(MENAFN- Mid-East Info) Regional cybersecurity spending to double by 2030 from Dh 60.6 billion in 2024, with the UAE's AI-driven security market growing more than fourfold to exceed Dh19.6 billion.

Dubai, Nov 20 – Cybersecurity spending across the Gulf is projected to surpass Dh120 billion by 2030, as artificial intelligence, sovereign cloud strategies, and hyperscale data infrastructure redefine the region's digital future, according to a new report from Grand View Research, Cyber Resilience in the Gulf: Where Technology Meets Sovereign Risk (2025 Edition).

As both UAE and Saudi Arabia fast-track their digital transformation agendas under UAE Net Zero 2050 and Vision 2030, the new report finds that the region's ambitious infrastructure buildout – spanning national data centers, AI clusters, and cloud corridors – is fueling an unprecedented wave of investment in cyber resilience and data sovereignty.

“The Gulf's digital leap has been extraordinary – but it's also created a new kind of interdependence,” said Swayam Dash, Managing Director of Grand View Research.“Cyber resilience has evolved from a technical discipline to a sovereign capability – it now defines how nations sustain growth, attract capital, and maintain public trust.”

UAE and Saudi anchor a new model of sovereign resilience

Together accounting for over 60% of the region's cybersecurity expenditure, the two nations are transforming digital protection into a cornerstone of national policy.

In the UAE, cybersecurity investments are being channeled toward AI-driven threat intelligence, zero-trust frameworks, and sovereign cloud ecosystems – a key focus of the country's Cybersecurity Strategy 2025-31. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA) and SDAIA are embedding data protection and cyber readiness across industrial and infrastructure projects tied to Vision 2030.

“The Gulf's new digital infrastructure – from hyperscale data centers to AI-powered governance – is the backbone of its economic transformation,” Dash noted.“Securing it is no longer optional; it's the new definition of economic sovereignty.”

From firewalls to frameworks

According to Grand View Research, the region's cybersecurity approach is shifting from network defense to institutionalized resilience through policy, collaboration, and redundancy. Key milestones include the ADGM Cyber Risk Management Framework (2025), integrating cyber continuity into financial regulation, Saudi Central Bank's cyber stress-testing regime, simulating real-world digital disruption and cross-border CERT intelligence sharing, creating early-warning systems across GCC nations.

“The Gulf's greatest advantage is its ability to move as one,” Dash added.“Unified governance allows GCC nations to integrate cybersecurity, business continuity and defense into a single sovereign doctrine.”

Cyber resilience as an economic benchmark

As the line between cyber disruption and economic disruption narrows, investors are beginning to treat digital resilience as a new form of sovereign credit. Gulf banks now include cyber metrics in ESG disclosures, while regulators view system uptime as a proxy for fiscal stability.

“Technology can be imported – resilience must be built,” Dash concluded.“The Gulf's next global advantage won't come from faster networks, but from networks that never fail.”

The MEA cybersecurity sector, according to the study, generated USD 16.5 billion (AED 60.6 billion) in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 32.9 billion (AED 120.7 billion) by 2030, expanding at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.5% between 2025 and 2030.

In the UAE, the IT & telecom cybersecurity market is set to grow from USD 333.2 million (Dh 1.22 billion) to USD 740.1 million (Dh 2.72 billion) by 2030 – a 14.5% CAGR while the country's AI in cybersecurity market will skyrocket from USD 1.2 billion (Dh 4.4 billion) to USD 5.36 billion (Dh 19.7 billion) by 2030, expanding at a 27.4% CAGR, the fastest in the region.

In Saudi Arabia, AI-based cybersecurity revenue is projected to jump from USD 1.25 billion (Dh 4.59 billion) to USD 4.49 billion (Dh 16.47 billion) by 2030, at a 22.8% CAGR.

From Firewalls to Frameworks

“The Gulf's strategy has matured from protecting networks to institutionalising resilience through regulation, coordination, and redundancy,” said Dash while talking about recent milestones like ADGM Cyber Risk Management Framework (July 2025) – mandating continuity integration for all financial firms, Saudi Central Bank's stress-testing regime – simulating real-world cyber shocks and Cross-border CERT intelligence sharing – building regional early-warning systems.

“The Gulf's biggest advantage is its ability to move as one,” Dash noted.“Unified governance allows GCC nations to integrate cybersecurity, business continuity, and defense into a single sovereign doctrine.”

Zero-Trust and Training: Building Indigenous Capacity

The UAE zero-trust market – emphasizing continuous identity verification – is forecast to grow from USD 326.2 million (Dh 1.2 billion) to USD 944.9 million (Dh 3.47 billion) by 2030.

The MEA cybersecurity training market will expand from USD 405.9 million (Dh 1.49 billion) in 2023 to USD 1.36 billion (Dh 4.99 billion) by 2030, reflecting a regional drive to build local expertise and sovereign data control.

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