Dubai Clearing"Nasdaq Dubai" You get a first level rating from "ESMA"

DUBAI, 7 JANUARY / WAM / Dubai Clearing, a subsidiary of the Dubai Financial Market, and the Nasdaq Dubai Stock Exchange, announced that they have officially obtained the Tier 1 TC CCP classification as a third-country central clearing authority from the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), as of December 31, 2025.

This achievement makes Dubai Clearing and Nasdaq Dubai the first and only Central Clearing Authority (CCP) in the Middle East and North Africa region to obtain a first-level rating from the European Commission, in an important milestone that reflects the development of the financial market infrastructure in the UAE, and confirms Dubai’s position as a recognized global center for post-trading services that enjoys flexibility and compatibility with international standards.

The first level classification allows Dubai Clearing and Nasdaq Dubai to support clearing activities that include linking with participants and institutions from the European Union as members of post-trading services, which enhances the cross-border connection between the capital markets in Dubai and the European Union countries, and strengthens its role as a link between regional issuers and global investors.

The European Authority’s decision confirms that Dubai Clearing, which is subject to the regulation and supervision of the Securities and Commodities Authority in the UAE (SCA), and Nasdaq Dubai, which is subject to the regulation and supervision of the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), operate within regulatory frameworks compatible with the European Markets Infrastructure Regulation (EMIR), which reflects the strength and maturity of the regulatory environment in Dubai and its compatibility with global best practices in risk management and oversight of financial markets.

Hamed Ali, CEO of the Dubai Financial Market and Nasdaq Dubai, said that this achievement reflects the progress that Dubai has achieved in building an infrastructure for financial markets that enjoys the confidence of investors at the local, regional and global levels, and that the first level classification enhances the ability of markets in Dubai to link and partner with global market institutions to support Dubai’s strategy to attract capital regionally and globally.

For her part, Fatima Bin Qaddad, Director General of Dubai Clear, said that obtaining the first level classification from the European Financial Markets Authority represents an important step in Dubai Clear’s growth process at the international level. It enhances its ability to support cross-border activities and provide efficient, flexible clearing services that are compatible with global standards.

Dubai Clearing and Nasdaq Dubai, as licensed central clearing entities in Dubai, play pivotal roles in ensuring the robustness and integrity of the post-trading system in the emirate, supporting the long-term growth and international integration of Dubai’s capital markets.

This recognition also highlights the growing cooperation between regulatory authorities in the UAE and Europe, and confirms Dubai’s long-term commitment to transparency, financial stability, and developing a financial market infrastructure in accordance with the highest international standards.

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