His Highness: The fruits of our leadership are reflected in the reality we experience… A leadership that yields security, plants hope, and reaps excellence
Dubai Investment Corporation ranks among the top-performing funds over the past decade
The United Arab Emirates has secured the third position globally and the first in the Middle East regarding the total pooled assets of sovereign wealth funds worldwide, amounting to $2.49 trillion by the end of the first half of 2025, according to estimates from Global SWF. The Mubadala Investment Fund has been elevated to third place globally in the governance, sustainability, and resilience rankings for 2025, having achieved a score exceeding 92% in the overall assessment.
In a statement on the social platform “X,” His Highness Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, commented on the results of the global index, expressing gratitude, “Thanks be to Allah for His blessings, and to you, our leader. Under your blessed leadership and wise vision, the fruits are a reality we live in. Leadership yields security, plants hope, and reaps excellence… mapping the path and building a bright future.”
His Highness added that amidst this trajectory of progress and excellence, the UAE continues to solidify its standing on the global economic map, being the third-largest holder of sovereign wealth and pension assets worldwide, according to the mid-2025 report by Global SWF.
1. United States – $12.12 trillion
2. China – $3.36 trillion
3. United Arab Emirates – Third worldwide
His Highness noted, “This achievement reflects our nation’s proactive investment vision and the efficiency of its leading sovereign institutions such as the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), Mubadala, ADQ, and the Dubai Investment Corporation, confirming the UAE’s growing role as a reliable and influential economic power on the international stage.”
Dubai Investment Corporation… top performance
Over the past decade, the Dubai Investment Corporation has been among the highest-performing funds, surpassing sovereign wealth funds and central banks worldwide.
During the same period, it ranked third in terms of annual returns among global government investors, achieving a return of 9.3%, followed by Mubadala in fifth place at 8.7%. DP World secured the twelfth position regarding annual returns over the past decade.
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Mubadala also ranked second globally on the list of sovereign funds that are most active in investments during the first half of 2025, having injected $9.6 billion in new capital in just six months, coming after the Canadian pension fund, which invested around $11.2 billion during the same timeframe, while the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority invested approximately $4.5 billion, reflecting the dynamic capabilities of Emirati funds to seize significant and diverse investment opportunities.
UAE’s dominance
According to the report, the United States tops the list of countries with the largest pooled assets of sovereign wealth funds at around $12.12 trillion, followed by China with total assets of $3.36 trillion, and the UAE with combined assets of approximately $2.49 trillion, followed by Japan with about $2.28 trillion, Norway with $1.9 trillion, Canada with $1.8 trillion, and Singapore with $1.59 trillion.
The sovereign wealth funds of the UAE comprised approximately 42.2% of the total assets managed by sovereign wealth funds in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, which totaled around $5.9 trillion by the end of the first half of 2025.
The index issued by Global SWF provides a comprehensive assessment of the governance, sustainability, and resilience practices (GSR) of the largest 200 government-owned investment funds globally, including sovereign wealth funds and public pension funds, with the aim of highlighting best practices in these funds. This year, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund topped the index, having achieved a 100% score in the evaluation, alongside Singapore’s Temasek, the New Zealand Superannuation Fund, and the Irish Strategic Investment Fund.
The report highlighted a robust performance and significant improvements of sovereign funds in the MENA region, particularly those in the GCC, with the average scores improving from 32% in 2020 to 48% in 2025.
Sovereign funds in the GCC countries particularly stood out, representing 36% of total investments in the first half of 2025, up from 32% in the second half of 2024, reflecting their growing role on the global stage.
Strong global activity
The report indicated that during the first half of 2025, around $112 billion in new capital was deployed by sovereign investors worldwide, showing the increasing role of these funds in energizing the global economy and directing capital toward promising sectors.
Gulf funds
Regionally, the sovereign wealth funds in the Gulf countries managed assets valued at $5.9 trillion during the first half of 2025, accounting for 36% of the total assets of sovereign wealth funds globally.
These funds also contributed 36% of the total sovereign investments during the same period, an increase from 32% in the second half of last year.
The report noted that the sovereign funds in the Gulf region, including ADQ, Mubadala, the Saudi Public Investment Fund, and the Qatar Investment Authority, have increasingly focused on boosting local investments in the first half of 2025.
The GCC sovereign funds demonstrated a notable improvement in the global governance, sustainability, and resilience (GSR) index, with the average score rising from 32% in 2020 to 48% in 2025.
The Saudi Public Investment Fund led the index with a score of 100%, alongside Singapore’s Temasek, the New Zealand Superannuation Fund, and the Irish Strategic Investment Fund.
The report clarified that Gulf funds contributed 36% of the total global sovereign investments in the first half of 2025, compared to 32% in the second half of 2024, indicating their rising influence in shaping the global economic landscape.