When Dubai Airport Freezone (DAFZ) opened its doors in 1996, its proposition was clear: locate a trading hub beside Dubai International Airport, provide flexible regulation and deliver fast, investor-focused services. The model was designed around Dubai’s geography, but its ambition was global.

Thirty years on, DAFZ’s performance reflects the scale of that ambition. Its trade volume rose from Dhs108.83bn in 2014 to more than Dhs479bn in 2025, while its share of Dubai’s total non-oil trade increased from 8.17 per cent to 15.4 per cent. Its contribution to Dubai’s GDP also rose from Dhs15.44bn in 2014 to Dhs17.43bn in 2023.

Yet the anniversary is less about what DAFZ has been than about what it is becoming. His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ), which oversees DAFZ, Dubai Silicon Oasis and Dubai CommerCity, describes the next phase as a move beyond the conventional free zone model and towards an integrated ecosystem aligned with D33.

“The next phase calls for a transition to an integrated ecosystem that fosters innovation and sustainability,” HH Sheikh Ahmed says.

That shift takes DAFZ beyond the conventional free zone model. The leadership’s vision brings together trade, investment, digital services, innovation, human capital, partnerships and sustainability within a connected economic platform.

THE FOUNDING VISION

The foundations of Dubai’s free zone story, HH Sheikh Ahmed says, can be traced to the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum’s emphasis on openness, infrastructure development and anticipating the future. DAFZ represented a continuation of that approach: a practical response to Dubai’s need to diversify its economy and strengthen its position as an international trading centre.

The vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, added a contemporary operational dimension through the continuous development of legislation, services and standards of excellence. At launch, DAFZ’s proposition rested on three pillars: an exceptional location beside Dubai International Airport, flexible regulatory frameworks and investor-centric services.

As HH Sheikh Ahmed puts it: “True excellence lies not merely in incentives, but in a seamless customer experience, swift execution, and procedural transparency.”

That principle was especially important in the early years. DAFZ had to persuade global companies that a new zone in Dubai could offer a business environment capable of competing with established international centres. The challenge was not only to build infrastructure, but also to build trust.

The zone’s development was also tested by the 2008 financial crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic. Those shocks exposed the vulnerability of global trade and challenged businesses across sectors.

DAFZ responded by investing in talent, upgrading digital infrastructure and offering flexible support to affected companies. For HH Sheikh Ahmed, “Leadership is a continuous journey requiring constant review and a perpetual readiness for the future.”

THE PEOPLE WHO BUILT IT

The three leaders place people at the centre of DAFZ’s development.

HH Sheikh Ahmed describes human capital as the foundation of sustainable progress and Emirati talent as central to carrying the legacy forward.

“Human capital is the true engine of development and that Emirati talent is the ultimate guarantor of sustainable achievements,” he says.

A MORE INTEGRATED ECONOMIC ERA

The integrated ecosystem described by the leaders brings together trade, innovation, human capital and sustainability. It also connects DAFZ more closely with DIEZ’s wider network, linking investment attraction with talent development and long-term economic value. HH Sheikh Ahmed says Dubai’s competitive edge lies in constant renewal within a framework of stability and trust. The emirate competes through swift decision-making, high-quality legislation and a focus on investor experience, while linking economic growth to human development and quality of life.

“DAFZ’s 30-year journey is a national success story that extends beyond geographical borders, setting the pathway for a more integrated economic era with greater impact,” HH Sheikh Ahmed says.

For His Excellency Dr Mohammed Al Zarooni, Executive Chairman of DIEZ, who joined DAFZ in 1996, the objective was never to create a conventional business zone. The mandate was to establish an integrated ecosystem that generated genuine economic value and earned companies’ trust from the outset. The task, he says, “required clarity of vision and precision in execution.”

FROM AIRPORT ZONE TO GLOBAL PLATFORM

DAFZ’s location remains central to its value proposition, but that geography is only one part of the story. Its position beside Dubai International Airport is supported by modern infrastructure, advanced facilities, premium services and comprehensive logistics support. HE Dr Al Zarooni describes DAFZ as “the East gateway to global markets and a vital engine of Dubai’s economic growth.”

Today, DAFZ hosts more than 3,200 regional and international companies, including over 600 multinational corporations operating regional headquarters from Dubai. Its workforce exceeds 23,000 people from 163 nationalities across hundreds of specialised sectors, giving the zone a diverse business community.

The zone also hosts the headquarters of the World Free Zones Organization (WFZO), of which it is a founding and principal supporting member. WFZO brings together more than 1,700 members from 143 countries, reinforcing DAFZ’s position within the international free zones landscape.

FOUR TURNING POINTS

H.E Dr Al Zarooni identifies four major turning points in DAFZ’s development. The first was the separation of DAFZ from the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and its establishment as an independent authority with its own financial and administrative structure under the leadership of HH Sheikh Ahmed. This gave the organisation greater capability to make strategic decisions and respond to market requirements.

The second came about a decade after establishment, when DAFZ shifted its focus more decisively towards investors and opened new markets across East Asia and the US. The third was the launch of WFZO in 2014.

The fourth came four years ago, when DAFZ, Dubai Silicon Oasis and Dubai CommerCity were integrated under DIEZ. The integration allowed the three entities to operate within a unified ecosystem, creating broader opportunities for collaboration and economic impact.

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION AS STRATEGY

DAFZ was an early adopter of digital transformation and smart services, including emerging technologies such as blockchain and AI. Digital tools were introduced to improve operational efficiency, speed up processes, enhance the investor experience and raise productivity, rather than as technology upgrades for their own sake. HE Dr Al Zarooni puts the point directly: “Digital transformation is an integrated strategic direction aligned with Dubai Economic Agenda D33.”

He adds: “Our model is built on genuine, sustainable value rather than quantitative growth alone.”

HE Dr Al Zarooni points to a specific outcome of that commitment: “Hundred per cent Emiratisation is achieved across DAFZ’s senior leadership positions.”

HE Dr Al Zarooni is already looking ahead. “We are looking forward to another 30 years of leadership as we continue to write a global success story driven by national talents,” he says.

Amna Lootah, Director General of DAFZ, recalls those beginnings as a period in which DAFZ navigated logistical and legislative challenges while building international investors’ confidence in an untested model.

“DAFZ began as a vision built on modest foundations, but from its earliest days, it was underpinned by a strong belief in the future,” she says. The early strategy was deliberately specialised. With a limited footprint and a location designed for speed, DAFZ focused on high-value, low-volume products such as jewellery, watches, electronics, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

These categories were suited to air connectivity and proximity to the runway.

Lootah says DAFZ’s proposition also rests on an integrated regulatory environment, combining clear legislative frameworks and policy stability with the agility businesses need to respond to changing regional and global markets.

Its contribution to Dubai’s non-oil economy is reflected in export, import and re-export activity, as well as the presence of regional headquarters across sectors including aviation, automotive and electronics.

Lootah connects that direction to DAFZ’s wider economic role.

“DAFZ is an active contributor to the D33 Agenda through its role in economic diversification, investment attraction, and the development of digital services,” she says.

Lootah describes HH Sheikh Ahmed’s leadership as based on clarity, discipline and trust in national talent. She also highlights the role of women within the organisation.

“Emirati women play a pivotal role in DAFZ’s leadership and actively participate in decision-making,” Lootah says.

Lootah says DAFZ “is preparing for new decades of leadership and innovation, with a continued focus on strategic partnerships and excellence.”

DAFZ’s 30th anniversary marks a foundation, not a conclusion. The first three decades established the infrastructure, reputation, business community and institutional capabilities. The next phase will test whether those assets can be combined into an ecosystem with greater economic impact and a wider contribution to Dubai’s future.

Apple’s first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, goes on sale in the UAE today, with prices starting at Dhs8,499, as developers introduce apps adapted for its larger screen and folding design.

The UAE is among more than 70 countries and regions included in the initial launch, alongside the US, Britain, China and India.

Apple said there will be “limited” availability of the iPhone Duo for walk-in customers at Apple Stores in select countries on October 23.

The device’s availability will expand to another 28 markets on October 30.

The device comes in star white and night sky, with storage options of 256GB, 512GB, 1TB and 2TB.

Its inner display is 50 per cent larger than that of the iPhone 18 Pro Max, according to Apple. Apps can transition between the outer and inner displays, while a Split View feature allows users to run two apps side by side.

Developers adapt streaming, productivity, gaming and creative apps for iPhone Duo

Apple said developers had adapted streaming, productivity, gaming and creative apps for the device, with some updates available at launch and others due in the coming weeks or later this year.

Netflix allows users to move from browsing clips on the outer screen to watching on the inner display. Prime Video can show video on the upper half of a partially folded device, with cast information and other details below.

Productivity apps include Zoom, which displays shared content alongside meeting participants, and Slack, which provides a wider view of channels and workspace activity.

Microsoft Word and Outlook will introduce updated layouts in the coming weeks, Apple said. Word will place formatting tools alongside documents, while Outlook will display the inbox next to an open message.

Creative apps adapted for the device include Instagram’s Edits, VLLO and Detail. Detail uses on-device AI models for features including captions, filler-word removal and audio enhancement, according to its developer.

The phone uses Apple’s A20 Pro chip and a custom vapour chamber. Apple said it delivers up to 35 per cent better sustained performance than the iPhone 17 Pro.

Gaming titles include Asphalt Legends, while an update adapting Zenless Zone Zero for the device is due in November. UnGodly, a role-playing game from Azra Games, is also scheduled to launch on the App Store in November.

Apple said dedicated App Store collections highlighting compatible apps and games would become available on October 23. Optimised apps will carry a “Made for iPhone Duo” badge, with further updates rolling out throughout the year.

The UAE Ministry of Investment launched a platform on Thursday listing 143 investment opportunities across six priority sectors, as the country seeks to attract Dhs240bn in annual foreign direct investment inflows by 2031.

The Investment Opportunities platform allows international investors to search opportunities by sector, compare investment profiles across all seven emirates and contact ministry advisers for support, the ministry said.

The six sectors are manufacturing, transport and logistics, healthcare and life sciences, renewable energy, information and communications technology, and financial services.

Initial flagship opportunities include components manufacturing, a transport and logistics decarbonisation retrofit cluster, and bioprocess inputs manufacturing for healthcare and life sciences.

Other opportunities cover low- and medium-voltage switchgear manufacturing for renewable energy, government technology platforms, and instant payments services and overlay platforms.

The platform also provides information on each emirate’s sector strengths and infrastructure to help investors assess potential locations. It outlines available incentives and ministry support at different stages of the investment process.

UAE Minister of Investment Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi said the government aimed to direct global capital towards sectors supporting diversification and national capabilities.

“As we advance the National Investment Strategy 2031, our focus is on channelling global capital into priority sectors that strengthen national capabilities, advance economic diversification and support the UAE’s long-term competitiveness,” he said.

The launch supports the National Investment Strategy 2031, which targets annual FDI inflows of Dhs240bn and total FDI stock of Dhs2.2tn by 2031.

The UAE attracted $48.3bn, or Dhs177.3bn, in inward FDI in 2025, marking a fourth consecutive year of record inflows, the ministry said. It ranked ninth globally in UNCTAD’s World Investment Report 2026, according to the ministry.

Unusual odours reported across parts of the UAE this week have been followed by confirmation of a tanker oil spill affecting Umm Al Quwain’s beaches, with authorities reassuring residents that the smells pose no health risk.

The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) announced on Thursday that the spill had been detected through the country’s technical monitoring and environmental assessment system.

The ministry also reassured residents that the odours reported in Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain posed no health risks.

The announcement follows reports earlier this week of unusual smells in parts of Sharjah, Dubai and other emirates, prompting authorities to investigate the source.

On Tuesday, Sharjah Police reassured the public that the situation was safe and stable, while federal and local authorities continued their assessments.

Umm Al Quwain beaches temporarily closed

As a precautionary measure, the ministry has announced the temporary closure of all beaches and coastal areas in Umm Al Quwain while environmental assessments and clean-up operations continue.

Specialist teams began containment, cordoning, clean-up and remediation operations immediately after the spill was detected, working alongside local and federal authorities to minimise its environmental impact.

The ministry said coastal surveys, monitoring and technical assessments were continuing to determine the extent of the spill and identify measures to protect the marine environment.

The beach closures will remain in place until technical teams complete their assessments and establish the necessary safety and environmental protection measures.

Fishermen and other sea users have been advised to follow official instructions and avoid fishing in affected areas.

The ministry said it would continue coordinating with relevant authorities and provide updates as further information becomes available.

Residents have been encouraged to follow official government channels for developments and avoid sharing unverified information.

There is an uncomfortable paradox emerging in the world of retail trading. A person may spend hours hesitating over whether to buy or sell a currency pair, second-guessing an entry point or worrying about getting a trade wrong. Yet that same person can be perfectly comfortable selecting a trader they have never met and allowing that trader’s strategy to be replicated automatically in their own account.

The question is no longer simply: What should I trade? Increasingly, it is: Whom should I trust?

That shift is helping fuel the rise of copy trading, a model that is gaining attention across an increasingly digital financial ecosystem. For a global trading industry shaped by international capital, ambitious entrepreneurs and a growing appetite for technology-driven financial services, the phenomenon offers an intriguing glimpse into how people are changing their relationship with markets.

TAG Markets, an international forex and CFD brokerage that began in Colombia in 2023, is one company riding that shift. The brokerage says it has grown into one of the world’s 10 fastest-growing forex brokerages, with more than $1bn in client deposits and a pace of growth that it says is approaching 10,000 new deposits a day.

But the numbers, impressive as they are, tell only part of the story. The more interesting story is what happens when technology changes the psychological burden of making a financial decision.

From Colombia to the world

When TAG Markets was conceived in 2023, the company was entering an industry that was hardly short of competitors. “There was not a shortage of brokers.

The market was already crowded,” Craig Lund, CEO of TAG Markets, said. The opportunity, he argues, was elsewhere.

“A large number of brokerages were offering access to the same markets through similar platforms, similar account structures and, in many cases, similar third-party or white-label infrastructure,” Lund said.

The company’s thesis was that the next phase of competition would be less about simply offering access to forex and CFDs and more about improving what happens around the trade itself.

Onboarding, funding, account management, copy trading, education and partner infrastructure were all areas where the company believed technology could remove friction.

“What began in Colombia in August 2023 has since developed into an international brokerage serving clients across multiple markets,” Lund said.

The underlying idea, he added, was not to create another brokerage offering the same basic service.

“It was created around the idea that a brokerage could remain fundamentally focused on forex and CFD trading while improving the technology, products and systems surrounding the client journey,” he said.

That approach led to products including CopyX, its copy-trading platform, alongside its own infrastructure for introducing brokers.

The distinction is important because copy trading is not really about eliminating decision-making. It changes where the decision is made.

When the trader becomes the product

For a conventional trader, the sequence is familiar. Analyse the market. Choose an instrument. Decide whether to enter. Determine the position size. Manage the trade. Decide when to exit. Every step requires a judgement call. Copy trading rearranges that equation. Instead of attempting to make every decision independently, a client can evaluate another trader’s strategy and decide whether to follow it.

“Technology can make copy trading faster, simpler, and more transparent, but it cannot make the decision for the client,” Lund said.

That distinction gets to the heart of the psychology behind the trend. The person using copy trading has not stopped making a financial decision. They have made a different one. They are choosing a person, a strategy and a level of risk rather than choosing an individual trade. “Trust in financial markets is rarely built from one number,” Lund said. “People look at track record, behaviour over time, drawdowns, consistency, communication, and how comfortable they feel with the level of risk being taken.” That makes the trader being followed almost as important as the technology facilitating the trade. And it introduces a question that is deeply human: why can trusting someone else sometimes feel easier than trusting ourselves?

Part of the answer may be the burden of responsibility

When people trade independently, every loss can feel personal. A losing trade can become a referendum on their judgement. Following another strategy can create psychological distance from that pressure. But that distance should not be confused with reduced financial risk. “A client is still participating in financial markets,” Lund said. “What changes is the way that person chooses to participate.”

The business of trust

For a platform such as CopyX, technology is therefore only half the proposition. The other half is trust. “When someone chooses a trader to follow, they are effectively saying, ‘I am comfortable allowing this person’s decisions to influence what happens inside my account,’” Lund said. That is a remarkably significant transaction between two people who may never meet.

The follower may know little about the trader personally. Instead, trust has to be constructed digitally through performance histories, strategy information, risk indicators, behaviour and consistency.

This is where copy trading begins to resemble a broader trend across financial services.

Consumers routinely delegate decisions to specialists. Investors use fund managers. Wealthy clients employ advisers. Businesses outsource functions they do not want to handle themselves.

Copy trading applies a related idea to retail trading: you do not necessarily need to become the expert if you can identify someone whose strategy you are prepared to follow. But unlike traditional delegation, copy trading can make the relationship unusually immediate. The follower can see a strategy, select it and potentially have its trades replicated in their own account. That convenience is part of the attraction.

So is education.

“Education can come from observing how another trader approaches the market,” Lund said.

The follower can potentially learn not only from outcomes but from patterns of behaviour, risk-taking and market participation.

Yet TAG Markets says it is careful not to frame copy trading as a shortcut around risk. “The technology removes friction from the process, but it does not remove the need for judgement,” Lund said.

More capital, more consequences

The same tension appears in the company’s other products. TAG Markets has developed account structures such as Amplify around giving traders greater flexibility and access to capital. But greater exposure creates a corresponding question: how much risk does the user actually understand?

“The boundary is information, suitability, and control,” Lund said. A larger account does not automatically translate into a better result. Greater exposure can make relatively small market movements more consequential, particularly where leverage is involved. That creates a delicate balancing act for financial platforms. Experienced traders may want flexibility. Less experienced traders may see a larger account primarily as an opportunity without fully appreciating how quickly losses can develop.

“Our responsibility is to make the structure clear enough that the client understands both sides of that equation,” Lund said. For TAG Markets, that means making account conditions, drawdown limits and exposure parameters visible rather than burying them behind the appeal of a larger headline account. The company’s position is that empowerment comes from giving users choices while making the trade-offs attached to those choices equally clear. That philosophy also helps explain its investment in education.

The rise of the digitally native trader

The focus on MENA, Asia and Africa is not accidental. Lund argues that these markets can offer fertile ground for digital financial services because consumers are often quick to adopt technology that solves an obvious problem.

“In many parts of MENA, Asia, and Africa, consumers are comfortable using their phones for payments, banking, investing, communication, and commerce,” he said.

That expectation can carry over into financial markets.

Users accustomed to instant digital payments and app-based services may be less willing to tolerate complicated onboarding, fragmented platforms or opaque account structures. Global financial centres and increasingly connected markets sit naturally within that story.

Cities such as Dubai have built international identities around finance, entrepreneurship, technology and cross-border business. They are also meeting points for capital and increasingly digital-first consumers from across MENA, Asia and Africa.

For brokerages, that creates an audience that may be less interested in how long a financial company has existed and more interested in whether its technology works.

“Clients in these regions are not necessarily impressed by the fact that a company has been operating for a long time,” Lund said.

“They are more interested in whether the platform works well, whether the technology is easy to use, whether funding and withdrawals are efficient, whether support is accessible, and whether the products make sense for the way they want to participate in the market.”

That is a significant change in the competitive landscape.

Education as a business strategy and a responsibility

That is why TAG Markets says it has invested in free educational resources, including video courses, practical articles and live trading sessions.

“Forex and CFD trading involve real risk,” Lund said. “Giving someone access to a platform without giving them the tools to understand volatility, leverage, drawdown, position sizing, and market behaviour is not enough.”

It is a commercially interesting position. Education can help a brokerage differentiate itself. But it can also serve as a test of whether a financial platform is willing to make its products understandable rather than simply attractive.

“The objective is not to tell people what to trade,” Lund said. “It is to help them understand the environment they are participating in so they can make more informed decisions for themselves.”

That philosophy circles back to the original paradox. Copy trading does not remove responsibility. Nor does technology eliminate uncertainty.

Instead, both are changing the shape of the decision. The trader who once asked, “What should I do?” may now ask, “Whose decisions am I prepared to follow?” That is a subtle but consequential shift.

The stranger behind the strategy

Ultimately, the most interesting part of the emerging copy-trading culture may have little to do with algorithms. It is about human behaviour. People have always looked for shortcuts through complexity. They seek specialists, imitate successful behaviour and rely on signals when they lack confidence in their own judgement.

“The more clearly a trader understands the product, the stronger the relationship can become,” Lund said. And in a financial landscape where capital, technology and ambition increasingly intersect, that may become one of the defining questions of the next era of retail trading: not whether people are willing to participate in global markets, but who they are willing to trust when they do.