The UAE has been named the world's most advanced market for digital trade readiness, according to Standard Chartered's latest“Future of Trade: Digitisation” report - a distinction that reflects the country's rapid acceleration in digital infrastructure, regulatory innovation and corporate adoption of advanced technologies.

The study, which surveyed 1,200 multinationals across 17 global markets, positions the UAE at the forefront of the shift to smarter, faster and more resilient cross-border trade. While cloud computing remains the strongest catalyst for transformation - identified as essential by an extraordinary ninety-seven per cent of UAE corporates - the country is also emerging as a global leader in areas such as digital assets, blockchain-enabled settlement frameworks and tokenised trade instruments.

Digital asset adoption is already at 68 per cent among UAE corporates, one of the highest levels recorded globally, reflecting the country's early embrace of blockchain in supply chain visibility, invoice verification and trade finance. Augmented and virtual reality capabilities have reached forty-three per cent adoption, while artificial intelligence sits at 36 per cent, signalling growing maturity in the use of immersive technologies and intelligent automation across logistics, procurement, customer engagement and risk management.

Some 96 per cent of businesses surveyed expressed strong support for more Digital Economy Agreements to harmonise cross-border digital standards, reinforcing the UAE's position as a champion of rules-based, technology-enabled trade flows.

Standard Chartered's regional trade head Syed Khurrum Zaeem said the UAE had“created one of the most advanced digital ecosystems in the world, where policy, infrastructure and corporate ambition work together to drive rapid innovation.” He said that UAE businesses are deploying emerging technologies“with a level of confidence and scale that sets the country apart as a global benchmark in digital trade development.”

The findings reflect the UAE's long-term national strategies, which prioritise advanced digital systems across government and industry. Artificial intelligence adoption, for instance, has surged since the creation of the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence, while the country's digital infrastructure ranks among the world's strongest.

According to the UN's 2024 E-Government Development Index, the UAE ranks within the top 15 globally, supported by strong broadband penetration, advanced mobile connectivity and nationwide digital ID systems. This national digital backbone is further demonstrated by internal corporate capability: seventy-three per cent of UAE corporates lead their digital transformation efforts in house, reducing dependence on foreign expertise and accelerating domestic talent development in cloud engineering, cybersecurity, AI modelling and blockchain architecture.

Momentum continued in November 2025 with the launch of the UAE Global Centre of Trade, an ambitious programme designed to attract 1,000 of the world's top trading companies to the Emirates. Anchored by the Ministry of Foreign Trade, the initiative aims to deepen the UAE's role as a global trade hub while advancing the national Vision 2030 diversification agenda and Net Zero 2050 goals. The strategy integrates technology into every layer of trade activity - from a new AI-powered digital export portal to training programmes expected to support more than 10,000 UAE companies in scaling internationally.

The UAE's commitment to sustainable, tech-enabled commerce extends to its support for SMEs and startups, with new financing channels, mentorship platforms and incentives aimed at boosting entrepreneurship and green trade solutions. Dedicated programmes such as Traders of the Future and the Young Traders Programme are being rolled out to build a new generation of Emirati trade professionals fluent in digital tools, global markets and low-carbon logistics. This talent pipeline complements the country's broader push to embed AI and advanced analytics into trade forecasting, risk assessment and supply chain optimisation.

Sustainability is becoming a central pillar of the UAE's trade architecture. As the world shifts towards cleaner business practices, the country is integrating environmental and social standards into its trade strategies - encouraging low-carbon manufacturing, green logistics and responsible sourcing. This aligns with the UAE's broader commitment to climate action, showcased when it hosted COP28 and reaffirmed its pledge to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. Digitalisation plays a critical role here: by reducing redundant documentation, streamlining customs processes and using data-driven shipment planning, the UAE is cutting waste and lowering the carbon footprint of trade flows.

The Standard Chartered report underscores what many global observers have noted in recent years: the UAE has evolved from a regional trade hub into a global leader in digital commerce.

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