Dubai: The Ministry of Finance celebrated the successful launch and official listing of the UAE's inaugural Sovereign Retail T-Sukuk Programme, with Mohamed bin Hadi Al Hussaini, Minister of State for Financial Affairs, ringing the opening bell at Nasdaq Dubai. The official listing marks a strategic effort to broaden participation in the UAE's financial ecosystem and provide innovative sovereign investment instruments that foster a culture of saving and long-term investment across the UAE.
According to Emirates News Agency, the inaugural offering recorded exceptional investor demand, exceeding official expectations, with subscription requests reaching AED445 million, achieving an oversubscription of nearly nine times the target issuance size of AED50 million. In response to the robust investor demand, the Ministry increased the issuance size to AED100 million. The programme attracted a broad base of retail investors, with UAE nationals representing the largest share of subscribers at 72 percent.
The data also indicated strong participation from young investors under the age of 25 and women, together accounting for 45 percent of the total subscriber base, underscoring the programme's success in advancing financial inclusion. The opening bell ceremony at Nasdaq Dubai's headquarters in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) brought together senior financial officials, banking sector partners, and members of the media to celebrate the official launch of secondary market trading for the Sovereign Retail T-Sukuk Programme, designed to empower individual investors.
Mohamed bin Hadi Al Hussaini highlighted the UAE's commitment to advancing a resilient and inclusive economic model with a sophisticated financial infrastructure. He stated that the listing reflects the Ministry's strategic vision to strengthen domestic capital markets and diversify sovereign funding sources, ensuring sustainable financial resources. Al Hussaini noted the exceptional investor demand as a reflection of growing financial awareness and the programme's success in broadening participation in government investment instruments.
The Ministry of Finance hosted a media briefing following the ceremony, where Younis Haji AlKhoori, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance, described the listing as a significant milestone in supporting a sustainable economy while creating opportunities for individuals to contribute to the UAE's growth. He emphasized the Ministry's work with the Central Bank of the UAE and partners to design the programme as a bridge between sovereign financing objectives and investors' long-term saving aspirations.
The programme supports the objectives of the Year of Family 2026 by providing financial solutions that strengthen household financial resilience. Younis Haji Al Khoori noted the strong response during the subscription period, reflecting growing investment awareness and confidence in the UAE Government's strong financial standing. The issuance broadens access to government-backed investment opportunities through highly secure, Shariah-compliant sovereign instruments.
Hamed Ali, CEO of Nasdaq Dubai and Dubai Financial Market (DFM), remarked on the listing as an important step in the development of the country's capital markets. He expressed pride in supporting the Ministry of Finance in broadening market participation and expanding access to investment opportunities. The event featured a presentation by the Ministry of Finance team on the trading mechanisms and investment benefits of the programme, concluding with a question-and-answer session.
The listing marks the conclusion of a subscription period that attracted strong investor demand, reinforcing confidence in government-backed investment instruments structured in accordance with Islamic Shariah principles. The programme's successful delivery reflects collaboration between the Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank of the UAE, Nasdaq Dubai, and the Dubai Financial Market, with support from banking partners like Emirates NBD Bank, Emirates Islamic Bank, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Mashreq Bank, and Ajman Bank.
The inaugural issuance, initially set at AED50 million, was upsized to AED100 million to capitalize on strong investor demand. The Sovereign Retail T-Sukuk Programme, with a two-year tenor and a profit rate of 4.30 percent per annum, offers returns distributed every six months. The sukuk are available for trading on the secondary market through authorized exchange brokers, supported by dedicated market makers and liquidity providers.
The listing broadens access to government-backed, Shariah-compliant investment opportunities through a transparent marketplace, supporting the development of the UAE's domestic capital markets and encouraging a culture of long-term saving and investment. Nasdaq Dubai's role as a leading venue for Sukuk and fixed-income listings is further strengthened, with the exchange hosting over US$98.6 billion in outstanding Sukuk listings and more than US$141 billion in outstanding debt securities.