Dubai Launches Lab-Grown Diamond Division as Trade Surges
The Dubai Multi
Commodities Centre (DMCC) has launched a lab-grown vertical, separating its
infrastructure from that of natural as the synthetics segment reached a record
high in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The dedicated
lab-grown division in Dubai aims to support the industry’s rapid growth, which
is receiving a boost from advanced manufacturing and technology, as well as
jewelry and consumer demand, the DMCC said Sunday. The initiative follows the
UAE’s announcement that it registered its highest-ever lab-grown diamond trade
volume.
In 2025,
the volume traded rose 92% to 76.9
million carats, with the value increasing 8% to $1.3 billion. Since 2022, volume has more
than doubled, climbing 109% from 36.8
million carats. Imports and exports rose at a similar rate, reflecting
sustained growth across the UAE’s overall trade flows rather than a shift in a
single segment, the center added.
The DMCC’s decision to
position lab-grown diamonds as a stand-alone sector reflects the distinct
economics of the developing industry. The move separates it from DMCC’s
natural-diamond and colored-stone activities, recognizing the sector’s focus on
scalable production, technical specifications and industrial applications, it
explained.
The new division will
unite producers, manufacturers, traders, investors, financial institutions,
technology companies and industrial users from the UAE and the international
market.
“Lab-grown
diamonds have reached the point where they need dedicated market infrastructure
and a distinct economic case of their own, developed alongside the
natural-diamond trade rather than in place of it,” said DMCC CEO Ahmed Bin
Sulayem. “DMCC’s lab-grown diamond vertical gives the industry a dedicated
global platform to expand international trade flows, bring producers,
technology companies and buyers closer together, and build the transparent
market infrastructure the sector needs for its continued development.”
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