Data sourced from Dakota Marketplace, the global LP and GP intelligence platform trusted by thousands of investment professionals. Learn More | Book a Demo
Abu Dhabi folded ADQ into the newly created L’imad Holding earlier this year, reshaping how the emirate organizes its sovereign investment platforms.
For fund managers, the UAE’s sovereign wealth funds represent some of the largest, most patient pools of alternatives capital in the market, backed by long investment horizons and a mandate to grow national wealth across generations.
Unlike family offices or pension funds, SWFs typically commit larger check sizes, move on longer decision timelines, and increasingly co-invest directly alongside managers rather than purely through fund commitments.
Dakota Marketplace maps 25+ sovereign wealth funds across the Gulf and MENA region, with 350+ verified investment team contacts. What follows are the nine UAE sovereign wealth funds and government-backed investors fund managers should prioritize in 2026.
Top Sovereign Wealth Funds in Saudi Arabia
$1 Trillion | Abu Dhabi
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority is a globally diversified investment institution established in 1976 to invest on behalf of the Government of Abu Dhabi, with a focus on long-term value creation.
Investment Focus: A portfolio spread across major asset classes and geographies, including equities, fixed income, private equity, alternative investments, and real assets. The Private Equities Department seeks risk-adjusted returns through partnerships and external fund management, which is the access point for outside GPs. ADIA also holds real estate and infrastructure assets with stable cash flows and market-leading positions.
$350 Billion | Dubai
The Investment Corporation of Dubai was established in 2006 and is the principal investment arm of the Government of Dubai. It manages a diverse set of assets, locally and globally, that support Dubai’s economic growth and diversification.
Investment Focus: A portfolio built around major holdings across sectors, including Emirates NBD (banking), Emirates (transportation), ENOC (oil and gas), Atlantis The Royal (hospitality and leisure), and Dubai Investments. The strategy is closely aligned with Dubai’s economic growth and diversification objectives.
$300 Billion | Abu Dhabi
The Abu Dhabi Investment Council was established in 2007 as a spin-off from the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and now operates as a wholly owned entity within Mubadala Investment Company, serving as Mubadala’s endowment-style, indirect investment arm. It targets long-term, risk-adjusted returns while absorbing short-term market volatility.
Investment Focus: A globally diversified portfolio across equities, fixed income, private credit, real estate, infrastructure, and private equity, with an emphasis on funds and co-investments over direct investments. Holdings include stakes in Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, National Bank of Abu Dhabi, Al Hilal Bank, and ChemaWEyaat.
$276 Billion | Abu Dhabi
Mubadala Investment Company is an Abu Dhabi sovereign investor that aims to generate sustainable financial returns for its shareholder, the Government of Abu Dhabi, while supporting the leadership’s vision for future generations. It invests across a diverse portfolio of assets both domestically and internationally.
Investment Focus: A diversified strategy across asset classes and geographies, covering both established and emerging sectors with strong fundamentals. Recent investments emphasize strengthening the UAE economy through artificial intelligence, healthcare, and space technology, alongside alternative investments including private equity and real estate.
Sovereign wealth funds aren’t a monolith, and Dakota Marketplace maps 25+ of them across the Gulf and MENA region with 350+ verified investment team contacts. Book a Demo to see full coverage.
$110 Billion | Abu Dhabi
ADQ is one of the region’s largest holding companies, focused on sustainable investments that deliver financial returns and impact for Abu Dhabi. It serves as a strategic partner of the Abu Dhabi government in accelerating the emirate’s transformation into a globally competitive economy.
Investment Focus: Investments in the UAE and abroad across energy, utilities, food, agriculture, healthcare, pharma, and mobility. The portfolio includes Modon, TAQA, ENEC, EWEC, Louis Dreyfus Company, Agthia Group, Al Dahra, Pure Health, and Etihad Airways.
$90 Billion | Abu Dhabi
The Emirates Investment Authority was established in 2007 to manage the sovereign wealth of the UAE. It looks for unique investment opportunities that strengthen and diversify the UAE economy.
Investment Focus: A diversified portfolio across key economic sectors and industries, with a strategic approach to asset allocation within the region. Notable holdings include Etisalat and Du.
$2.5 Billion | Abu Dhabi
Sharjah Asset Management is the investment arm of the Government of Sharjah. It manages and grows the emirate’s assets to support economic development and diversification goals.
Investment Focus: A portfolio spanning public equities, fixed income, private equity, real estate, infrastructure, private debt, direct deals, and funds, with ticket sizes across a wide range. Notable investments include Al Saja’a Industrial Oasis, Ritz Carlton Sharjah, and Bee’ah. SAM also maintains relationships with GPs, which is the access point for outside managers.
$1.0 Billion | Sharjah
Ajman Holding was established in 2000 to invest in and develop projects that contribute to the economic, social, and industrial development of the emirate of Ajman. It focuses on directly owning and operating businesses and development projects instead of committing to third-party funds.
Investment Focus: Capital allocated across operating subsidiaries, development projects, and strategic ventures serving Ajman and the wider UAE, spanning real estate, energy, facilities management, media, retail, sports, automotive, technology, and education. Alternative exposure comes mainly through directly owned real estate, infrastructure, energy, and private operating businesses, with roughly 20% of assets classified as alternative.
Undisclosed | Dubai
The Investment and Development Office was established by Emiri decree in 2004 as the investment arm of the Government of Ras Al Khaimah. It manages assets to diversify the emirate’s economy and align with the UAE national agenda.
Investment Focus: A portfolio of 28 companies across 12 strategic sectors, including quarrying and building materials, ports and logistics, aviation, free zones, tourism and real estate, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, and education. IDO acts as a direct, long-term strategic investor, taking majority and controlling stakes in operating companies, making acquisitions to expand its holdings, and investing in new sector verticals.
Track Sovereign Wealth Funds with Dakota Marketplace
Dakota Marketplace maps 25+ sovereign wealth funds across the Gulf and MENA region alone, with 350+ verified investment team contacts, from established giants like ADIA and Mubadala to newer, fast-moving vehicles like L’imad that are reshaping how the region deploys capital.
Our Marketplace lets you filter by:
- Geography and country of origin
- AUM and typical deal or fund commitment size
- Direct investing vs. external manager allocation posture
- Investment team contacts with direct emails
For fund managers, knowing which sovereign investors are building direct deal capability versus which still rely on GP relationships is the difference between a cold pitch and a warm one.
Book a demo to see the full sovereign wealth fund coverage in the UAE!
