Cybersecurity spending across the Gulf is set to more than double by 2030, crossing a massive Dh120 billion, as artificial intelligence, sovereign cloud initiatives, and hyper-scale data centres reshape the region’s digital future, according to a new Grand View Research report.

The study, Cyber Resilience in the Gulf: Where Technology Meets Sovereign Risk (2025 Edition), points to rapid digital transformation in the UAE and Saudi Arabia as the biggest driver of this growth. 

With mega-investments going into national data centres, AI clusters, and cloud corridors, countries are now prioritising not just technology adoption but long-term sovereign resilience.

“Cyber resilience is no longer just an IT function; it’s becoming a national capability,” said Swayam Dash, Managing Director at Grand View Research. 

“It now influences how nations attract investment, maintain trust, and sustain growth.”

UAE-Saudi Lead the Charge

Together, the two countries account for more than 60 per cent of cybersecurity spending in the Gulf.

• In the UAE, investments are flowing into AI-driven threat intelligence, zero-trust models, and sovereign cloud ecosystems under the Cybersecurity Strategy 2025–31.
• Saudi Arabia, under Vision 2030, is embedding cyber readiness across large-scale industrial, financial, and infrastructure projects led by its National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA) and SDAIA.

From Firewalls to Full Frameworks

The report highlights a major shift in the region’s cybersecurity mindset, from protecting networks to institutionalising resilience. 

Key milestones include:

• ADGM’s Cyber Risk Management Framework
• Saudi Central Bank’s cyber stress-testing regime
• Cross-border CERT intelligence sharing across GCC nations

Dash says this unified approach is the Gulf’s “biggest advantage,” enabling nations to move together on cybersecurity, business continuity, and defence.

AI Takes Centre Stage

AI-driven cybersecurity is the fastest-growing segment:

• UAE’s AI cyber market will surge from Dh4.4 billion to Dh19.7 billion by 2030.
• Saudi Arabia is expected to jump from Dh4.59 billion to Dh16.47 billion in the same period.

The region is also investing heavily in local talent, with the Middle East & Africa cybersecurity training market set to reach Dh4.99 billion by 2030.

As digital infrastructure becomes the backbone of economic transformation, industry experts say cybersecurity is becoming a new economic benchmark, and increasingly, a sign of sovereign strength.

Big news for blue-collar workers in the UAE, and it’s the kind that actually makes a real difference.

The Central Bank of the UAE has officially removed the long-standing minimum salary requirement for getting a personal loan. For years, most banks insisted on a Dh5,000 minimum salary to even consider an application. Now, that barrier is gone.

So what does that mean for workers, young earners, and low-income residents?
In simple words: more access, more opportunity, and more financial freedom.

Under the new rule, each bank can set its own salary criteria based on internal policies. This opens the door for thousands of workers who previously couldn’t qualify for “cash-on-demand” personal loans,  even if they needed urgent funds for family emergencies, education, medical expenses, or settling debts.

The update also means more residents can open bank accounts linked to the Central Bank’s Wage Protection System (WPS). Once salaries are transferred, monthly loan instalments are auto-deducted, making repayments smoother and reducing the risk of default, a win-win for workers and banks.

The change supports the UAE’s push for wider financial inclusion, ensuring everyone, including labourers, can access regulated banking services without relying on informal or unsafe borrowing options.

Before the new ruling, borrowers could take up to 20 times their monthly income, and the monthly instalments could not exceed 50% of their salary, while the repayment periods are capped at 48 months.

Overall, the new directive is a game-changer for the UAE’s low-income workforce. It doesn’t just offer credit access; it offers dignity, stability, and a pathway to better financial management.

The future of money in the UAE isn’t coming; it’s already here. The Ministry of Finance and Dubai Finance Department have just completed the country’s first-ever government transaction using the Digital Dirham, marking a major moment in the UAE’s journey toward fully digital payments. The move doesn’t just test new tech; it shows how close we are to a world where government, business, and everyday payments happen instantly, securely, and without the old banking delays.

What Is the Digital Dirham?

The Digital Dirham is the UAE’s official digital currency issued by the Central Bank, not a cryptocurrency, but a highly secure, government-backed digital version of the dirham.

It’s being rolled out under the Financial Infrastructure Transformation (FIT) Programme, which aims to modernise the UAE’s payment systems and move the country toward a fully integrated digital economy.

Why the First Government Transaction Matters

Completing the first real transaction shows that:

• The technology works in real-world conditions
• Government systems across the UAE are technically integrated
• Settlements can happen faster, more securely, and with full transparency
• The UAE is serious about becoming a global leader in digital finance

The transaction was processed in under two minutes via the mBridge platform, a multi-CBDC settlement system that allows instant government-to-government payments without intermediaries.

How the Digital Dirham System Works

The transaction was executed through mBridge, a platform built for settling payments using different central bank digital currencies.

With mBridge + the Digital Dirham, UAE government entities can:

• Issue and receive digital payments instantly
• Settle financial transactions directly with the Central Bank
• Reduce costs and eliminate intermediaries
• Improve accuracy and prevent delays
• Increase transparency across all government financial operations

This system is now fully integrated with the UAE’s Digital Dirham pilot phase.

Why the Digital Dirham Is the Future

Here’s what this milestone means for the years ahead:

1. Faster, cheaper, and more secure payments

Digital settlements replace traditional bank transfers, making transactions nearly instantaneous.

2. A fully digital government finance ecosystem

Federal and local entities will eventually transact fully in Digital Dirham — ensuring accuracy, automation, and better auditing.

3. A foundation for private-sector adoption

Once government systems scale, businesses will follow.
Expect quicker payroll, supplier payments, and cross-border settlement.

4. A competitive edge for the UAE

By being among the first nations to launch a working CBDC, the UAE positions itself as a global leader in fintech innovation.

5. A step toward a fully integrated digital economy

This aligns with the nation’s long-term vision: A smart, cash-free, fully digital financial ecosystem.

What Leaders Are Saying

UAE leaders have framed this as a historic milestone:

A pillar of the UAE’s digital economy

Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed said the Digital Dirham is a strategic pillar in building an integrated digital economy and strengthening the UAE’s role as a global financial hub.

A leap in financial efficiency

Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed said using the Digital Dirham in government payments boosts transparency, efficiency, and integration across the public financial ecosystem.

A global confidence booster

Central Bank Governor Khaled Mohamed Balama emphasised that this milestone reinforces the UAE’s leadership in next-generation financial innovation and advanced payment systems.

Future Currency

The first Digital Dirham government transaction is more than a pilot test — it’s the beginning of a new era of how money will move in the UAE.

With faster settlements, stronger security, and unified digital infrastructure, the Digital Dirham is on track to become the country’s future currency and transform how the government, businesses, and eventually consumers transact.