Dubai reported an all-time high in both value and volume terms for its total diamond trade in 2025.

Total imports and exports rose 16% to $41.7 billion from $35.8 billion a year earlier, the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) said Monday. Volume was up 43% to 359.5 million carats, marking the first time the emirate had hit a record in both trade value and physical volume. The previous high trade value was in 2011 when it reached $40.9 billion.

“Dubai’s latest diamond trade figures demonstrate the success of a long-term strategy to build the world’s most connected, transparent, and efficient precious-stones ecosystem,” said DMCC CEO Ahmed Bin Sulayem. “Since the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, we have seen trade through Dubai double in physical volume and grow by almost 140% in value.”

The record performance drew primarily on continued strength in the natural-diamond sector, which generated $39.9 billion during 2025, accounting for 96% of the total value of Dubai’s diamond trade. Rough diamonds led the growth, with 205.2 million carats traded during the year, the second-highest volume on record and approximately 34% higher than in 2024. Trade in natural polished diamonds reached $18.7 billion, up nearly 25%. Since 2020, the value of natural polished-diamond trade through Dubai has surged 246%, while the average value per carat has increased by eight to nine times.

Despite the expansion of gemstones and other diamond categories, natural diamonds remain the Dubai diamond market’s economic foundation and continue to drive its growth. The latest figures reflect a wider shift in the global diamond trade, with Dubai’s diamond trade rising 63% in value and 44% in volume over the past 10 years.

The figures also highlight the growing expansion of Dubai’s wider diamond and precious-stones sector. Colored-gemstone trade value spiked 48% to an all-time high of $1.1 billion. Trade reached a record high, with imports gaining 69% and exports improving 34%, reflecting stronger activity in both sourcing and distribution. Meanwhile, synthetic and industrial diamonds now account for about 39% of total carat volume.