DMCC, the leading international business district driving global trade through Dubai, has announced that the emirate’s total diamond trade reached a record US$41.7 billion in 2025, according to data from Dubai Customs.
The milestone surpasses the previous high of US$40.9 billion recorded in 2011. Dubai also traded a record 359.5 million carats during the year, representing a 42.5% year-on-year increase and marking the first time the emirate has achieved record highs in both diamond trade value and trading volume in the same year.
Overall diamond trade value climbed 16.2% from US$35.8 billion in 2024, adding US$5.8 billion in a single year. Beyond diamonds, Dubai’s coloured gemstone trade also set a new benchmark, reaching US$1.1 billion, up 48% compared with the previous year.
The latest results highlight the continued expansion of Dubai’s diamond industry. Since 2020, the value of diamond trade through the emirate has surged 139%, while trading volume has doubled, underscoring Dubai’s growing importance as a global gateway linking diamond-producing nations, manufacturing hubs and consumer markets.
Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DMCC, said the latest figures reflect the success of Dubai’s long-term strategy to build one of the world’s most connected, transparent and efficient precious stones ecosystems.
“Dubai’s latest diamond trade figures demonstrate the success of a long-term strategy to build the world’s most connected, transparent, and efficient precious stones ecosystem. Since the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, we have seen trade through Dubai double in physical volume and grow by almost 140% in value. For natural polished diamonds alone, value has grown by 246%. We are the partner of choice for producers, manufacturers, traders and retailers across the global industry. Through world-class infrastructure, regulatory certainty, access to finance, and one of the world’s most sophisticated ecosystems for precious stones, we will continue to provide the platform the industry needs to grow.”
Natural diamonds remained the dominant contributor to Dubai’s diamond trade, generating US$39.9 billion in 2025 and accounting for 95.8% of the sector’s total value. Strong performance in rough diamonds played a major role in driving the record results.
During the year, Dubai traded 205.2 million carats of natural rough diamonds—the second-highest volume ever recorded—representing an increase of approximately 34% compared with 2024. Trade in natural polished diamonds reached US$18.7 billion, rising nearly 25% year-on-year. Since 2020, the value of natural polished diamond trade through Dubai has increased 246%, while the average value per carat has grown by roughly eight to nine times.
Despite the rapid growth of coloured gemstones and other diamond segments, natural diamonds continue to form the backbone of Dubai’s diamond marketplace and remain its primary growth driver. Over the past decade, Dubai’s overall diamond trade has expanded 63% by value and 44% by volume, reinforcing its position in the global industry.
The latest figures also reflect the continued diversification of Dubai’s precious stones ecosystem. Coloured gemstone trade reached a record high, with imports rising 68.8% and re-exports increasing 33.5%, highlighting growth across both sourcing and distribution activities. Meanwhile, synthetic and industrial diamonds now account for approximately 39% of the total diamond trading volume by carat.
DMCC operates the Dubai Diamond Exchange (DDE), the region’s largest diamond tender facility and one of the world’s leading diamond trading centres. Supported by an integrated ecosystem that includes secure logistics, customs facilitation, financial services, grading, technology and specialised infrastructure, the DDE continues to reinforce Dubai’s standing as a leading global hub for the international diamond trade.
