DUBAI, UAE — The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) has announced the temporary closure of Nasdaq Dubai on Monday, 2 March 2026 and Tuesday, 3 March 2026. The move pauses all trading activity on the international exchange operating out of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).
The decision, communicated through an official notice, means no transactions will take place across Nasdaq Dubai’s platform during the two-day suspension.
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DFSA Announces Nasdaq Dubai Closure
The DFSA, which oversees financial services within the DIFC, confirmed that trading on Nasdaq Dubai will not run on 2 and 3 March. The exchange typically handles a mix of instruments — equities, derivatives, sukuk and conventional bonds — catering to regional and international investors alike.
In its statement, the regulator said it “continues to closely monitor developments in the region” and remains in regular contact with local authorities and relevant authorities. The wording was measured, in line with how such decisions are usually framed when market stability is the priority.
For traders and institutions operating within the DIFC ecosystem, the announcement landed as a clear regulatory directive — immediate and effective for the specified dates.
Federal Regulator Confirms Market Shutdown
In a parallel development, the UAE Capital Market Authority (CMA) confirmed that the country’s main exchanges will also remain closed over the same two days. That includes the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) and the Dubai Financial Market (DFM).
The CMA said the step was taken in the implementation of its supervisory and regulatory role. Both markets will suspend trading on 2 and 3 March 2026. Participants have been directed to rely on official exchange and regulator channels for any further instructions or updates.
The coordinated timing effectively aligns the country’s major capital markets under a single regulatory pause.
Exchange Confirmations
The Dubai Financial Market issued its own confirmation shortly after the CMA announcement. Trading on DFM, it said, will be suspended on Monday and Tuesday, mirroring the federal regulator’s decision.
Such exchange-level confirmations are a standard procedure once a regulatory directive is issued. Firms, brokers and listed companies typically await these formal notices before adjusting operational schedules.
Official DFSA Text and Contact
According to the DFSA’s press release, the closure applies to Nasdaq Dubai’s entire trading platform. No partial sessions or limited operations were indicated in the notice. The regulator also provided its corporate communications contact for enquiries:
DFSA corporate communications: DFSAcorpcomms@dfsa.ae
Regulator address: Level 13, The Gate, West Wing, Dubai, UAE
Both the DFSA and the Capital Market Authority stated they will continue to assess developments as they unfold. Any additional measures, if required, will be communicated through official channels.
