Abu Dhabi Named World's Leading Improver In JLL's 2026 Global Real Estate Transparency Index

(MENAFN- Mid-East Info) Emirate rises eight places to 33rd globally as ADREC sets ambition to place Abu Dhabi among the world's 25 most transparent real estate markets by 2030 Borderless Finance. AI-Native.

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Key Takeaways:

Advancing to 33rd globally in 2026 from 41st in 2024, Abu Dhabi is the world's most improved market in real estate transparency ADREC's rollout of publicly accessible dashboards, unit-level interactive maps and open APIs has elevated market clarity for investors ADREC has set an ambition to position Abu Dhabi among the world's 25 most transparent real estate markets by 2030, while continuing to push for strong progress against global peers To sustain this momentum, Abu Dhabi must target advanced AI-driven market intelligence, expanded data for alternative sectors such as data centres and life sciences, and stricter building performance standards

ABU DHABI,September 2026 – Abu Dhabi has been recognised as the world's leading improver in JLL's 2026 Global Real Estate Transparency Index (GRETI), rising eight places from 41st in 2024 to 33rd globally with a composite score of 2.42, and topping the list of 88 countries and 146 city markets evaluated across 260 distinct factors. The emirate's strides in transparency reflect its sustained progress and growing competitiveness in governance, regulatory maturity and market institutionalisation.

This is driven directly by a strategic focus on economic diversification and the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre's (ADREC)s comprehensive digital transformation. Key initiatives that have elevated the benchmark for clarity in Abu Dhabi's real estate market include the launch of publicly accessible dashboards for real-time property and market data, interactive maps detailing unit-level transactions and service charges, and open APIs enabling seamless data integration.

Combined with the government's focus on strengthening regulatory frameworks to safeguard investor interests and digitising services as part of its long-term institutionalisation strategy, these measures have secured Abu Dhabi's position among the Gulf region's transparency leaders alongside Dubai and Saudi Arabia. Expanding this data availability and ensuring a secure, structured framework supports a more predictable investment journey, boosting the emirate's appeal as a prime destination for global capital.

The next stage will continue to focus on access to trusted market information, digital real estate services and transactions, and the areas where Abu Dhabi can make further progress against the global benchmark.

Rashed Al Omaira, Director General of Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC), said:“Being recognised as the world's leading improver in real estate transparency is an important achievement for Abu Dhabi and a measure of the progress made across the market. That progress has been built on stronger governance, investor protection and better access to trusted market information. The next phase will be defined by what markets can do with that information. The markets that lead in transparency will increasingly be those that can turn trusted data into earlier insight on demand, risk and performance. At ADREC, our focus is to use advanced analytics and AI to deepen that market intelligence and support better long-term decisions as we work to place Abu Dhabi among the world's 25 most transparent real estate markets by 2030.”

To further cement its position among top global markets, Abu Dhabi must focus on deepening its competitive advantages through enhanced AI adoption and technology-driven analytics, which are a differentiating factor of highly transparent markets. This includes expanding data availability across alternative sectors such as data centres, life sciences, and student housing, where transparency remains very low. These segments now account for 20% of global transaction volumes, and the expanding investable universe heightens the need for higher-quality, comparable data to make informed decisions and manage risk.

By strengthening building performance standards and energy transparency frameworks, Abu Dhabi can further align with highly transparent global markets, where mandatory disclosures and resilience planning are standard.

Mouhammad Takieddin, CEO – Middle East and Africa at JLL, said:“Real estate transparency is crucial to attract foreign investment. Capital flows where there is clarity, strong digital infrastructure, and reliable data. Abu Dhabi's rapid rise in global competitiveness and market maturity demonstrates the success of an economic vision built on institutional stability, giving global investors the confidence to deploy capital at scale.”

James Allan, Country CEO – UAE, Egypt & Africa at JLL, said:“Abu Dhabi's progress in enforcing strict corporate governance and leveraging technology for reliable data provides the risk mitigation institutional investors require. This reflects ADREC's commitment to building a more transparent ecosystem. By enhancing global trust and embracing the advanced tech adoption that defines highly transparent markets, Abu Dhabi's achievement gives investors the confidence to assess opportunities and make long-term decisions in a rapidly maturing landscape.”

GRETI 2026 highlighted a global flight to transparency, with two-thirds of surveyed markets improving their scores. Globally, investment is increasingly concentrated in transparent operating environments, with transaction volumes in the 'Highly Transparent' markets surging 64% over the past two years, capturing over 80% of global direct real estate investment.

The report also highlights broader global shifts transforming commercial real estate, as over 90% of occupiers and investors now deploy AI tools to analyse vast and disparate datasets, bringing unprecedented levels of transparency to portfolio analysis, optimisation strategy, and capital planning.

Produced jointly by JLL and LaSalle Investment Management, GRETI has been charting the evolution of global real estate transparency since 1999. Updated every two years, the 14th edition is based on a comprehensive survey of the availability and quality of performance benchmarks and market data, governance structures, regulatory and legal environments, transaction processes, and sustainability instruments.

FAQs

How does Abu Dhabi's progress compare to broader global trends?

Abu Dhabi's advancement aligns with a global“flight to transparency,” where investment is increasingly concentrated in highly regulated, transparent operating environments. Globally, the most transparent markets captured over 80% of direct real estate investment over the last two years. By providing the visibility that global investors demand through transparent regulation and reliable, up-to-date data, Abu Dhabi is strengthening transparency and governance within the real estate market.

How does improved transparency benefit international investors looking at Abu Dhabi?

Heightened transparency and open access to real-time market data mitigate risk for investors, making Abu Dhabi highly attractive to institutional capital seeking stable operating environments. Clearer regulatory frameworks and improved data access elevate Abu Dhabi to a premier, top-tier destination for global real estate investment.

What broader shifts are impacting the global commercial real estate market?

The commercial real estate sector is becoming vastly more operationally intensive due to the rapid integration of AI tools, a shift toward alternative assets like data centres, and a growing focus on energy resilience. Markets that provide clear regulatory and data infrastructures are best equipped to navigate these structural disruptions.

How is Artificial Intelligence impacting the commercial real estate landscape?

With over 90% of occupiers and investors now using AI, the technology is driving unprecedented transparency by analysing vast, fragmented datasets to predict market opportunities and optimise portfolios. However, this rapid adoption is also widening the gap between the most transparent and least transparent markets, making AI infrastructure a critical competitive advantage.

How can commercial real estate investors and occupiers adapt to the growing focus on energy resilience and cost?

They should develop a clear asset-by-asset management plan for energy needs and support retrofits and renovations to fill the supply gap. Investors and occupiers with high power needs should also build clear visibility into grid capacity, bottlenecks and constraints during site selection. Additionally, building asset-level data on the income potential of on-site power generation, battery storage, and smart meters can help turn energy use from a pure cost into a predictable source of income.

About The Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre ADREC:

The Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC) was established in November 2023 as an affiliate of the Department of Municipalities and Transport, with the mission to accelerate growth across the emirate's real estate ecosystem. ADREC unifies and strengthens the real estate sector in Abu Dhabi through a comprehensive regulatory framework to enhance the efficiency of the sector, strengthen oversight, increase transparency, and support residents, investors, real estate companies, and professionals. ADREC's strategy is centred around enhancing supply and growing demand through its four key sectors: Real Estate Strategy, Real Estate Promotion, Real Estate Regulation, and Real Estate Transactions Management.

About JLL:

JLL (NYSE:JLL) is a leading global commercial real estate services and investment management company with annual revenue of $26.1 billion, operations in over 80 countries and a global workforce of more than 112,000 as of June 30, 2026. For over 200 years, clients have trusted JLL, a Fortune 500® company, to help them confidently buy, build, occupy, manage and invest across a variety of industries and property types, including office, industrial, hotel, multi-family, retail and data centre properties. Driven by our purpose to shape the future of real estate for a better world, we help our clients, people and communities SEE A BRIGHTER WAY. Powered by rich global datasets and leading technology capabilities, we provide coordinated, end-to-end delivery of real estate services for a broad range of global clients who represent a wide variety of industries. Through LaSalle Investment Management, we invest for clients on a global basis in both private assets and publicly traded real estate securities. For further information, visit jll.

About JLL MEA:

Across the Middle East and Africa (MEA) JLL is a leading player in the real estate and hospitality services markets. The firm has worked in 35 countries across the region and employs over 1800 internationally qualified professionals across its offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar, Cairo, Casablanca, Cape Town, Johannesburg and Nairobi.

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