Muscat: The total value of traded shares reached nearly $618 billion, according to the latest data from the Statistical Center for the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf.
Despite the increase in trading volumes, the overall composite index measuring the performance of Gulf stock markets stood at about 165.2 points by the end of 2025, down 3.8 percent compared with the end of 2024.
The combined market capitalisation of Gulf stock exchanges reached approximately $3.9 trillion during the year, representing a decline of 6.2 percent from 2024.
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A total of 779 companies were listed across Gulf stock markets in 2025. Of these, 756 companies, or about 97 percent, were open for trading by citizens of GCC countries.
The proportion reached 100 percent on the stock exchanges of Bahrain, Muscat, Qatar and Kuwait, reflecting continued progress in expanding cross-border investment access within the GCC.
The year also witnessed broad regulatory and legislative developments across Gulf financial markets. These included new and updated rules covering financial markets and investment funds, offering and listing requirements, corporate governance and trading conduct.
Authorities also worked to strengthen market-making mechanisms while expanding digital platforms and financial technology services.
Supervision and risk-control frameworks were further enhanced during the year, alongside improvements to financial market infrastructure and updates to capital adequacy requirements.
Gulf regulators also expanded sustainability-related disclosures and developed systems to support the electronic issuance of securities.
In a major step towards deeper Gulf financial integration, the Inter-registration Regulation for Investment Funds came into force as the first unified regulatory framework for a financial product across GCC countries.
Work is also continuing on initiatives aimed at supporting the listing and trading of bonds and sukuk, encouraging dual listings, strengthening electronic links between Gulf stock exchanges and introducing a unified investor number for GCC citizens.
