The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) in UAE has issued a public warning urging citizens, residents, and visitors to use only authorised platforms when applying for services related to entry, residency, and employment in the UAE.

The authority cautioned against responding to misleading advertisements by unauthorised offices or companies promoting their services through websites and social media platforms, a WAM report said.

Read-Scam alert: Beware of phishing emails that impersonate CBUAE

According to the ICP, its official services are accessible through simplified and user-friendly procedures on its website, smart application, and through approved service centres and typing offices nationwide. It stressed that no special privileges or expedited services have been granted to third-party offices that claim otherwise.

Social media scams on the rise

The authority highlighted a growing trend of fraudulent online practices, where fake accounts and websites advertise government-related services under the pretense of offering faster processing. These entities, the ICP stated, often charge excessive fees and fail to comply with regulations or approved service standards.

“These fraudulent advertisers use deceptive tactics to exploit the public,” the ICP said in a statement. “Their actions damage the authority’s reputation, pose security risks, and contribute to the growth of a black market that undermines transparency and fairness.”

The authority also confirmed that it is actively monitoring suspicious online activities and coordinating with the relevant legal bodies to take appropriate legal action against violators.

Residents and visitors are urged to report any suspicious activity and refer only to the official channels for services to ensure authenticity and avoid falling victim to scams.

Arada Developments has successfully raised $450m through a five-year sukuk issuance, marking a strong return to international debt markets with a deal that was more than four times oversubscribed.

The RegS Sukuk, priced with a fixed coupon of 7.150 per cent, drew peak orders exceeding $2bn, excluding joint lead managers.

The transaction priced 47.5 to 60 basis points tighter than initial guidance of 7.625 to 7.750 per cent, landing at a spread of 317 bps over US Treasuries.

The paper is rated BB- by Fitch and B1 by Moody’s and has been listed on both the London Stock Exchange and Nasdaq Dubai.

Proceeds from the issuance will partly fund a tender offer of up to $100m for Arada’s outstanding 2027 Sukuk, with the remainder earmarked for general corporate purposes.

Arada sukuk attracts interest for investors in Europe, Middle East and Asia

Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal, executive VC of Arada, said the strong investor response was a vote of confidence in the company’s performance and future prospects. “Our latest successful return to the global markets reflects once again the trust being placed by regional and international investors in Arada’s track record, robust financial position and growth prospects,” he said.

The sukuk attracted broad investor interest across Europe, the Middle East and Asia, with participation from banks, private banks, asset managers, hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Joint global coordinators for the transaction were Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Dubai Islamic Bank, Emirates NBD Capital, First Abu Dhabi Bank, Mashreq and Standard Chartered. Joint Lead Managers and Bookrunners included Arab Bank, Arqaam Capital, Bank ABC, RAK Bank, Sharjah Islamic Bank and Warba Bank.

Arada, which launched operations in 2017, has delivered over 10,000 units to date and sold more than 17,000 homes valued at Dhs29bn.

Its project pipeline spans the UAE and Australia, with a total value exceeding Dhs90bn.

Read: How Arada is expanding its presence in UAE’s luxury property market

Abu Dhabi-based Modon Holding reported a net profit of Dhs2.1bn for H1 2025, a 4.2-fold increase from a year earlier after excluding one-off items in H1 2024.

The strong performance was driven by record real estate sales, increased recurring income streams, and continued strategic investments.

Group revenue tripled year-on-year to Dhs6.5bn, while EBITDA rose fourfold to Dhs2.9bn. The company cited robust contributions from its four key business segments – real estate, asset and investment management, events, catering and tourism and hospitality.

Real estate driving Modon’s growth in H1

Real estate remained the group’s primary growth engine, generating Dhs3.65bn in revenue, up four times from the prior year. Sales reached Dhs10bn, including full sell-outs of the Muheira and Nawayef Village projects. Modon’s revenue backlog across all segments stood at Dhs 33bn.

The company’s recurring income portfolio also expanded, with near-full occupancy across its leasing portfolio and growing contributions from the hospitality and events businesses.

Recurring income now contributes 44 per cent of group revenues.

The year’s first half also saw significant strategic activity. Modon acquired 100 per cent of Arena Events Group, expanding its international footprint in the events and infrastructure sector. The group also bought a 50 per cent stake in London’s 2 Finsbury Avenue commercial development through a joint venture with British Land and GIC.

A new infrastructure platform, Gridora, was launched in partnership with ADQ and IHC to lead strategic projects in the UAE and abroad.

In May, Gridora signed an MoU with the Abu Dhabi Projects and Infrastructure Centre (ADPIC) to support the delivery of Dhs35bn in transport infrastructure across Abu Dhabi.

“The results reflect the strength of our diversified operating model and our ability to scale across high-impact sectors,” said group CEO Bill O’Regan. “With record sales, a robust pipeline, and expanding recurring revenues, we’re well-positioned for sustainable growth into the second half.”

Chairman Jassem Mohammed Bu Ataba Al Zaabi added that the performance further reinforced Abu Dhabi’s position as a global hub for investment and urban development.

Modon assets rise

Total assets rose to Dhs 85bn, up 12 per cent since end-2024, while net debt remained low at Dhs1.6bn, or 0.03x equity.

Looking ahead, Modon plans to advance the launch of its 170.8m sqm Ras El Hekma development in Egypt and expand across priority markets including the UK, North America, and Spain.

The group also intends to build on recent success with further launches, including the Wadeem community, which generated Dhs5.5bn in sales within three days of launch in July.

Modon’s hospitality arm, with 2,097 keys across nine wholly owned hotels, contributed Dhs359m in H1 revenue.

The events, catering and tourism division brought in Dhs2.2bn, boosted by the integration of Arena, Business Design Centre, and Royal Catering.

With a growing asset base, strong cash flow, and a diversified portfolio, Modon said it remains focused on long-term value creation, operational excellence, and supporting Abu Dhabi’s broader economic ambitions.

Arab Bank Group reported strong financial results for the first half of 2025, recording a 6 per cent increase in net income after tax to $535.3m, up from $502.8m during the same period last year. The bank also maintained a robust capital position, with total equity reaching $12.5bn.

The Group’s assets expanded by 9 per cent to $75.2bn. Loans rose to $39.8bn, reflecting a 6 per cent increase, while deposits climbed 9 per cent to reach $55.3bn.

Commenting on the results, Sabih Masri, chairman of the board of directors, stated that “the strong results achieved in the first half of 2025 are a clear testament to the effectiveness of the bank’s strategy and the resilience of its operating model.” He added that “despite ongoing economic headwinds and regional geopolitical uncertainties, the bank continued to prudently grow its operations and deliver sustainable growth and healthy returns for shareholders.”

Looking ahead, Masri affirmed the bank’s long-term direction: “The bank’s commitment to executing its integrated corporate strategy and long-term vision, with a clear focus on meeting the evolving expectations of both shareholders and clients.”

Merger

Masri also highlighted that Arab Bank Switzerland successfully completed the merger of Gonet & Cie SA (“Gonet”) and ONE swiss bank SA (“ONE”), enhancing its presence in Switzerland and other global markets. Following the merger, Arab Bank Switzerland Group’s assets under management grew to CHF18bn ($22bn).

Randa Sadik, chief executive officer, commented on the bank’s performance: “The underlying performance of the Group continues its growth trajectory with first half results recording a healthy increase of 5 per cent in revenue while maintaining a solid balance sheet growth of 9 per cent.”

Read: UAE banking assets exceed Dhs4.749tn in April, shows CBUAE report

Sadik further emphasised the bank’s prudent approach to liquidity and asset quality: “The Group’s loan-to-deposit ratio stood at 72 per cent and credit provisions held against non-performing loans continue to exceed 100 per cent.” She added that the bank’s capital adequacy ratio stood at 17.1 per cent, with a capital base primarily composed of common equity.

Arab Bank’s ongoing strength and strategic vision have also earned it recognition on the global stage.

Companies in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) raised $2.5bn through initial public offerings (IPOs) in the second quarter of 2025, according to PwC Middle East’s latest IPO Watch report, as investor appetite for regional equities remained strong despite global volatility.

Saudi Arabia dominated issuance, accounting for 76 per cent of total IPO proceeds, bolstered by landmark deals including Flynas, the first airline IPO in the GCC in over 15 years, and Specialized Medical Co, which raised $500m in June.

Three IPOs during the quarter raised over $500m each, signalling a trend toward larger deal sizes amid sustained institutional demand.

In total, the region recorded four IPOs on main exchanges and eight listings on Saudi Arabia’s Nomu Parallel Market, which collectively raised $128m, up from $81m in Q2 2024.

Slight decline in GCC IPO listings in Q2

Despite a slight decline in total listings, IPO proceeds remained broadly in line with Q2 2024’s $2.6bn, underlining continued investor confidence in GCC capital markets.

In the UAE, the Dubai Residential REIT marked the first real estate investment trust IPO since 2014, reinforcing renewed interest in alternative assets. The Dubai Financial Market (DFM) and Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) posted strong quarterly gains of 15 per cent and 7 per cent respectively, helped by rebounds in the real estate, financials and industrials sectors.

“The global market volatility at the start of Q2, driven by uncertainty over global trade tariffs, understandably prompted some companies to reassess their IPO plans,” said Muhammad Hassan, Capital Markets leader and partner at PwC Middle East. “Despite slower IPO activity across the GCC, Tadawul and DFM witnessed landmark IPOs such as Flynas and Dubai Residential REIT. The outlook remains cautiously optimistic for the remainder of the year, subject to macroeconomic and geopolitical factors.”

Bond and sukuk issuance sees rise in Q2

Bond and sukuk issuance also saw sharp increases compared to the same period last year.

Total bond issuance reached $4.9bn in Q2 2025, up from $0.5bn in Q2 2024, while sukuk issuance rose to $11.4bn from $9.7bn over the same period.

Equity markets delivered mixed performances. Early-quarter turbulence, including a roughly 20 per cent drop in Brent crude prices, weighed on Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul index, which fell 6 per cent over the quarter. However, recovery in the latter half of Q2 helped restore investor sentiment across the region.

PwC noted that while Q3 is typically a quieter season for IPOs, a strong and diversified pipeline remains in place across the GCC, with several issuers eyeing listings in late 2025 and early 2026.