Dubai is not slowing down when it comes to pulling in global cash, and the numbers just proved it again. The city has topped the world rankings for greenfield foreign direct investment for the fifth year straight, according to fresh data from the Financial Times' fDi Markets database.
In 2025, Dubai recorded 1,253 announced greenfield FDI projects, a 10.5% jump from 2024 and the strongest showing the city has posted since 2015. That haul also gave Dubai a record 7% share of all greenfield FDI projects worldwide, the highest slice it has ever held.
The Numbers Behind the Win
The projects brought in $8.83 billion (AED 32.43 billion) in greenfield FDI capital last year. That investment also created 38,918 jobs, up 18.8% from the 32,754 jobs tied to 2024's activity.
Dubai wasn't only winning on volume either. The city ranked first globally in several major sectors, including food and beverages, electronic components, healthcare, business machines, cleantech, metals, and e-commerce. It also held onto the number one spot worldwide for headquarters greenfield FDI projects, marking four years straight in that category.
For the first time ever, Dubai took the top global position in manufacturing FDI too, a sign the emirate's push to diversify past oil, tourism, and real estate is paying off in a real way.
Why Companies Keep Choosing Dubai
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, pointed to Dubai's clear vision and competitive business setup as the reason companies keep showing up. He also flagged strong rankings in manufacturing and artificial intelligence as part of the story.
His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, credited the win to the leadership of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and said international investors keep placing their confidence in the emirate even during a rough year for global markets.
What This Means for Dubai's Bigger Picture
This result feeds directly into the Dubai Economic Agenda, known as D33, which aims to double the size of Dubai's economy by 2033. Dubai's annual GDP hit AED 937 billion in 2025, up 5.4% for the year, with growth speeding up to 6.4% in the fourth quarter alone.
The city also secured the top spot globally for Transportation and Warehousing projects, keeping its name attached to global logistics and trade in a serious way.
What Is Greenfield FDI?
Greenfield FDI happens when a foreign company sets up brand new operations in a country, like offices, factories, or research centers, instead of buying an existing local business. It's one of the clearest signals of how much international companies trust a market's long term potential, since they're planting something from scratch rather than taking a shortcut through an acquisition.
The Bottom Line
Five years at the top isn't a fluke. With record capital, record job creation, and wins spread across manufacturing, tech, logistics, and healthcare, Dubai's FDI ranking shows a city that keeps expanding its reach instead of leaning on one industry. With D33 targets still ahead and 2026 already in motion, this is a streak worth watching closely.
