BXB Blog: SME Insights and Trends

Dubai Featured

Dubai Economy Grows 4% to $32.6bn in Q1 2025 as Health, Property and Finance Surge…

Dubai’s economy expanded to AED119.7bn ($32.6bn) in the first quarter of 2025, up 4% compared to the same period in 2024, underscoring the emirate’s economic resilience and sectoral diversity.

UAE Tax Featured

UAE Announces Tax Change on Sugar-Sweetened Beverages …

UAE MoF and FTA announced a change to excise tax on sugar-sweetened beverages – from the current flat rate, it will be revised to a higher tax per litre if the sugar content per 100 ml is higher.

Crypto Featured

UAE Sees $34 Billion Crypto Surge...

Middle East becomes digital asset hub; experts forecast market. The UAE saw crypto inflows of $34bn last year amid rising investment demand, says blockchain specialist Mining Grid.

Oil Prices Featured

UAE and Saudi Arabia Estimated to attract 9,800 Millionaires…

(highest net inflow globally) and 2,400 (fastest growth globally, up from 300 in 2024) respectively this year, according to the Henley Private Wealth Migration Report 2025.

Geopolitics Featured

Rising Geopolitical Risks add to the Trade Tariff Turmoil...

Increased geopolitical risks led regional Middle Eastern equity markets down.

Abu Dhabi Featured

OpenAI in talks for free ChatGPT Plus for all UAE Residents!

Negotiations are underway between the UAE and OpenAI that may make the company’s ChatGPT Plus artificial intelligence chatbot available to all residents free of charge, though a final deal has not been reached.

Disneyland Featured

New Disney Theme Park announced in Abu Dhabi...

Announcement of the Disney Theme Park Resort project on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, following a strategic partnership agreement between The Walt Disney Company and Miral.

Dubai Chocolate Featured

Viral Dubai Chocolate Drives UAE Market Growth Despite Record Cocoa Price Surge...

The popularity of the viral Dubai chocolate has led to purchase limits at high-end grocery chains abroad and queues at UAE retailers.

USA Featured

How Trump’s ‘Reciprocal’ Tariffs work and what they mean for Global Trade...

Trump argues that decades of “unfair” trade practices have hollowed out America.

Abu Dhabi Featured

Talabat Acquires InstaShop...

Talabat has completed the acquisition of 100% of InstaShop's share capital from Delivery Hero SE.

Abu Dhabi Featured

UAE Foreign Trade Hit Record $817bn in 2024...

The UAE’s foreign trade has reached a historic milestone, touching AED3tn ($817bn) for the first time by the end of 2024.

entrepreneurs Featured

Global Entrepreneurs Bet Big on Dubai…

Dubai took the top spot with the startup ecosystem valued at over $23 billion at the end of 2023.

Abu Dhabi Featured

OPEC+ Extended the Ongoing Oil Production Cuts into 2026…

The current voluntary cuts of 2.2mn bpd will continue till March 2025.

Presidential elections Featured

Equity Markets Cheered Trump’s Re-election as President...

The S&P500 crossing 6,000 points to a new record.

tax law Featured

UAE Introduces New Tax Law…

UAE announces eInvoicing to simplify tax procedures for businesses in the country.

Abu Dhabi Featured

Gold Prices Surge to All-Time High…

Gold prices surging to an all-time high of $2,708 last week, as expectations of further rate cuts by the US Federal Reserve and uncertainties over the impending US election, boosted demand for bullion.

Abu Dhabi Featured

Dubai Rises as Epicentre of PropTech Innovation…

PropTech startups in the MENA region secured $200 million in funding in the first half of 2024.

Real Estate Featured

Dubai Real Estate: Secondary Market Sales Topped $20.8bn in H1…

The Dubai real estate is thriving, with secondary sales of properties reaching AED76.34bn ($20.8bn) in the first half of the year.

US elections Featured

US Presidential Election 2024: Markets in Suspense as Latest Odds give Trump a 4% edge over Harris…

The US election betting odds posting a significant 4 percent jump in favour of Donald Trump at 51 percent, over 47 percent for Kamala Harris, in the week ended on Monday, September 2, over the previous week.

AML Featured

UAE Tightens Anti-Money Laundering Laws…

UAE tightens anti-money laundering laws, forms new committees to fight financial crime.

business Featured

Major Global Tech Outage Leads to Disruptions Across Multiple Sectors from Airlines to Banks…

Major equities markets ended in the red last week, following a global tech outage that led to disruptions across multiple sectors from airlines to banks, raising questions about cybersecurity and interconnected / integrated ecosystems.

Featured

Dubai Announces World’s Largest Fruit and Vegetable Market…

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced the development of the Logistics Hub for Foodstuff, Fruit and Vegetable Trade, the largest such facility in the world.

DIFC

13 Reasons to Set Up a Business in the UAE…

The UAE has become a top global destination for businesses focusing on innovation, artificial intelligence, and entrepreneurship.

Dubai Featured

Dubai Scores Again as AC Milan joins Real Madrid, Barcelona, Man City, PSG and more in opening base in the Emirate…

Dubai has a goal to become a major hub for international football clubs setting up training academies.

Dubai Residentcy Featured

UAE Announced a New 10-year Blue Residency…

UAE announced a new 10-year visa for individuals who have made “exceptional contributions and efforts in the field of protecting the environment”.