The UAE is growing fast as a global base for billionaires and wealthy entrepreneurs. A new report by Forbes Middle East shows how the country has turned into a major magnet for global wealth.
17 billionaires living in the UAE
The report says the UAE now hosts 17 billionaire residents from five countries, with total wealth reaching about $212.6 billion in 2026.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi are no longer just regional business centres. They are now global hubs for money, business, and investment across sectors like real estate, retail, finance, crypto, and technology.
Crypto leads the wealth list
At the top is Changpeng Zhao, founder of Binance, with an estimated fortune of $110 billion.
His wealth alone makes up more than half of the total billionaire wealth in the UAE list, showing how important crypto and digital finance have become.
Big names in retail, education, and construction
Several well-known business leaders also feature on the list.
M. A. Yusuff Ali runs LuLu Group, which operates hundreds of supermarkets across the Gulf and earns billions in revenue each year.
Sunny Varkey built one of the largest private school networks in the region.
Ravi Pillai is a major name in Gulf construction and infrastructure.
Indian-origin billionaires stand out
Indian entrepreneurs form a large share of UAE-based billionaires.
Vinod Adani is the richest among them, with wealth linked to global investment firms connected to the Adani Group.
Renuka Jagtiani leads Landmark Group, a major retail company with thousands of stores across many countries.
UAE attracts global wealth
Experts say the UAE is attracting billionaires because of low taxes, strong infrastructure, luxury living, and easy global business access.
Dubai has become especially popular as a base for people running international businesses.
Bigger picture
The UAE is now competing with global financial hubs like Singapore, London, and New York.
The key takeaway is simple: more of the world’s richest people are choosing the UAE as their base for living, investing, and growing their wealth
