CFI Financial Group has launched trading access to more than 40 Dubai Financial Market (DFM)-listed companies, marking another step in the rapid expansion of retail investing infrastructure across the UAE.
The integration allows CFI clients to trade UAE-listed equities directly through the platform, including companies across banking, real estate, telecom, logistics, utilities, and infrastructure sectors. The launch was facilitated through BHM Capital’s Direct Market Access (DMA) infrastructure, providing regulated connectivity to DFM-listed securities.
The move reflects a broader transformation underway across UAE capital markets.
Over the past several years, the UAE has seen a sharp rise in retail participation, ETF launches, digital trading platforms, and foreign investor inflows as Abu Dhabi and Dubai position themselves as regional financial hubs competing for global capital.
For investors, accessibility increasingly matters as much as the underlying market itself.
Digital brokerage platforms such as CFI are helping lower friction around local equity investing by simplifying onboarding, execution, and market access for retail and regional investors. That trend mirrors developments seen globally where mobile-first and technology-driven trading platforms have materially expanded retail participation across equities, ETFs, and derivatives markets.
The launch also comes as DFM continues broadening its investor base through:
- new IPOs,
- derivatives market expansion,
- ETF listings,
- and partnerships with international trading and financial infrastructure providers.
According to CFI CEO Ziad Melhem, the launch represents a “signature moment” for UAE investors, reflecting growing demand for direct participation in the country’s economic growth story.
For DFM, expanding distribution through regulated brokerage platforms also supports broader goals around liquidity, accessibility, and market depth as competition among Gulf exchanges intensifies.
The development ultimately highlights how UAE capital markets are increasingly evolving toward a more digitally connected, retail-accessible, and globally integrated ecosystem.
