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Abu Dhabi National Oil Company announced that its six publicly traded subsidiaries will distribute AED 158 billion in dividends through to 2030, nearly doubling the AED 86 billion cumulative payout since the first listing in 2017.

The announcement came during ADNOC’s inaugural Investor Majlis in Abu Dhabi, where the group underscored its commitment to shareholder returns and transparent governance. The dividend programme is subject to customary approvals and will provide long-term visibility to investors across its diversified portfolio of listed entities.

ADNOC’s six listed companies currently account for more than AED 550 billion in market capitalisation on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange and represent nearly 40 percent of the annual dividends distributed on the market. Under the new plan, three additional entities—ADNOC Distribution, ADNOC Gas, and ADNOC Logistics & Services—will join ADNOC Drilling in issuing quarterly dividends.

Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, ADNOC’s Managing Director and CEO, also serving as UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, described the dividend target as a “landmark step” adding clarity to the group’s capital return path. He stated the move would “enhance value” for citizens, residents, and partners, and reaffirmed ADNOC’s focus on cost discipline, efficiency and growth.

Each listed unit announced specific dividend floors and policy reforms. ADNOC Drilling set a cumulative floor of AED 25 billion by 2030, representing a 26 percent minimum return over the period. ADNOC Gas pledged a target of AED 90 billion, with dividends moving to a quarterly basis from 2025 onward. ADNOC Logistics & Services raised its guidance to AED 8.1 billion for 2025–2030 and intends to adopt quarterly distributions from the third quarter of 2025.

Other units will also tighten their dividend structures. ADNOC Distribution expanded its dividend policy through 2030 and targets cumulative returns exceeding 30 percent over the 2025–2030 period. Borouge affirmed a dividend floor for 2025 and envisaged a payout ratio of 90 percent of net profit in future years. Fertiglobe flagged interim dividend payments and share buybacks for 2025 to support yield.

Beyond dividends, ADNOC disclosed key developments across its upstream, LNG and petrochemical segments. ADNOC Gas has secured a long-term feedstock agreement worth AED 147 billion with its Ruwais LNG facility. Over 80 percent of project capacity is under contract. The group also reported that the merger of its petrochemical assets with OMV—that is, combining Borouge and Borealis into Borouge Group International —remains on course for completion in Q1 2026. Financing for the transaction, valued at AED 56.6 billion, is in place and synergies of at least AED 1.8 billion annually have been identified.

Earlier this year, ADNOC transferred its stakes in several listed subsidiaries—namely Distribution, Drilling, Gas and Logistics & Services—to its wholly owned investment arm, XRG, via off-market moves. The transfers, completed or pending regulatory clearance, were explicitly stated not to affect operations, leadership or dividend policies. Control remains with ADNOC via its 100 percent ownership of XRG.

Analysts view the dividend pledge as a strategic signal in a more competitive capital-raising environment. It strengthens the case for long-term investor confidence, especially amid global volatility in energy markets and shifting sector dynamics. Some warn, however, that such large commitments require careful balance with capital expenditure demands, especially for exploration, decarbonisation and upstream expansion to meet rising regional energy and gas demand.

Goldman Sachs has launched a new office in Kuwait, asserting a significant push to enhance its reach across the Middle East and deepen its ties with Gulf-region clients under fresh leadership.

The New York-based investment bank said its role over five decades in Kuwait spans investment banking, capital markets and asset management. As part of its latest expansion, Goldman has tapped Mohammad Almatrouk as managing director of the Kuwait office, pending regulatory green light, while Fahad Alebrahim has been appointed managing director of the firm’s private wealth business in Kuwait.

David Solomon, Goldman Sachs’s Chairman and Chief Executive, framed the move as a commitment to “grow our capabilities across the Middle East and better serve our clients,” emphasising Kuwait’s economic vision as a catalyst for the firm’s expansion.

Goldman Sachs points to a long-standing capacity-building partnership in Kuwait that includes a professional training scheme designed to nurture talent at institutions such as the Kuwait Investment Authority, the Public Institution for Social Security and the Kuwait Fund. That programme, the bank says, will continue to play a central role in integrating local human capital into its global operations.

The choice of Kuwait underscores a growing focus on the Gulf’s institutional capital. Kuwait, host to one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds, has attracted global financial firms looking to align with its diversification and investment ambitions. Goldman Sachs’s decision follows earlier regional expansions, such as establishing a presence in Abu Dhabi and securing a banking licence in Saudi Arabia.

Kuwait’s Director General of the Direct Investment Promotion Authority, Sheikh Dr. Meshaal Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, praised the move as aligned with Kuwait’s economic diversification and global integration goals. He stressed that opening the office supports national priorities including talent development and sustainable growth.

Regional analysts view Goldman’s Kuwait office as part of a broader recalibration by global banks to embed themselves closer to Gulf capital sources. Over the past two years, deal activity in sovereign and quasi-sovereign asset structures has exploded, prompting major firms including Lazard, JPMorgan and Deutsche Bank to expand in the Gulf with new leadership hires.

Inside Goldman Sachs, the timeline coincides with a leadership transition: the firm’s co-head for the Middle East and North Africa, Fadi Abuali, is slated to retire after nearly 28 years of service. His departure is expected to reshape the firm’s regional hierarchy just as Kuwait becomes a new hub.

Some observers caution the move carries execution challenges. Regulatory approvals in Kuwait must be secured, and Goldman must integrate the new office into its broader Gulf operations without duplicating functions. Success will depend on maintaining local relationships while delivering global platform advantages.

Telecom operator du and technology vendor Nokia have completed a trial of an artificial intelligence–driven automation system aimed at simplifying and expediting the expansion and management of optical networks in the UAE.

The deployment tested Nokia’s WaveSuite AI, which combines traditional AI methods with generative models to assist du engineers with tasks such as planning, troubleshooting and documentation retrieval. The trial reportedly halved the time needed for optical network planning and produced designs 30 percent more efficient, while reducing errors during deployment.

During the trial, du’s engineering team used a single natural language interface to query live network status, access accurate documentation instantly, and simulate potential network evolutions. The system flagged possible inconsistencies or conflicting configurations early, allowing corrective adjustment before full-scale rollout. According to du, the result was faster troubleshooting, fewer manual errors and improved resource utilisation.

Saleem AlBlooshi, chief technology officer at du, said the trial “shows how innovation can transform network operations to face challenges brought on by increasingly sophisticated networks and ever-higher traffic volumes.” He emphasised that the automation of routine tasks and provision of intelligent tools would lead to more reliable, SLA-backed connectivity for customers.

From Nokia’s standpoint, Ron Johnson, senior vice president and general manager of Optical Networks, called WaveSuite AI “a demonstration of the real value of automation solutions with both classical and generative AI for optical networking.” He noted that the system reduces friction in planning, documentation search, and operational processes, and helps service providers accelerate provisioning of higher-speed, more reliable services.

The trial builds on du’s broader effort to embed AI and automation more deeply across its systems. Earlier this year, du partnered with Microsoft, Nokia, Khalifa University’s 6G Research Center and the ITU to launch an “Arabic Telecom LLM,” a large language model tailored for internal telecom operations. That model is designed to handle internal workflows, resolve device issues, process complaints and provide operational insights in Arabic and English. The initiative is part of du’s strategy to blend regional research leadership and global AI tools while retaining language and cultural fidelity in its operations.

This AI-driven automation trial comes amid growing pressures on telecom operators worldwide to scale quickly to meet surging demand for bandwidth, driven by AI workloads, data centers and new real-time applications. As networks grow in complexity, manual processes no longer scale efficiently, pushing operators into an era of closed-loop or autonomous operations. Nokia, in its public literature, frames network automation as essential to reducing manual intervention, improving performance and enabling faster service delivery across domains such as core, mobile, IP and optical networks.

In the UAE context, this trial signals du’s ambition to advance its optical infrastructure ahead of demand peaks, while benchmarking its operations for future 6G readiness. The success of automation in planning and deployment could reduce operational costs, increase agility, and support more complex services such as network slicing, ultra-low latency applications and differentiated service tiers.

The Labour Fund, Tamkeen, has confirmed it will organise the Kingdom of Bahrain’s pavilion at GITEX Global 2025 in Dubai, featuring 14 Bahraini technology start-ups and small and medium enterprises alongside the Economic Development Board and ARRAY Innovations.

The event, scheduled from 13 to 17 October 2025, promises to provide the participating firms with access to global investors, partners and industry networks. The pavilion’s aim is explicit: to boost the international visibility of Bahrain’s ICT ecosystem and facilitate business growth.

Tamkeen’s announcement places it firmly in a leadership role for the pavilion’s curation and operations. The decision aligns with its 2025 strategic priorities, which emphasise supporting enterprise growth, promoting digitalisation, strengthening private-sector competitiveness and fostering sustainability.

Officials from Tamkeen and the Economic Development Board have highlighted that the selection of the 14 entities spans multiple subsectors within ICT, including software, data analytics, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies. They say the mix is intended to reflect both Bahrain’s current strengths and its ambitions for diversification.

In past editions of GITEX, Bahrain’s pavilion drew attention from regional and international delegations. During GITEX Global 2024, the pavilion was credited with facilitating multiple memoranda and partnership discussions. Tamkeen’s continued involvement signals its belief that sustained pavilion presence is critical to maintaining momentum in Bahrain’s tech diplomacy.

Some observers note that Bahrain’s tech infrastructure and regulatory environment are increasingly seen as competitive in the Gulf region. Over the past few years, the kingdom has liberalised foreign ownership rules in certain sectors and introduced incentives for startups and innovation funds. This pavilion engagement is viewed by analysts as part of a broader soft-power strategy to position Bahrain as a hub for digital investment.

However, challenges remain. For many Bahraini startups, scaling beyond domestic markets continues to be difficult. Access to international capital, navigating cross-jurisdictional regulation, and building brand recognition are persistent hurdles. Critics caution that pavilion exposure does not always translate into long-term market entry, and that stronger post-exhibition support is needed to ensure sustained growth.

Tamkeen has stated that it plans to accompany pavilion exposure with mentorship, investor matchmaking and export facilitation services for participating firms. The hope is that a combination of showcase visibility and structural support will help convert leads into lasting collaborations.

Already, the pavilion has generated interest among regional stakeholders. Several Gulf regional delegations and venture capital firms have expressed intent to engage with Bahrain’s teams during the event. The EDB is reportedly coordinating bilateral sessions between Bahrain’s entrants and visiting foreign trade missions.

For the 2025 edition, organisers have introduced a more structured schedule for pitch sessions, one-on-one meetings and thematic forums. This signals learning from past editions, where informal networking sometimes overshadowed targeted client engagement. Tamkeen officials have emphasised tighter alignment of startup offerings with investor interest sectors like fintech, AI and cloud services.

Within Bahrain’s domestic ecosystem, private sector associations and incubators have welcomed the announcement. Some have pushed for better curation, arguing that selecting firms with proven traction or clear roadmaps increases the chance that pavilion participation yields concrete contracts or investment.

Organisers have confirmed that Future Blockchain Summit x Fintech Surge will take place at Dubai Harbour from 12 to 15 October 2025, positioning the event as a central nexus for blockchain, digital assets, and fintech innovation across the MENA region. The four-day gathering, held alongside Expand North Star and powered by GITEX GLOBAL, aims to attract regulators, investors, entrepreneurs and technologists to shape emerging frameworks for finance.

Attendance is expected to exceed 70,000, with over 1,200 investors and more than 225 speakers scheduled to participate, alongside 150 exhibitors showcasing new products and solutions. A feature highlight is the Digital Assets Forum, which brings regulators, banks, and innovators together for intensive discussions on topics such as CBDCs, stablecoins, tokenised capital markets, cross-border regulation and the role of AI in compliance.

Speakers confirmed include Jimmy Su, Lily Liu, Eric Piscini, Oliver Stauber, Helen Liu and Kevin Lee. The event also features the Supernova Challenge, a startup pitch competition offering equity-free prizes totalling US$214,000 to finalists presenting to global judges and investors. Corporations such as Ruya, OKX and DKK Partners anchor the sponsorship tiers, while YPAY backs the Digital Assets Forum.

Dubai has been steadily reinforcing its position in the digital asset ecosystem. Earlier this year, the DAMAC Group signed a $1 billion contract with blockchain platform MANTRA to tokenise its real-world assets, a move aligned with the UAE’s aspirations to become a global digital assets hub. The country has been actively implementing regulatory frameworks, particularly in free zones like ADGM and DMCC, to attract blockchain firms and promote tokenisation of assets.

Investment momentum in the broader crypto and fintech sphere in the UAE has been robust. In the first quarter of 2025, global venture capital funding into cryptotech startups reached $5.4 billion, its highest quarterly total since 2022. Dubai has hosted major conferences such as TOKEN2049, drawing tens of thousands of participants and signalling regional leadership, though industry sentiment currently balances optimism with caution amid regulatory uncertainty and macro-economic pressures.

Technology trends driving this year’s agenda include the convergence of AI and blockchain, regulatory clarity for digital assets, tokenised infrastructure, and embedded finance. A newly published academic framework proposes integrating blockchain with Zero Trust security models to improve protection against insider threats in fintech ecosystems — a demonstration of how research is intersecting with commercial deployment.

Organisers emphasise that the event’s format is more than a conference: it is designed to enable deal-making, pilot launches and real partnerships. One-to-one investor matchmaking, live product demonstrations, and structured labs are scheduled to convert ideas into actionable projects. Startups exhibiting at Expand North Star receive automatic inclusion in the Supernova Challenge, deepening integration between the startup and blockchain-fintech community.

Regulators from the MENA region and beyond are expected to engage at the forum. Discussions will centre on harmonising cross-border rules, interoperability of digital asset legislation, and pathways for institutional adoption of tokenised assets. Several central banks may share updates on central bank digital currency explorations.

iFLYTEK is stepping up its engagement in the Middle East, unveiling two flagship AI products at GITEX 2025 in Dubai as part of a broader strategy to localise its offerings and anchor its presence in the region.

The company’s showcase spans three core portfolios—AI Translation, AI Infrastructure and AI Solutions—tailored for Gulf markets, with particular emphasis on Arabic dialect support and secure deployment. Among the new offerings is the AI Translation Earbuds, designed to enable seamless multilingual communication, and the e-ink AINote 2 work device, both making their global debut at the event. The debut underscores iFLYTEK’s intent to go beyond product marketing, emphasising solutions that address regional business needs.

Vincent Zhan, Vice President of iFLYTEK, asserted that the company is focused “to deliver intelligent solutions that address real business challenges” rather than merely present tech demonstrations. The firm has already placed a local team in Dubai to oversee deployment, maintenance, and customer support. It also customised algorithms to handle multiple Arabic dialects, expecting that linguistic responsiveness will differentiate it from global rivals.

iFLYTEK’s portfolio for the event includes the Spark WallEX system, designed for intelligent space management, along with Spark Smart Blackboard and Spark GuideX. The firm says these are engineered to support a range of sectors, including education, healthcare, enterprise operations and government. Its “All-in-One AI Solution” is positioned as a secure infrastructure package for organisations seeking turnkey AI adoption.

The Middle East expansion is part of a larger international push. Outside Asia, iFLYTEK is targeting Europe, as trade tensions and regulatory pressures create incentives to diversify markets. It is reportedly planning offices in France and Hungary, with growth ambitions in Spain and Italy. In March 2025, Zhan cited tariffs in the US as influencing iFLYTEK’s decision to look more aggressively into Europe and the Gulf.

China’s AI giant also faces headwinds. It was placed on a US trade blacklist in 2019, making procurement of certain high-end components dependent on US approvals. To mitigate vulnerability, iFLYTEK has shifted many of its models to Huawei’s chip platforms. It developed its Xinghuo X1 large language model in partnership with Huawei, reportedly running entirely on domestic chips. The firm claims to have pushed chip efficiency from 20 per cent to nearly 80 per cent of equivalent U. S. hardware, though Huawei leadership acknowledges that domestic chips still lag behind by a generation.

Market observers note that iFLYTEK’s shift toward the Gulf aligns with governments in the UAE and Saudi Arabia pushing AI-first national strategies. However, the company must navigate regulatory, data residency and market competition risks. In the Gulf, local AI and language processing firms are emerging, and global players like Amazon and Microsoft are pressing deeper into the region.

iFLYTEK’s presence at major global events is integral to its positioning. In July 2025, at MWC Shanghai, it launched the Spark All-in-One AI Machine and Dual-Screen Translator 2.0—capable of handling translation across dozens of languages—to reinforce its push into enterprise AI. The company has also rolled out smart products such as the AINOTE Air 2 across Asia and Gulf markets, with strong uptake in multilingual productivity segments.

London-based CoinShares, a leading European digital asset manager with about US$10 billion in assets under management, has struck a deal to acquire FCA-regulated Bastion Asset Management. The transaction, which must clear approval from the UK Financial Conduct Authority, is intended to bolster CoinShares’ actively managed crypto offerings and accelerate its push into the US institutional market.

Under the agreement, Bastion’s strategies, quantitative team and leadership, including CEO Philip Scott and CIO Fred Desobry, will be integrated into CoinShares. Bastion is known for deploying market-neutral and systematic investment strategies tailored for institutional clients. The acquisition allows CoinShares to complement its existing passive exposure products with alpha-oriented solutions.

CoinShares is already positioning for expansion across the Atlantic. It is in the process of going public in the United States via a definitive business combination with SPAC Vine Hill Capital Investment Corp, valuing the firm at roughly US$1.2 billion on a pro forma basis. CoinShares currently holds a dominant 34 percent share of the EMEA crypto ETP market and ranks as the fourth largest global digital asset ETP manager after BlackRock, Grayscale and Fidelity.

With Bastion’s integration, CoinShares aims to fuse its Investment Advisor registration in the US with new actively managed strategies targeting institutional investors. By combining quantitative alpha models with its distribution infrastructure, the firm seeks to differentiate itself from both traditional asset managers entering the crypto space and crypto-native infrastructure providers.

Jean-Marie Mognetti, CEO and Co-Founder of CoinShares, described the acquisition as closely aligned with the firm’s goal of offering comprehensive digital asset solutions to its global clientele. Bastion’s team brings extensive expertise: Fred Desobry has over 17 years’ experience in systematic investing and quantitative research; Philip Scott brings more than 25 years in financial services.

The acquisition takes shape against evolving regulatory backdrops. In Europe, CoinShares recently secured Markets in Crypto-Assets authorisation for its French subsidiary, making it the only continental European asset manager to hold all three major regional licenses. The US regulatory environment is also shifting: the Securities and Exchange Commission’s adoption of generic listing standards for commodity-based exchange traded products is shortening approval timelines from roughly 240 days to 75 days. This regulatory clarity is viewed as conducive to faster rollout of actively managed crypto funds.