Real estate investors in Abu Dhabi have a new reason to celebrate. The Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) has launched Binaa, an AI-powered digital platform that promises to slash building permit approval times by up to 70 per cent and reduce unnecessary construction costs, making the emirate even more attractive for real estate development and investment. 

Unveiled during the Abu Dhabi Infrastructure Summit, the goal of Binaa is to dramatically reduce red tape, speed up approvals, and modernise how building projects are reviewed and managed.

What Binaa Means for You:

• Up to 70 per cent faster permit approvals
• Simplified process for private villa construction
• Real-time tracking for architects, contractors, and homeowners
• Minimises the cost and environmental impact of over-designed plans
• Supports full coordination across 15 plus government entities

Smarter Construction, Powered by AI

Binaa uses AI, Building Information Modelling (BIM), and virtual/augmented reality to help spot design inefficiencies and ensure buildings meet safety and sustainability codes. It can also simulate site inspections using 3D overlays, making it easier to spot errors before they become costly construction issues.

During Phase 1, the platform will focus on private villas, which account for around 20,000 applications annually. Future phases will expand to larger developments.

One Platform, Endless Possibilities

Binaa offers a single digital window for managing the entire building process. It allows instant collaboration between consultants, project owners, and government agencies.

The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) has announced that it will maintain its Base Rate at 4.40%, following the US Federal Reserve’s decision to leave its Interest Rate on Reserve Balances (IORB) unchanged.

The Base Rate is applied to the Overnight Deposit Facility (ODF) and serves as a key benchmark for short-term interest rates in the country’s financial system.

In line with this, the CBUAE also confirmed that the borrowing rate for short-term liquidity from the central bank will remain 50 basis points above the Base Rate, applicable across all standing credit facilities.

What does this mean?
Anchored to the US Fed’s IORB, the UAE’s Base Rate reflects the overall monetary policy stance and helps set the floor for overnight money market interest rates, ensuring stability in the financial sector.

Dubai is making waves in the world of global trade, this time with water. Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) has teamed up with AQUA-INDEX to launch the world’s first digital token backed by real, drinking-quality water stored in reservoirs around the globe.

This groundbreaking token will allow investors, traders, and even the public to buy, sell, and take delivery of freshwater as a commodity, just like gold or oil. It’s a bold step toward creating a transparent, regulated global market for one of the planet’s most precious resources, water.

As part of the agreement, AQUA-INDEX will tap into DMCC’s global network and advanced infrastructure to bring water trading to the mainstream. The goal? To bring more liquidity, transparency, and innovation to how water is valued and managed around the world.

“Nearly half the world faces water scarcity, but there’s still no mature market for water,” said Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman and CEO of DMCC. “

Yaacov Shirazi, Chairman and Founder of AQUA-INDEX, added, “This is a game-changer. By turning water into a tradable financial asset, we’re enabling better infrastructure, access, and management. It’s a whole new way to fight water scarcity.”

The partnership is part of DMCC’s vision to establish a Water Centre in Dubai, a one-stop hub for water technology companies, commodity traders, and logistics firms. The water-backed token will be a core feature, helping improve water access in stressed regions and offering new tools for investors and governments alike.

Further details on how the token will work, including where it can be traded and how delivery will happen, will be revealed soon.