93% rise in luxury deals signals Dubai’s new era of strategic wealth

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With 13,000 new millionaires relocating to Dubai in 2024 and transactions of properties valued at AED 10M+ nearly doubling in 2025, Dubai is fast becoming the world’s go-to market for discerning, long term capital and record deals are proving it. 

A sharp rise in demand for high-end, spacious residences is reshaping Dubai’s luxury real estate market, as global investors prioritise stability, strategic growth and long-term value over short-term speculation.

This shift is exemplified by a record AED 168 million luxury five-bedroom full floor residence deal closed by haus & haus Off Plan Director, Paul Sharland, now one of the top 10 most expensive apartment sales ever recorded in Dubai.

While global markets grapple with uncertainty, Dubai’s ultra-prime segment continues to attract confident capital.

“There’s a gap between perception and reality,” said Sharland. “The clients I work with aren’t pulling back, they’re being more selective, yes, but they’re doubling down on Dubai and thinking big.”

The AED 167M sale was one of three major acquisitions concluded by Sharland in Q2 2025 on behalf of the same international buyer, following an AED 30M villa on Palm Jumeirah and a subsequent AED 52M purchase – reinforcing haus & haus’s reputation for facilitating high-level deals with discretion and expertise.

According to Sharland, the market’s surge reflects a shift in how serious investors assess opportunity:  

“Investors are clearly focused on fundamentals: policy, infrastructure and where the city’s putting its money. For serious capital, this isn’t a numbers game anymore. It’s a value game.” 
 

The new migration of wealth 

UBS data from their Global Wealth Report 2025 reinforces Dubai’s momentum. In 2024, the UAE saw the second highest global increase in USD millionaires, a 5.8% rise that added 13,000 new millionaires in just one year.

According to Henley & Partners’ Private Wealth Migration Report 2025, that trajectory is only accelerating. A record 142,000 millionaires are expected to relocate globally this year, and the UAE is set to attract the largest net inflow, an estimated 9,800 high-net-worth individuals. That’s more than any other country worldwide.

By contrast, the UK is forecast to lose 16,500 millionaires in 2025 (the highest net outflow globally) while China (-7,800), India (-3,500) and Russia (-1,500) are also set to report major losses. The movement underscores a decisive shift toward jurisdictions offering legal certainty, tax optimisation and sovereign stability.