Best online brokers in Dubai & the UAE (2026)

Interactive Brokers is one of the most reliable brokers in the market. Founded in 1978 and listed on Nasdaq, it is regulated by many top-tier authorities, including the SEC and the FCA, and joined the S&P 500 in 2025. For the Emirates market, it accepts UAE dirhams (AED) as an account currency.

It offers several platforms: Trader Workstation (TWS), Client Portal, IBKR Mobile and IBKR GlobalTrader, the simpler mobile app for beginners. All give access to stocks, ETFs, options and other instruments with low costs and strong execution through IB SmartRouting.

IBKR does not offer a dedicated Islamic account. However, if you use a cash account rather than margin, you are not charged interest.

On the downside, IBKR’s fee structure is complex, the registration process is long (though fully online) and there is no commission-free trading. Even so, once you count FX fees, spreads and the stock lending programme, clients often pay less than at most brokers.

Read our Interactive Brokers review to find out more.

Sarwa is a Dubai-based investment company regulated by the DFSA, with four main products:

• Sarwa Save: a cash account that earns a return on uninvested balances.
• Sarwa Trade: a self-directed account for US stocks, ETFs and options.
• Sarwa Invest: a robo-advisor that builds and manages ETF portfolios.
• Sarwa Crypto: an account for trading cryptocurrencies.

It is known for low fees, transparency and its signup bonus, and suits beginners and anyone who prefers a locally regulated provider.

Sarwa Invest builds portfolios from low-cost ETFs for 0.5% to 0.8% a year depending on portfolio size, plus around 0.1% in underlying fund costs. You can choose Conventional, Halal, Socially Responsible or Crypto plans, each with six risk levels.

Sarwa Save has no minimum balance or management fee on the standard version, with variable rates linked to market conditions, so check the current figure on Sarwa’s site. The Halal version carries a 0.5% management fee. Sarwa Crypto charges no commission but applies a 0.75% spread.

Sarwa Trade covers US-listed stocks, ETFs and options, with fractional shares but no margin. Sarwa also offers consultations with licensed advisers, charges nothing for transfers from local UAE banks and applies fixed AED to USD conversion rates.

On the downside, there are no bonds and no shares listed outside the US, and Sarwa is a newer company than most names on this list.

eToro was founded in 2007 and is known for its social trading features. It has been listed on Nasdaq (ticker: ETOR) since its May 2025 IPO, and offers thousands of assets, including stocks, ETFs, crypto and CFDs.

Its web and mobile platform lets you discuss markets with other investors, copy their strategies through CopyTrader and practise with a demo account.

You can buy commission-free stocks from the US, the UK, Germany and other markets, with fractional shares. eToro also offers an Islamic (swap-free and interest-free) account to clients who contact customer service and fund their account with at least $1,000.

On safety, eToro is regulated by top-tier authorities such as the FCA and ASIC, client funds are segregated, and eligible clients are covered by private insurance of up to €1 million. Read more in our article on the safety of eToro.

eToro suits beginners and experienced investors alike, which makes it one of the best online brokers in the UAE. Read our eToro review to learn more.

Founded in 2002 and listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange, XTB serves UAE clients through XTB MENA Limited, authorised and regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (licence F006316). It offers an Islamic (swap-free) account for UAE residents.

You invest through xStation 5 and its mobile app across stocks, ETFs and CFDs on forex, indices, commodities and crypto, with 0% commission on stocks and ETFs up to a monthly turnover limit (0.2% above it). A 0.5% currency conversion fee applies when you buy assets in another currency.

Between commission-free share dealing, no minimum deposit, the Islamic account and a free demo account, XTB is a solid choice for newer and experienced investors in the UAE. On the downside, MetaTrader is no longer available and a monthly inactivity fee applies after a year without trading.

Read our XTB review to find out more.

CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. A high percentage of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.

amana is a UAE-based brokerage with more than 15 years in the markets. Headquartered in Dubai, it gives investors in the Middle East access to local and global markets from a single app and serves around 500,000 users. New users get a $100 bonus with the promo code “IITW“.

You can trade with 0% commission on US and international stocks, ETFs, crypto (325+ coins) and MENA shares*, plus leveraged products such as forex and commodities.

For a hands-off approach, amana invest builds diversified portfolios through automated plans. Active traders get 24/5 US stock trading, cashback of up to 20% on every trade and fractional shares, so you can buy part of a high-priced share such as Apple or Tesla with a small amount.

On the downside, the product range leaves out bonds and options, and the offering is focused on the region.

One important point on regulation: although amana promotes its UAE presence through Amana Financial Services (Dubai) Ltd, clients who open an account in the amana app contract with AFS Global Limited, licensed by the Labuan Financial Services Authority (LFSA) in Malaysia. Client funds are held in segregated accounts under LFSA rules, but the app is not a DFSA-regulated product, so DFSA protections do not apply to app users, even in the UAE.

Founded in 2016, Capital.com is a CFD platform that has grown quickly thanks to its commission-free model and its technology. It reported $3.42 trillion in client trading volume in 2025, up 92% year on year, across 224.8 million trades, with the Middle East accounting for around half of the activity. It offers 4,500+ CFDs on forex, shares, indices, commodities and crypto.

For UAE investors, the standout advantage is the ability to deposit and withdraw in AED without fees (other fees may apply). You can trade through its own web and mobile app, which include AI-driven insights and risk management tools, or through TradingView and MT4, where you can automate strategies.

A free demo account is available, and Capital.com offers Islamic accounts. Support is Dubai-based, available 24/7 in English and in Arabic from 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.

Capital.com charges no commission on trades. Its cost is the spread, which varies with market conditions, and you get part of it back each month as a rebate.

On the downside, Capital.com is not suitable if you want traditional investments such as real shares, ETFs or bonds: everything is a CFD.

Its UAE arm, Capital Com MENA Securities Trading LLC, holds a Category 1 licence (No. 20200000176) from the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) and has a local office in Dubai.

Plus500 was founded in 2008 and is listed on the London Stock Exchange (ticker: PLUS). In the UAE it operates through Plus500AE Ltd, authorised and regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (licence F005651). It offers a mobile app and the WebTrader platform, both easy to use, with a free demo account.

One important limitation: from the UAE you can only use Plus500 CFD, so you never own the underlying asset. CFDs are leveraged products with a much higher risk of loss than owning shares, and they are not suited to long-term investing.

Plus500 offers Islamic (swap-free) accounts, competitive spreads and accounts in 16 currencies including AED, so you can hold dirhams and avoid conversion on every deposit. It charges a currency conversion fee of up to 0.7% and a $10 monthly inactivity fee after three months without activity, and applies negative balance protection.

Read our full Plus500 review to learn more.

Saxo is a Danish bank founded in 1992. Since 2026 it has been majority-owned by the Swiss private bank J. Safra Sarasin, which holds about 71%, while founder Kim Fournais keeps roughly 28% and chairs the board. It suits both active traders and long-term investors, with more than 70,000 instruments across two platforms.

SaxoInvestor is the simple web and mobile platform for long-term investing in stocks, ETFs, funds and bonds, with portfolio tracking, curated themes and accessible research.

SaxoTrader is the advanced platform, on web, mobile and desktop, covering the full product range including margin and leveraged instruments. The desktop version adds multi-screen workspaces (up to six), Depth Trader with Level 2 order book data and time-and-sales data. One account gives you access to both.

Saxo’s educational content, competitive pricing and range of assets earn it a place on this list. Note that a custody fee can apply to stock, ETF and bond positions depending on your country and account tier, and it can usually be avoided by opting into securities lending. UAE clients should also check the current minimum funding requirement directly with Saxo, since it varies by entity and has changed in recent years.