Standard Chartered: UAE ranked world’s most advanced market for digital trade readiness

Standard Chartered announced on Tuesday the findings of its latest ‘Future of Trade: Digitisation’ report, which identifies the UAE as the most advanced market globally for digital trade readiness. The findings underline the UAE’s strong foundations in digital infrastructure, regulatory clarity and corporate adoption of technologies that are reshaping cross border trade.

The study, which surveyed 1,200 multinational corporations from seventeen key markets worldwide, reveals that cloud computing is the most influential driver of digital transformation among UAE corporates, with 97 per cent identifying it as a critical enabler, the highest adoption level recorded across all surveyed markets.

Digital asset adoption in the UAE also stands out globally at 68 percent, placing the country at the forefront of tokenised instruments, digital settlement models and blockchain enabled trade solutions. UAE corporates also demonstrate strong engagement with next generation digital technologies.

Augmented and virtual reality adoption has reached 43 per cent, while artificial intelligence adoption stands at 36 per cent, reflecting a broadening application of advanced tools across operations, customer engagement and supply chain processes. These trends are reinforced by overwhelming support for unified digital frameworks, with 96 percent of UAE corporates calling for the expansion of Digital Economy Agreements that harmonise cross border digital trade standards.

Syed Khurrum Zaeem, Managing Director, Head of Trade and Transactional Banking for the Middle East, Pakistan, and Africa, Standard Chartered, said, “The UAE has created one of the most advanced digital ecosystems in the world, where policy, infrastructure and corporate ambition work together to drive rapid innovation. The private sector in the UAE is not only adopting emerging technologies but is deploying them with a level of confidence and scale that sets the country apart as a global benchmark in digital trade development.”

The UAE’s digitalisation indicators show strong momentum, with cloud adoption at 97 per cent and digital asset adoption at 68 percent. AR and VR adoption stands at 43 per cent, while AI adoption reaches 36 per cent. Preference for more DEAs is at 96 per cent and internal digital capability is recorded at 73 per cent.

The research further shows that UAE corporates possess one of the strongest internal digital capabilities in the study. Seventy-three per cent lead their own transformation programmes in house, reducing dependency on external providers and strengthening local talent development. This high level of self-sufficiency demonstrates a mature and sophisticated business environment that is well equipped to implement complex digital initiatives.

With national strategies prioritising digital transformation and the private sector embracing cloud, artificial intelligence, digital assets and automation, the UAE continues to deepen its position as an international hub for technology enabled trade. The country’s leadership in digital adoption, regulatory alignment and cross border connectivity reinforces its central role in shaping the future landscape of digitally enabled global commerce.

WAM