Few years have reshaped the Middle East's business landscape as quickly as 2026. Since the conflict involving Iran began at the end of February, the region has faced pressures that have rippled through global markets, changed how companies operate and tested the confidence of residents and investors alike.
Companies put their people first
In the first weeks of the conflict, the priority for many international firms was the safety of their employees. In March, Citigroup and Standard Chartered cleared their Dubai offices and moved staff to remote work, while Bloomberg allowed Gulf-based employees to relocate temporarily outside the region. HSBC closed its branches in Qatar until further notice.
Many residents made similar decisions for personal reasons. According to the Financial Times, around 30,000 British nationals, roughly one in eight, left the UAE in the weeks after hostilities began, many of them choosing to wait out the uncertainty in Europe.
Markets under pressure
These changes, combined with wider global volatility, have reshaped regional markets. Real estate has felt the impact most clearly. According to Cavendish Maxwell, the value of residential sales in Dubai fell 47% year on year in the third quarter of 2026, and S&P Global Ratings estimates that prices fell by 5–15% between the end of 2025 and September. Financial markets have faced their own pressures, from currency and commodity volatility to diverging central bank policies and stricter compliance standards in cross-border banking.
Signs of confidence
Yet the story is not only one of retreat. The number of companies in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) grew at a record pace in the first half of 2026, with firms including Citadel and JP Morgan International Advisors opening regional offices. In October, US trading platform Robinhood chose DIFC as its regional headquarters. Early in the conflict, HSBC chief executive Georges Elhedery said the bank's "conviction in the GCC's fundamentals and its future is unchanged".
Time and patience
AIX Group, headquartered in the Burj Khalifa, shares that conviction. The company believes Dubai and the wider Middle East remain a region of great opportunity for business, but that time is needed: for markets to settle, and for businesses to adapt to a new environment.
For AIX, adapting has meant restructuring the programmes affected by current market conditions, rather than selling assets at today's prices. The company recognises that this asks a great deal of its clients, and says their patience during this period is deeply appreciated. AIX will continue to keep clients informed directly as the process moves forward.
AIX Group on Operational Resilience in Evolving Global Markets
The global financial landscape is constantly evolving, requiring institutions across the sector to continuously adapt their systems to new international standards. Navigating these changes effectively requires clear oversight and proactive management to protect investor interests.
AIX Group’s foundation is built on a diversified range of distinct investment products. Over our decade-plus history of operating internationally, this structure has provided stability across our offerings. With the exception of one product, our portfolio continues to operate as planned, with payments made on schedule.
As felt across the broader financial sector, recent geopolitical developments have created operational challenges for this one specific product. We fully recognise the concern this causes for the investors involved, and resolving it is our highest priority.
We are working alongside specialised legal advisers and industry consultants on a resolution that protects the interests of affected investors, and we will keep them informed directly as this work progresses. Our aim is a fair, orderly and transparent outcome, with all affected investors treated equally.
The spread of false and misleading information creates an unnecessary obstacle to our recovery and resolution efforts. We encourage all stakeholders to verify any information they receive against our official communications and to contact our dedicated team directly with any questions.
AIX Group remains committed to strong governance and transparency. All official updates will be published exclusively through our official channels. We thank our investors and partners for their patience, understanding and continued trust.
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