Abu Dhabi’s luxury and branded real estate market is witnessing unprecedented growth in 2025, with branded residence launches quadrupling compared to the previous year, according to Metropolitan Capital Real Estate (MCRE), a real estate agency in Abu Dhabi.

Read-Five emirates, Dh239bn: UAE real estate rockets in early 2025

The surge is being driven by increasing demand from high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs), international investors, and long-term residents. The market has already recorded Dhs6.3bn in luxury property transactions—valued at Dhs7m and above—within the first four months of the year, representing a 5 per cent year-on-year increase. Over half of these transactions were in the Dhs10m-plus segment, underscoring rising investor confidence in Abu Dhabi’s premium real estate offerings.

“Abu Dhabi has firmly positioned itself as a premier destination for luxury and lifestyle-led investments,” said Evgeny Ratskevich, CEO of MCRE. “We’ve seen buyers who initially intended to purchase a single property expanding their portfolios. At the same time, long-term residents are increasingly choosing to buy rather than rent, reflecting growing confidence in the local market.”

Rise of branded residences

One of the strongest growth drivers in 2025 has been the rise of branded residences. Developers are actively launching lifestyle-focused communities across key areas including Saadiyat Island, Al Reem Island, and Mariah Island. The number of branded projects is expected to exceed 25 this year, a significant jump from just a handful launched in 2024.

Notable developments include Jacob & Co Beachfront Residences, Brabus Residences by Cosmo, Waldorf Astoria Residences, Elie Saab Waterfront, SHA Wellness Residences, Mandarin Oriental Residences, and Nobu Residences. The latter recently set a new benchmark with a record-breaking Dhs137m penthouse sale—the highest residential transaction in Abu Dhabi’s history.

In parallel, the secondary luxury market has also seen explosive growth. Transaction volume in this segment increased 158 per cent year-on-year, with nearly Dhs3bn in resale activity by April. Super-luxury properties (priced above Dhs10m) accounted for more than Dhs2.6bn, making up 60 per cent of total secondary market sales.

Super-luxury resale market

In just four months, transactions in the super-luxury resale market have reached 22 per cent of the full-year total for 2024, highlighting growing investor interest in ready-to-move-in, high-end properties.

MCRE has cemented its position as a market leader in Abu Dhabi’s luxury sector, securing an 11.5 per cent share of the market for properties priced at Dhs7m and above. The firm facilitated over Dhs700m in sales in this category, including Dhs530m in the ultra-luxury bracket (Dhs10m and up), capturing 11 per cent of that niche segment.

According to Ratskevich, branded residence prices now average Dhs2,500 to Dhs4,000 per square meter, depending on location. This is significantly lower than comparable offerings in Dubai or Ras Al Khaimah, making Abu Dhabi increasingly attractive to international investors.

Shift in investor demographics

Investor demographics have also shifted notably since 2024. While Russian and CIS buyers were dominant early last year, interest from those regions declined in Q2. In their place, buyers from the UK, US, UAE, and other GCC countries are stepping up. Nearly half of all purchasers are end-users, with the remainder being investors looking to capitalize on what they view as bargain prices for high-end properties.

Key locations continue to drive market activity, with Saadiyat Island, Yas Island, Reem Island, and Al Hidayriyyat leading the charge. Al Hidayriyyat, in particular, has already surpassed 20 per cent of its total 2024 sales volume, positioning it as a fast-growing hotspot.

To meet rising demand, MCRE has launched a dedicated luxury office—Metropolitan Capital Elite—on Saadiyat Island. The new division will cater exclusively to HNWIs, end-users, and institutional investors seeking access to premium and branded assets, offering tailored advisory services.

Post the Eid Al Adha weekend, UAE residents can still look forward to several upcoming public holidays before the end of 2025.

The Eid break, observed from Thursday to Sunday (June 5–8), gave employees a four-day weekend, with the workweek resuming on Monday, June 9.

The next public holiday is likely to be Islamic (Hijri) New Year, which marks the start of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar.

Based on current astronomical projections, the date is expected to fall on Thursday, June 26.

Next UAE public holiday in 2025: Possible long weekend in June

However, if the month of Dhu Al Hijja spans 30 days, the holiday may instead occur on Friday, June 27.

The day will mark the beginning of the year 1447 in the Islamic calendar.

Islamic New Year is typically a quiet day of reflection with no formal religious rituals.

Following that, the Prophet Mohammed’s birthday is anticipated on Thursday, September 4.

The UAE’s final stretch of holidays in 2025 includes Commemoration Day, expected to be observed on Monday, December 1.

This will likely be followed by National Day celebrations on Tuesday, December 2, and Wednesday, December 3.

The UAE’s rental market is ripe for disruption, and Rentify is leading the charge with its fintech-driven approach. Co-founders Rajneel Kumar (COO) and Rashed Hareb (CEO) sat down with us to discuss how their AI-powered platform is transforming the leasing experience — from “Rent now, pay later” (RNPL) solutions to predictive analytics and strategic rewards programmes.

Fresh off a $500,000 funding round, they share their vision for scaling operations, bridging gaps in the traditional rental process, and positioning Rentify as the region’s go-to rental ecosystem.

The UAE rental market has a variety of platforms — what makes Rentify stand out, and how do you see yourselves positioning differently from existing competitors?

The UAE rental space is active and evolving, but many platforms still focus primarily on listings or offer limited digital layers over traditional processes. Rentify takes a different approach—we’re a fintech platform built to address the core financial pain points of the rental experience. Our RNPL model helps tenants pay monthly while landlords receive their rent upfront, easing the cash burden on tenants and providing certainty to landlords. With an integrated rewards program, we’re building a smarter, more trusted rental ecosystem, one that moves the industry forward.

How does the AI-powered aspect of your platform enhance the user experience for both landlords and tenants? Could you share more about its role in predictive analytics, automated rent collection, and other functionalities?

AI isn’t just a buzzword for us; it’s embedded into how we operate. We use machine learning models to pre-screen tenants, forecast payment risk, and dynamically adapt approval limits. For landlords, AI automates rent collection reminders, tracks portfolio risk, and flags anomalies. For tenants, it means faster approvals and more flexibility. It’s not just smarter — it’s proactive. We believe that in a few years, the majority of rental underwriting will be AI-driven. We’re just ahead of the curve.

Rentify recently secured $500,000 in funding — what are your key goals with this investment, and how do you plan to use it to scale operations in the UAE and beyond?

The $500,000 was a strategic injection to validate market fit, test underwriting logic, and onboard early units. Our immediate focus is scaling to over 4,000 units, locking in partnerships with real estate groups, and building our credit facility for RNPL. Long-term, our model expands into transaction-based revenues and third-party bill payments.

Given the challenges in the region’s traditional rental process, why did you decide to create a tech-first solution? What gaps were you specifically aiming to fill?

The rental experience in the UAE still relies heavily on outdated systems — paper cheques, informal communication, and limited payment flexibility.

At Rentify, we saw an opportunity to modernise this journey. Our platform is designed to streamline access, reduce friction, and foster trust between tenants and landlords. Tenants seek flexibility and transparency; landlords value predictability and lower vacancy rates. We built a tech-first solution that addresses the needs of both, end-to-end. Rent is the largest monthly expense for most households — it requires infrastructure that reflects that significance.

Can you share more about your strategic partnerships, such as the Rentify Rewards programme, and how these collaborations are driving business growth?

We’re in talks with major real estate groups, banks, and telcos to plug Rentify into broader ecosystems. Our Rentify Rewards programme lets tenants earn points on rent, which they can use for bill payments, lifestyle benefits, or even savings. It’s the first rent-linked rewards programme in the region. Strategic partners help us scale quickly and layer value across multiple verticals.

As the UAE’s rental ecosystem continues to evolve, where do you see Rentify in the next five years, and what major innovations can we expect from your platform?

In five years, Rentify will be the operating system for residential rent in the region. A tenant should be able to move into a property, get pre-approved, pay digitally, earn rewards — all within one interface. For landlords, it means full automation, analytics, and reduced delinquency. We’re building the infrastructure layer, and the possibilities are endless.

What are some of the tangible benefits for tenants and landlords using Rentify, and what are the key areas covered within the UAE?

For tenants: no upfront annual rent, access to credit, and rewards. For landlords: upfront rent payments, lower risk, faster occupancy. We cover all seven emirates and are actively onboarding properties across Dubai, Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi, with strong traction from both institutional landlords and independent owners. It’s a win-win system that eliminates inefficiencies at both ends.

What are some of the trends you are seeing impact the rental market?

We’re seeing a surge in tenant demand for flexibility — monthly payments, digital leases, and faster move-ins. At the same time, landlords are becoming more data-conscious and want performance dashboards, risk assessments, and liquidity options. The era of static, offline renting is ending.

Founded on the belief that recycling should be simple, rewarding, and accessible, Sparklo emerged from a deep understanding of the sustainability challenges facing the UAE and the wider MENA region.

Since its launch in December 2022, Sparklo has collected over 95 million recyclables, built the region’s largest incentive-driven recycling community, and is set to redefine how we think about waste, technology, and environmental responsibility across 10 countries.

In this interview, Maxim Kaplevich, founder and CEO of Sparklo, shares how its innovative reverse vending machines — known as Sparklomats —are transforming everyday recycling into a motivating experience by rewarding users with real-life discounts, bridging the gap between people and recycling infrastructure.

What inspired you to start the company?

The idea for Sparklo came to me about six years ago. At the time, I was running an IT outsourcing company focused on AI and machine learning — we specialised in high-complexity projects in mobile and web development, AI/ML/DL, and UI/UX design. It was a successful venture by agency standards — but I always wanted to launch my own product and explored industries that truly lacked a game-changing solution.

That’s when I identified a critical gap in recycling systems. In many countries, including the UAE, the technical capacity to process recyclables exists, and people genuinely care about sustainability. Yet over 430 million tonnes of plastic are produced globally each year, with two-thirds becoming waste after a single use. Clearly, something isn’t working.

The issue is the lack of infrastructure connecting people with recycling facilities in a way that’s easy and motivating. That gap is what holds everything back. Cleantech providers need to focus on building collection infrastructure — without necessarily engaging in recycling.

Countries like Germany and Scandinavian nations recycle large amounts of waste, supported by strong infrastructure. But most of these countries rely on deposit-return systems: people pay extra when they buy a bottle and are refunded only if they return it.

In regions where collection infrastructure is underdeveloped or inefficient, I believed we needed a different approach: instead of taking people’s money to encourage recycling, we should give them a solution that motivates them to return bottles and cans with rewards.

That’s how Sparklo was created. We launched in December 2022. UAE residents got the solution they needed — a new reverse vending machine, called the Sparklomat, that rewards them for doing the right thing.

Since then, we’ve collected over 95 million recyclables in MENA and built the region’s largest incentive-driven recycling community — over 350,000 active users. It’s a shift from obligation to motivation — and it works.

What is the business model of Sparklo?

We focus on both end users and private and public partners. How does it work for users? Drop in a plastic bottle or can and earn redeemable points in our Sparklo app — discounts on groceries, taxi rides, delivery, and more. It’s seamless and gives immediate feedback: you recycle, you get rewarded. Today, we have dozens of loyalty partners helping us realise our vision of rewarding positive habits.

Beyond rewards, location matters. To make recycling seamless, Sparklomats must be placed where people already are. To build this infrastructure, Sparklo uses a ‘hardware-as-a-service’ model.

Our machines are now deployed in 280 UAE locations: residential communities, retail stores, workplaces, schools, and transport hubs. We’ve partnered with Dubai Municipality, Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, ADNOC Distribution, Carrefour, LuLu, Accor, Emaar, and others to integrate recycling into daily life.

This approach lets us make recycling convenient and rewarding for users — while helping partners meet their ESG goals. In turn, they help us scale the infrastructure to make Sparklo’s vision a reality.

How was the business funded?

The company is privately funded with my own investment and contributions from MENA-oriented private investors who support the growth of UAE-based technology.

What technology is being used for Sparklomats?

Artificial intelligence plays a key role in how Sparklomats work. Unlike machines that rely on barcodes to determine whether an item can be recycled, ours use advanced recognition technology to identify plastic bottles and aluminum cans in milliseconds — with or without labels or barcodes. If it’s recyclable, it’s accepted. Instantly.

This smart system connects to the Sparklo app, so users get rewarded right away with points they can spend on real-life discounts. Meanwhile, the machines log every interaction, helping us track environmental impact, improve recycling habits, and personalise the experience over time. It’s fast, simple, and intuitive — exactly what recycling needs to be if we want people to do it every day.

How do people and businesses benefit from Sparklo?

For everyday users, Sparklo turns recycling into something that’s easy, highly rewarding, and engaging. This positive reinforcement helps build lifelong habits — people start seeking out our machines and telling their friends, becoming part of a global sustainability movement.

For partners, Sparklo is a practical way to show environmental leadership and contribute to recycling infrastructure. They get verified impact data, improved sustainability performance, and stronger community engagement. By installing Sparklomats, they make recycling more accessible and help drive real change in their communities.

We also focus on UAE-based manufacturing and job creation: our Sparklomats are locally produced in Ras Al Khaimah. This supports sustainable recycling and strengthens the UAE’s economy — while helping other countries adopt scalable solutions. Beyond the UAE, our network spans 10 countries, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, India, and others.

Today, we operate over 400 RVMs globally, promoting UAE-built technology around the world.

What are the future plans of the company?

Over the next five to 10 years, Sparklo aims to collect more than 50 per cent of all plastic bottles consumed in at least five of our operating countries.

In the UAE, our goal is for at least half of the working population to actively use Sparklomats and the app to recycle within the next decade.

Atiqa Mir, a 10-year-old Dubai-based Indian karting prodigy has become the youngest driver from the region to secure a place in a professional motorsport development programme, following her signing as an official AKCEL GP Academy Driver.

AKCEL GP says the move signals a shift in motorsport accessibility and diversity, reinforcing the UAE’s commitment to nurturing next-generation talent and establishing itself as a global hub for motorsport excellence.

A rising star in the karting circuit, Atiqa Mir has already made a name for herself with her fearless driving and consistent podium finishes. She has competed in some of the world’s most prestigious karting championships, including the Rotax Euro Trophy, Rotax International Trophy, IAME Series (UAE and Europe), WSK Euro Series, WSK Super Master Series, and the Champions of the Future Academy.

The timing of this partnership aligns with the official launch of the AKCEL GP Academy: the cornerstone development initiative of AKCEL GP, the UAE-based high-performance motorsport team competing in FIA F4, Formula Regional Middle East Championship, and FIA F3.

Opening in Abu Dhabi in August 2025, the Academy will serve as a cutting-edge training ground for the next generation of racing talent from the UAE and abroad. The Academy’s inaugural batch will feature 15 promising young drivers and is committed to offering a structured and competitive pathway beginning with elite karting championships and advancing through the ranks of single-seater racing.

Speaking on Atiqa’s signing, Amit Kaushal, group chairman of AKCEL Group, said, “Atiqa’s talent, focus, and composure on track are well beyond her years. We’re proud to welcome her to the AKCEL GP family and support her long-term journey toward Formula 1. Over the next 15 years, we’re committed to guiding her development from karting to single-seaters as she grows into a world-class racer and future F1 contender.”

As Atiqa Mir begins her training in Abu Dhabi, she will follow a structured development programme designed to prepare young drivers for the demands of professional motorsport. Her training will combine simulator sessions, physical conditioning, mental coaching and in-depth performance analysis. A key focus of her time with AKCEL GP Academy will be competing in championships across the UAE and Europe, providing her with essential on-track experience and exposure to high-level competition early in her career. The goal is to lay a strong foundation of skills, discipline, and racecraft with a clear vision: Formula 1 as the ultimate destination.

Reflecting on this new chapter in her journey, Atiqa Mir said, “Racing is everything to me. It’s where I feel strong, fast, and free. Joining AKCEL GP Academy is a dream come true, and I want to show young girls like me from Dubai and India that we can compete at the highest levels. One day, I hope to race in Formula 1, and I’m ready to work hard to get there.”

The UAE’s support for motorsport development has grown rapidly over the past decade. The nation is home to internationally acclaimed circuits such as Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi and Dubai Autodrome and hosts one of the most prestigious events on the racing calendar, the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

In 2024, the UAE’s sports event market generated more than Dhs22.8m in revenue and is projected to exceed Dhs44m by 2030, reflecting a compound annual growth rate of 11.8 per cent. Globally, the motorsport industry is valued at around Dhs34.9bn, making the UAE’s entry into talent development and racing innovation all the more significant.