8 best stock brokers in the UAE: fees, features and top picks (global and local)

_{Disclaimer: When investing, your capital is at risk and you may get back less than you invested. Past performance doesn’t guarantee future results. Always use a regulated broker and check its fees before you trade.}

Buying UAE shares used to mean opening an account at a bank broker. That changed in December 2025, when Interactive Brokers added the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) and the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) to the same account its clients use for US stocks. eToro also offers both exchanges, at $2 a trade.

The bank brokers have moved too. ADCB Securities, long a local-only broker, now lists US and UK stocks and ETFs on its fee schedule.

This guide compares the 8 best stock brokers in the UAE, global and local, on the things that decide your costs: commissions, currency conversion, market access and the entity that holds your account. We checked every fee on the brokers’ own websites.

Best stock brokers in the UAE: a quick overview

• Interactive Brokers (IBKR): Best overall, with very low commissions, AED funding through FAB and direct trading on ADX and DFM. It can be complex for beginners.
• Sarwa: Best UAE-based broker for beginners, with $1 trades on US stocks and automated portfolios.
• eToro: Best for social trading, with ADGM regulation and UAE stocks on ADX and DFM. eToro offers welcome bonuses for UAE users.
• amana: Best for MENA shares, with 0% commission on US and regional stocks. New users can get a bonus with our amana promo code.
• XTB: Best for 0% commission on stocks and ETFs up to €100,000 of monthly turnover. Check the current XTB free shares offer.
• Trading 212: Best for commission-free investing in fractional shares, with interest on uninvested cash. Other fees may apply.

Looking mainly for UAE-listed shares?

• ADCB Securities: Best for ADCB customers who want ADX, DFM and Nasdaq Dubai, now with US and UK stocks too.
• Emirates NBD Securities: Best for Emirates NBD customers, with ADX, DFM, Nasdaq Dubai and the Saudi exchange (Tadawul).
• Interactive Brokers (IBKR): Also trades ADX and DFM, from 0.10% per order.

_{⚠️ Some brokers target UAE residents without a licence. Check our broker warning list before you open an account.}

Fee comparison

Here are the trading costs for each broker above, as listed on their own websites:

^{Fees checked on each broker’s website on 7 November 2026}

Two charges to watch

• Currency conversion fee: the percentage you pay each time your AED is converted into the currency of the share you buy, and again when you convert back. On a AED 10,000 deposit, a 0.75% fee costs AED 75. At 2.2%, it costs AED 220.
• Custody fee: a monthly, quarterly or yearly charge some brokers take for holding your shares. None of the eight brokers here charges one on a standard account.

Which stock broker should you choose?

If you invest larger amounts or want professional tools, Interactive Brokers is the strongest choice. Its US commissions start at $0.35 an order, its currency conversion costs 0.002% and it now covers ADX and DFM.

For beginners who want a simple app, eToro, Sarwa, XTB and Trading 212 all work. Compare their currency conversion fees first, because that is where most of the cost sits for an AED investor.

If UAE shares are the priority, the bank brokers ADCB Securities and Emirates NBD Securities are convenient for their own customers. Their commissions are higher: 0.275% plus AED 10 on a DFM order, against 0.25% at IBKR and $2 at eToro.

⚠️ Many platforms that advertise in the UAE, such as Pepperstone, Plus500, Equiti or Capital.com, mainly offer CFDs and forex. CFDs are leveraged and most retail traders lose money with them. They are not a tool for long-term stock or ETF investing.

How we chose the best stock brokers

We looked at three things that shape your experience and your returns.

1. Regulation and the entity that holds your account

We picked brokers licensed in the UAE or with a regulated presence here, and checked which entity actually opens your account. A regulated entity must keep client money segregated and gives you a route to complain. Our guide to financial regulation in the UAE explains the CMA, the DFSA and the FSRA.

2. Market access (global and local)

The right broker depends on what you want to buy. Some platforms are strongest on US stocks and ETFs, others on Europe or Asia. Local brokers give you direct access to shares listed on ADX, DFM and Nasdaq Dubai.

3. Fees and commissions

We compared commissions, currency conversion, deposit and withdrawal costs, custody and inactivity fees. A $0 commission can still hide a 2% conversion cost on every AED deposit, so we list both.

With these criteria in mind, here is each broker in detail.

1. Interactive Brokers

• Minimum deposit: $0
• US stock trading fees: IBKR Pro Tiered from $0.0035 per share (min $0.35 per order). IBKR Pro Fixed $0.005 per share (min $1.00)
• UAE stock trading fees: ADX 0.10%, DFM 0.25% (min AED 5), plus exchange fees
• Currency conversion fee: 0.002% (min $2)
• Regulator: DFSA
• Deposit and withdrawal methods: Local AED transfer through First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), bank wire
• Access to local markets: Yes (ADX and DFM since December 2025)

Interactive Brokers has operated since 1978 and is listed on Nasdaq. It serves UAE clients through its DFSA-regulated branch in the DIFC.

Two changes made it more practical for UAE residents. Local AED funding through FAB replaced costly SWIFT wires. And since 9 December 2025, clients can trade ADX and DFM shares from the same account they use for US or European markets.

Also read: Interactive Brokers review

Features

• Stocks from over 150 markets in one account, the widest coverage on this list.
• Trader Workstation (TWS) for advanced analysis and algorithmic trading, or the simpler IBKR GlobalTrader app for everyday investing.
• Low margin rates and interest on uninvested cash above $10,000 (or AED 35,000).

Fees and commissions

On the IBKR Pro Tiered plan, US stocks cost $0.0035 per share for up to 300,000 shares a month, falling to $0.0020, $0.0015, $0.0010 and $0.0005 at higher volumes, with a $0.35 minimum per order. The IBKR Pro Fixed plan charges $0.005 per share with a $1.00 minimum. Both plans cap the commission at 1% of the trade value. IBKR Lite, the $0 plan, is only for US residents.

UAE shares cost 0.10% on ADX and 0.25% on DFM, with a minimum of AED 5 per order, plus exchange fees. Currency conversion costs 0.002% with a $2 minimum, so converting AED 10,000 to dollars costs the $2 minimum rather than a percentage.

• Fixed pricing: one commission per share that includes exchange and regulatory fees. Simple to predict.
• Tiered pricing: a lower base commission that falls as your monthly volume rises, with exchange, clearing and regulatory fees added on top. Usually cheaper for active traders.

Pros

• Some of the lowest commissions in the industry
• Interest on uninvested cash above $10,000
• Professional research and analysis tools
• UAE-listed stocks on ADX and DFM in the same account
• Free local AED funding through FAB

Cons

• Trader Workstation can overwhelm beginners
• Account opening takes longer than at app-based brokers
• No interest on cash below $10,000

2. Sarwa

• Minimum deposit: $500 (Sarwa Trade)
• Stock trading fees: $1 or 0.25% per trade, whichever is higher
• Other fees: Sarwa Invest: 0.4% to 0.85% a year, with a $7 monthly minimum
• Regulator: FSRA (ADGM)
• Deposit and withdrawal methods: Local AED bank transfer
• Access to local markets: No (US stocks and ETFs only)

Sarwa is a UAE investment platform launched in 2018. It started as a robo-advisor and later added Sarwa Trade for investors who want to pick their own US stocks, ETFs and options.

Features

• Sarwa Invest builds a diversified ETF portfolio from a short questionnaire about your goals and risk level.
• Sarwa Trade lets you buy US stocks, ETFs and options in a simple app, with fractional shares.
• Sarwa Save pays an estimated return of up to 3.8% on cash, before its 0.5% annual fee. The rate is variable.
• As a UAE company, Sarwa takes local AED transfers at no cost.

Fees and commissions

Sarwa Trade charges $1 or 0.25% of the trade value, whichever is higher. A $400 trade costs $1, and a $2,000 trade costs $5. Sarwa Invest charges 0.4% to 0.85% a year, with a $7 monthly minimum that weighs heavily on small accounts: $84 a year on a $5,000 portfolio is 1.7%.

Pros

• No inactivity, custody or withdrawal fees
• Low commission on small US trades
• A clean, simple app for beginners
• Sign-up bonus with this Sarwa promo code

Cons

• Sarwa Trade covers only US markets
• No advanced charting or conditional order types
• The $7 monthly minimum makes Sarwa Invest expensive for small portfolios

Read our Sarwa review for more detail.

3. eToro

• Minimum deposit: $100 (about AED 367)
• Stock trading fees: $1 per trade, $2 on ADX and DFM, $0 on ETFs
• Currency conversion fee: 0.75% via online banking. 820 pips (about 2.2%) via card or bank wire
• Other fees: $5 withdrawal fee, no inactivity fee
• Regulator: FSRA (ADGM)
• Deposit and withdrawal methods: Bank transfer, online banking, debit and credit card, e-wallets
• Access to local markets: Yes (ADX and DFM)

eToro made its name with social trading and remains popular with UAE investors. It serves them through eToro (ME) Limited, licensed by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Abu Dhabi Global Market.

Also read: eToro review

Features

• CopyTrader lets you copy the portfolios of other investors in real time.
• Thousands of global stocks and ETFs, plus Smart Portfolios that bundle themes such as technology or renewable energy.
• UAE stocks on ADX and DFM in the same account as your US shares.
• Interest on USD cash for users outside Europe: 0.75% from $10,000, rising to 3.80% from $250,000.

Fees and commissions

eToro charges a flat $1 per stock trade, $2 on ADX and DFM and $0 on ETFs, whatever the order size.

The main cost is currency conversion. Deposits through the online banking method cost 0.75%, but card and bank wire deposits cost 820 pips, about 2.2% at a USD/AED rate of 3.67. On AED 10,000, that is AED 75 against AED 220, so the deposit method matters more than the commission.

Withdrawals cost $5 (minimum $30). eToro no longer charges an inactivity fee.

Pros

• Simple, intuitive app for beginners
• Social trading to learn from other investors
• A free $100,000 virtual portfolio to practise
• Welcome bonus for new UAE users

Cons

• AED conversion is expensive by card or bank wire (about 2.2%)
• $5 fee on every withdrawal
• Interest on cash only starts at $10,000

4. amana

• Minimum deposit: $25
• Stock trading fees: 0% commission on US and MENA stocks (spreads apply)
• Other fees: Overnight financing on leveraged products, clearing fees on some regional shares
• Regulators: DFSA (Amana Financial Services (Dubai) Limited), CMA licence for promotion only, plus CySEC, LFSA and FSC
• Deposit and withdrawal methods: Local AED bank transfer, cards, crypto
• Access to local markets: Yes (UAE, Saudi and other MENA exchanges)

amana is a Dubai-based broker that started as Amana Capital in 2010 and later moved to a single mobile app. It lets you buy US and international stocks, ETFs and MENA shares, plus 375+ crypto assets, in one account.

Check which entity you sign up with. The DFSA has published a clarification that the amana app is not a product of the DFSA-regulated company, and that app users are clients of AFS Global Limited, regulated by the Labuan Financial Services Authority in Malaysia.

Fees and commissions

amana charges no commission on most stocks, ETFs and crypto. It earns mainly from spreads, which it says are up to 70% lower than market averages. Leveraged CFD positions held overnight pay a financing fee, and clearing fees can apply on regional shares depending on the exchange.

Pros

• 0% commission on US and MENA stocks
• Local, international and crypto assets in one app
• Arabic and English app with educational content and webinars
• Interest on idle cash
• Low $25 minimum deposit

Cons

• App users contract with an offshore entity (AFS Global, Labuan), not the DFSA-regulated company
• No mutual funds, bonds or listed options
• Support is not available around the clock

5. XTB

• Minimum deposit: None
• Stock trading fees: 0% up to €100,000 monthly turnover, then 0.2% (min €10)
• Currency conversion fee: 0.5%
• Other fees: €10 a month after one year without trading
• Regulators: DFSA, CMA
• Access to local markets: No

XTB is a European broker founded in 2002. In the UAE it holds a DFSA licence in the DIFC and a CMA licence for onshore clients.

Also read: XTB review

Features

• No commission on stocks and ETFs up to €100,000 of turnover a month.
• The xStation platform on web, desktop and mobile, known for speed and ease of use.
• Fractional investing from $10 per stock.

Fees and commissions

XTB charges 0% commission on stocks and ETFs up to €100,000 of monthly turnover. Above that, the fee is 0.2% with a €10 minimum. A 0.5% currency conversion fee applies when you deposit or trade in a currency other than your account’s base currency.

Pros

• No minimum deposit and no account opening fee
• 0% commission for most retail investors
• Fractional shares from $10

Cons

• 0.5% currency conversion fee
• €10 monthly fee after one year without trading
• No UAE-listed stocks

6. Trading 212

• Minimum deposit: $10
• Stock trading fees: 0% commission on stocks and ETFs. Other fees may apply
• Currency conversion fee: 0.15%
• Regulator: FCA (UK), through Trading 212 UK Limited
• Deposit and withdrawal methods: Card, bank transfer, Apple Pay and Google Pay
• Access to local markets: No

Trading 212 is a UK fintech broker known for commission-free investing and a simple mobile app. UAE residents are onboarded by Trading 212 UK Limited, regulated by the FCA, on a cross-border basis under UK rules. Trading 212 also has a DFSA-registered representative office in Dubai, which cannot provide financial services itself.

Also read: Trading 212 review

Features

• Fractional shares from $1, so you can buy part of an expensive stock.
• Interest on uninvested cash, with rates that vary by currency.
• A beginner-friendly app with a free demo account.

Fees and commissions

Trading 212 charges no commission on US, UK and European stocks and ETFs. Other fees may apply. See terms and fees. A 0.15% FX fee applies when converting funds, for example when you buy a US share from a GBP or EUR account.

_{When investing, your capital is at risk. If you enable interest, Trading 212 will hold your cash in qualifying money market funds and banks. Otherwise, your cash will be held only in banks. Interest applies on cash in an investment account. Terms apply.}

Pros

• No commission on stocks and ETFs (other fees may apply)
• Fractional shares from $1
• Account with the FCA-regulated UK entity, covered by the FSCS: up to £120,000 in the unlikely event of default, according to Trading 212
• Sponsored link: free fractional shares worth up to €100 with our Trading 212 promo code. The value is random and most shares are worth far less. Terms apply.

Cons

• No UAE licence, no AED account and no local bank transfer
• No UAE-listed stocks
• Limited product range: no bonds or listed options

7. ADCB Securities

• Minimum deposit: None stated (AED 200 account opening fee)
• UAE stock trading fees: ADX 0.15%. DFM and Nasdaq Dubai 0.275% + AED 10 per order
• International stock fees: US stocks and ETFs 0.23% (min $2). UK stocks and ETFs 0.25% (min $5, £5 or €5)
• Regulator: CMA
• Deposit and withdrawal methods: Local AED bank transfer
• Access to local markets: ADX, DFM, Nasdaq Dubai

ADCB Securities is the brokerage arm of Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, one of the largest banks in the UAE. It is licensed by the CMA as a trading and clearing broker.

Its fee schedule (version 6, September 2026) now covers US and UK stocks and ETFs as well as the three UAE exchanges, with free live market data until 31 December 2027.

Features

• All shares listed on ADX, DFM and Nasdaq Dubai, including Emaar, Aldar, the ADNOC companies and DP World.
• US and UK stocks and ETFs from the same account.
• Easy funding if you already bank with ADCB.
• Margin trading for eligible clients, at 10% a year.

Fees and commissions

A trade on ADX costs 0.15% of its value. On DFM and Nasdaq Dubai, the total is 0.275% plus AED 10 per executed order. A AED 20,000 DFM order therefore costs AED 65, before 5% VAT on most parts of the fee.

US stocks and ETFs cost 0.23% (min $2), and UK stocks 0.25% (min $5, £5 or €5). These fees exclude stamp duty and withholding tax. Opening an account costs AED 200, and a portfolio statement AED 50.

Pros

• No custody or monthly fee
• UAE, US and UK shares in one local account
• Convenient for existing ADCB customers
• Local support by phone and in branches

Cons

• 0.23% on US trades is far above IBKR or eToro
• AED 200 account opening fee
• No fractional shares

8. Emirates NBD Securities

• Minimum deposit: None stated
• Stock trading fees: ADX 0.15% + VAT. DFM 0.275% + VAT + AED 10.50. Nasdaq Dubai 0.23% + VAT + $3.15. Tadawul 0.1306% + VAT
• Regulator: CMA
• Deposit and withdrawal methods: Local AED bank transfer
• Access to local markets: ADX, DFM, Nasdaq Dubai, Tadawul

Emirates NBD Securities is the brokerage arm of Emirates NBD, the largest bank in Dubai. It covers the three UAE exchanges and the Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul), with online trading through its web platform and app.

Features

• All UAE-listed stocks across ADX, DFM and Nasdaq Dubai.
• Saudi shares on Tadawul from the same account.
• A commission calculator for each market on the fee page.

Fees and commissions

Commissions differ by market:

• ADX: 0.15% + VAT
• DFM: 0.275% + VAT, plus AED 10.50 per trade
• Nasdaq Dubai: 0.23% + VAT, plus $3.15 per trade
• Tadawul: 0.1306% + VAT

Other charges include AED 10.50 for a statement of account and AED 10.50 to transfer shares to another broker.

Pros

• Convenient for Emirates NBD customers
• Saudi shares alongside UAE markets
• Clear calculator for each market

Cons

• Commissions well above global brokers
• No US or European stocks on its fee schedule
• No fractional shares

Other alternatives

Three more brokers worth a look:

• IG: regulated by the DFSA (ref. F001780), with no commission, FX charge or custody fee on more than 10,000 shares and ETFs, for up to 100 trades a month.
• Swissquote: Swiss bank group that serves UAE clients through Swissquote MEA Ltd in the DIFC, regulated by the DFSA.
• Saxo: Danish bank with access to 50+ global markets. UAE clients contract with Saxo Bank A/S, supervised by the Danish FSA. Its Dubai office is a Central Bank of the UAE representative office and does not provide investment services itself.

Which stock broker in the UAE is best for you?

It depends on what you buy and how often.

For low commissions and the most exchanges, Interactive Brokers is hard to beat, and it now covers ADX and DFM from 0.10%. For beginners who want a simple app, eToro works well if you deposit through online banking (0.75% instead of about 2.2%). If you prefer a UAE company for US shares, Sarwa charges $1 on small trades.

For UAE-listed shares with local bank integration, ADCB Securities and Emirates NBD Securities are the bank options, at 0.15% on ADX and 0.275% plus a fixed fee on DFM. IBKR is cheaper on both exchanges.

Whichever broker you choose, check the entity that holds your account and try a demo account before you invest real money.

Other relevant articles to read:

• Best trading apps in the UAE
• Best ETFs to invest in from the UAE
• Best gold trading platforms in the UAE
• Best crypto exchanges in the UAE
• Best brokers for options trading in the UAE
• How to invest money in the UAE