Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) has reopened Nasdaq Dubai effective Wednesday, March 4, 2026, following a temporary suspension of trading amid heightened regional tensions.
The exchange, which operates within the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), will resume normal operations as the DFSA continues to monitor developments and coordinate with local authorities and relevant advisories.
Nasdaq Dubai serves as the region’s international financial exchange, providing a platform for regional and global investors to trade equities, derivatives, sukuk (Islamic bonds), conventional bonds and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs).
The exchange currently lists shares, derivatives, sukuk, conventional bonds and REITs. Its majority shareholder is Dubai Financial Market (DFM), which holds a two-thirds stake, while Borse Dubai owns the remaining one-third.
The reopening follows a broader temporary shutdown of the UAE’s financial markets. The UAE Capital Market Authority (CMA), in line with its supervisory and regulatory mandate, had ordered the closure of the country’s key exchanges. Both the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) and the Dubai Financial Market remained closed on Monday, March 2, and Tuesday, March 3, 2026.
The temporary suspension of trading was prompted by the ongoing military conflict in the region. The closure halted trading in billions of dollars’ worth of listed assets as investors assessed the potential economic impact of reported strikes targeting airports, ports and residential areas across the UAE and the wider Gulf region.
The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) noted that it remains in close contact with local and relevant authorities, continuing to closely monitor developments and assess market conditions as trading activities gradually return to normal operations.
