sukuk and Sharia-compliant strategies.
Baraka itself already offers U.S.-listed ETFs and Sharia-screening tools, while its July approval for an Islamic Window allows the DFSA-regulated firm to provide conventional and Sharia-compliant investment choices.
The broader significance is distribution. UAE exchanges have spent several years adding listed products and attracting new issuers. Putting domestic securities inside the apps already used by younger GCC investors reduces another layer of friction between those products and the investors they are designed to reach.
