According to Nagham Hassan, Market Analyst at eToro, the misconception that women sit on the sidelines of financial decision-making is fast becoming outdated. In the UAE, recent Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation MOHRE data shows that women hold around 1.039 million jobs in the UAE private sector, including more than 72,000 managerial and leadership roles. As more women earn more money, more are taking control of their finances and shaping the economy.
eToro’s latest UAE Retail Investor Beat survey offers a current view of how women are investing their money. The findings challenge the idea that women investors are disengaged or passive. Instead, women in the UAE are taking an active role in building their financial futures.
Money is a long-term business for women:
Financial independence is the primary goal for women investors in the UAE, cited by 60% of respondents. This is followed by investing to supplement income (40%) and provide long-term security (39%). Notably, compared to men, women are more likely to invest for long-term security (31% for men) and to generate capital for a future payment (32% for women, 23% for men), demonstrating their forward-looking approach. The survey also found that 71% of women investors in the UAE have been investing for more than three years. Women are also more likely to hold an investment for at least some years (47%) compared to men (43%).
Savings accounts are the most widely held financial products among women investors at 84%, alongside investments such as shares, bonds and funds at 79%, which may point to a preference for balancing capital preservation with market exposure. Interestingly, women are more likely to have a pension (16%) than men (14%), once again demonstrating their long-term approach to finances.
Where women allocate their capital:
Within their investment portfolios, cash is king, currently stored by 54% of women investors, and commodities follow closely with almost half (49%) currently invested in this asset class. Among those invested in commodities, gold is currently the most prevalent holding (87%) with 54% of gold investors viewing it as a long-term store of value, and 53% expecting that prices will rise. Silver is the second-most popular commodity investment at 38%, followed by energy commodities like oil (31%) and natural gas (22%). Domestic equities are held by 47%, while alternative investments like real estate accounts for 46%.
On sectors, financial services take the lead at 51% of women currently invested, followed by real estate (42%) and technology (35%). For their future investments, however, female investors are most interested in renewables (43%), communications (41%), and discretionary consumer goods (39%), indicating a desire to continue diversifying their portfolios.
The insight that emerges is that women investors are protecting capital through cash and real estate, while still putting money to work in future-facing sectors such as technology and renewables, as well as taking advantage of recent market opportunities in commodities.
Navigating geopolitical uncertainty:
Women in the UAE are attuned to current affairs, strategically positioning their portfolios around recent developments in the region. With 77% of women believing that geopolitical tensions will have an impact on their investment portfolio, nearly one-third (29%) of survey respondents have already adjusted their portfolios in response to tensions in the Middle East, and almost half (48%) plan to do so.
Among those who have adjusted or plan to, most are investing in precious metals (52%) and energy commodities like oil (36%). Just under one-third each are also increasing exposure to global equities outside of affected regions (31%) and are opting to hold more cash or bonds (30%).
The fact that many have not retreated from the market is a sign that this is not a total loss of confidence. Indeed, many are still very confident in the country’s trajectory in particular: 7 in 10 expect the UAE stock market to rise over the next 12 months and 86% are confident in the UAE’s economy right now, reflecting a degree of optimism.
Altogether, women are actively engaged with their financial futures:
One thing that stood out to me in the survey was that, while both men and women prioritise trusted parties such as professional financial advisors and online investment platforms for financial advice, women are far more likely to talk to their family, friends or colleagues (71% vs 59% of men) as well. Contrary to stereotypes, money is not a taboo or unapproachable theme of conversation for women.
The survey finds that women are hands-on with their investments. They are adjusting to market conditions as they evolve and staying diversified. Women investors in the UAE are looking ahead with purpose.
The story is not that women are catching up. It is that the old assumptions have not kept pace with how women in the UAE are already growing their wealth in 2026.
The survey, commissioned by the trading and investing platform eToro, sampled 1,000 retail investors residing in the UAE. The survey was conducted from March 13, 2026 – March 26, 2026, and carried out by research company Appinio. Retail investors were defined as self-directed or advised and had to hold at least one investment product including shares, bonds, funds, investment or equivalent. They did not need to be eToro users.
About eToro:
eToro is a trading and investing platform that empowers you to invest, share and learn. We were founded in 2007 with the vision of a world where everyone can trade and invest in a simple and transparent way. Today we have 40 million registered users from 75 countries. We believe there is power in shared knowledge and that we can become more successful by investing together. So we’ve created a collaborative investment community designed to provide you with the tools you need to grow your knowledge and wealth. On eToro, you can hold a range of traditional and innovative assets and choose how you invest: trade directly, invest in a portfolio, or copy other investors. You can visit our media centre here for our latest news.
Disclaimers:
eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.
CFDs are leveraged and speculative products intended for investors who understand the risks involved. Due to leverage, losses can occur rapidly and you may lose all of your invested capital.
Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong. Take 2 mins to learn more.
eToro is a group of companies that are authorised and regulated in their respective jurisdictions. The regulatory authorities overseeing eToro include:
- The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK
- The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) in Cyprus
- The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) in Australia
- The Financial Services Authority (FSA) in the Seychelles
- The Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) in the UAE
- The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) in Singapore
This communication is for information and education purposes only and should not be taken as investment advice, a personal recommendation, or an offer of, or solicitation to buy or sell, any financial instruments. This material has been prepared without taking into account any particular recipient’s investment objectives or financial situation, and has not been prepared in accordance with the legal and regulatory requirements to promote independent research. Any references to past or future performance of a financial instrument, index or a packaged investment product are not, and should not be taken as, a reliable indicator of future results. eToro makes no representation and assumes no liability as to the accuracy or completeness of the content of this publication.
Regulation and License Numbers:
Middle East
eToro (ME) Limited, is licensed and regulated by the Abu Dhabi Global Market (“ADGM”)’s Financial Services Regulatory Authority (“FSRA“) as an Authorised Person to conduct the Regulated Activities of (a) Dealing in Investments as Principal (Matched), (b) Arranging Deals in Investments, (c) Providing Custody, (d) Arranging Custody and (e) Managing Assets (under Financial Services Permission Number 220073) under the Financial Services and Market Regulations 2015 (“FSMR”). Its registered office and its principal place of business is 25th Floor, Al Sila Tower, ADGM Square, Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (“UAE”).
