- The UAE is closing in on some of the larger markets worldwide, such as China and India, in regards to total women investment
UAE women investors hit AED100bn milestone, real estate investment surging 50%
The UAE is seeing an unprecedented surge in women investments, with the real estate sector figuring on top of the preferred asset classes for the fairer sex, accounting for 40 percent of their total investments, an industry expert said.
Technology, accounting for 30 percent, and healthcare, with a 20 percent share, are the other top sectors in the pecking order for women investments in the country.
“As of 2023, women have invested about $16 billion (AED58.8 billion) in the UAE’s real estate sector as per Dubai Land Department’s data. We expect this trend to continue this year too, with market projections indicating that this metric is on track to exceed 50 percent by 2023 end, compared to 2022,” Rachit Pant, CEO, Hedge & Sachs, a leading Dubai-based investment firm, told Arabian Business.
“Even more encouraging is the fact that estimates show women currently owning 30 percent of property in Dubai,” he said.
Pant said in 2022, the market witnessed a 51 percent surge in women investments year-on-year, underlining a significant trend of escalating financial independence and autonomy of women in the UAE.
“The UAE is closing in on some of the larger markets worldwide, such as China and India, in regards to total women investment.”
He said while specific investment preferences may vary from region to region, the broader trend of women engaging actively in investments is evident on a global scale.
In India, for example, 65 percent of women investors prefer real estate investments over other assets like gold or stocks, while in China, women are a driving force in the consumer market, with a particular interest in luxury fashion, fitness, and various lifestyle sectors.
Number of women investors in UAE jumps 51% in 2022
According to recent market data, as of July 2023, the cumulative volume of women’s investment in the UAE reached the milestone of AED100 billion ($27 billion).
2022 saw a big jump of 51 percent in the number of women investors, compared to the previous year.
“2023 will see even a bigger jump [in the number of women investors] than last year’s number,” Pant said.
He said factors such as women becoming increasingly financially literate, progressive government policies and initiatives, financial programmes run by various investment firms helping women investors to diversify investment landscapes and the rise of female entrepreneurs and business owners in the UAE driving women to invest in their businesses and explore investment avenues further identified as the reasons for the rise of women’s investments in the UAE and the broader Middle East.
The gap between women and men investors narrowing faster
Pant said though women have made significant strides in the investment landscape, men still dominate in terms of overall investment volume.
“However, it’s crucial to note that the gender investment gap is gradually closing,” he said.
“As more women actively participate in financial markets, engage in financial education programmes, and explore diversified investment options, we anticipate a continued shift towards a more balanced investment landscape [in the UAE], Pant said.
