For the reason that onset of the Iran battle, Dubai actual property has crashed worse than bitcoin (BTC).
The Dubai Monetary Market (DFM) Actual Property Index closed buying and selling at 13,353 on Monday, down 18.1% from 16,306 on February 27, the newest buying and selling session earlier than Operation Epic Fury’s opening airstrikes at 1:15am New York time on February 28.
In distinction, BTC was buying and selling at $65,492 when the primary bombs fell on Iran. It briefly dipped to $63,000, however had rallied to $69,000 by 12:30pm Monday in New York — a 5.4% soar because the battle started.
Dubai actual property misplaced practically a fifth of its worth over the identical 10 days.
Town’s actual property market wipeout has erased all year-to-date positive aspects and is threatening to reverse its 2025 positive aspects which give a mere 15% extra draw back cushion earlier than costs would revert to 2024 ranges.
Dubai Monetary Market Actual Property Index, five-minute periodicity, February 27-present. Supply: TradingView
A chart of the DFM Actual Property Index reveals step-like modifications on every buying and selling day together with a tough flooring. For instance, throughout 4 hours as we speak, the index of actual property firms traded no decrease than exactly 13,353.20.
Sure exchanges artificially restrict worth strikes, together with DFM at 5% every day.
Close by alternate Boursa Kuwait has completely suspended buying and selling since March 1.
Non-public plane demand to depart Dubai is up at the least 300% amid airport closures, and persons are paying hundreds and even six figures to flee.
Dubai bombings, drone strikes, airport closures
Dubai spent years advertising itself as a secure, tax-advantaged house for crypto influencers and it duly attracted loads of crypto firms and influencers.
Bybit, Telegram’s TON Basis, and Deribit have headquarters in Dubai, and lots of different crypto firms have places of work within the metropolis, together with Binance, OKX, and Crypto.com.
Total, 9,800 millionaires relocated to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2025 alone, bringing $63 billion with them.
Then, Iran fired missiles at Dubai’s airport, luxurious motels, and civilian areas. UAE regulators closed its personal inventory exchanges for 2 full days to forestall a panic selloff.
Emaar Properties, the developer behind the Burj Khalifa, fell from 17AED on February 27 to 13.30AED as we speak, a 22% haircut. Aldar Properties, Abu Dhabi’s largest listed developer, dropped 5% the day markets reopened. The bond marketplace for UAE builders is just buying and selling intermittently, with spreads blowing out throughout the area.
Dubai’s crypto-friendly property growth relied on international capital, and that capital is now heading for the exits.
Within the secondary market, an aggregator monitoring distressed property offers reveals a mean worth discount of 4.9% — for property homeowners who’ve had sufficient time to replace their asking worth, together with a number of properties over 10% decrease than their worth days in the past.
Even earlier than the battle, Fitch had warned of declines as much as 15% on provide issues alone. Analysts had already cautioned that new apartment provide was set to surge within the second half of 2026, proper as demand is cratering.
BTC, for all its fame as a notoriously risky asset, is constructive because the bombs began falling. Dubai actual property, the supposedly protected retailer of worth backed by marble lobbies and palm-shaped islands, simply delivered an enormous drawdown.
