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Dubai has once again outpaced global real estate hubs such as New York, London, and Hong Kong, cementing its position as the world’s most active super-prime residential market. According to Knight Frank’s Global Super-Prime Intelligence Report for Q2 2025, the emirate recorded the highest number of transactions valued at $10 million or more-underscoring its growing dominance in the ultra-luxury segment.
In the second quarter of 2025, 590 homes were sold globally in this elite price category, marking a 19% year-on-year increase from 497 transactions during the same period last year. The total value of these sales rose sharply to $11.8 billion, up 33% from $8.9 billion in 2024, despite global economic uncertainties.
Knight Frank’s data shows that Dubai continues to attract high-net-worth individuals seeking financial stability, lifestyle security, and a cosmopolitan environment. Local brokers note that demand remains particularly strong in Palm Jumeirah, Emirates Hills, and Jumeirah Bay Island-districts now synonymous with global wealth migration.
“Dubai’s position as the world’s leading super-prime market is now firmly established,” said Liam Bailey, Global Head of Research at Knight Frank. “Its performance underscores the emirate’s maturity as a wealth hub and its consistent ability to attract global capital, regardless of market cycles.”
Dubai Real Estate News: Market Still Outperforming Global Peers
Industry analysts point to several structural advantages driving Dubai’s ascent: tax-free investment returns, long-term residency programs, and a regulatory environment that continues to favor transparency and foreign ownership. According to data from the Dubai Land Department, international investors contributed significantly to overall transaction volumes in 2025, particularly from Europe, India, and East Asia.
Rising interest from ultra-wealthy families and entrepreneurs relocating their headquarters to the UAE has also played a decisive role. “We’ve seen an increase in family offices establishing a base in Dubai,” said one Jumeirah-based property consultant. “The combination of safety, global connectivity, and lifestyle is unmatched.”
While Dubai led in transaction count, Knight Frank noted that New York reclaimed the top spot in total transaction value for the first time since 2021. Manhattan’s high-end condominium and townhouse markets surged, driven by demand for trophy assets in well-established districts such as Tribeca and the Upper East Side.
Los Angeles also posted a strong rebound. Sales of luxury single-family homes in Beverly Hills and Malibu reached their highest quarterly level since early 2021. Meanwhile, Hong Kong, despite ongoing economic and political headwinds, saw transaction activity rise sharply-suggesting latent demand remains robust.
Global Momentum, Local Advantage
Roughly one in every five super-prime home sales worldwide in 2024 took place in Dubai, according to earlier Knight Frank studies. The emirate’s luxury neighborhoods continue to set records, with several villas and penthouses trading hands for over $100 million. Recent examples include a collection of waterfront mansions in Palm Jumeirah and branded residences in Dubai Hills Estate, often purchased by buyers from Europe and South Asia seeking long-term stability.
Dubai’s success is also linked to supply discipline. Developers have maintained a cautious pipeline of new ultra-luxury projects, helping sustain pricing power. As a result, prime values have grown steadily even amid global fluctuations.
Developers are now responding with new offerings designed to appeal to a global elite-projects that combine architectural exclusivity with hotel-style amenities and private concierge services. These include branded residences from international names and limited-edition penthouses positioned on Dubai’s coastline.
Local analysts expect this trajectory to hold through the rest of 2025. Private capital inflows from Asia, Europe, and the Middle East remain strong, while domestic confidence has strengthened underpinned by Dubai’s economic diversification and population growth.
Outlook: Wealth Migration and Market Resilience
Knight Frank’s Bailey observed that while global investors are navigating an increasingly complex macroeconomic environment, Dubai’s resilience is striking. “Dubai continues to lead, but the resurgence of New York and rebounds in Los Angeles and Hong Kong show that demand for super-prime assets remains truly global,” he said.
The long-term trend, analysts suggest, will be shaped by mobility among the world’s ultra-wealthy-individuals diversifying across stable, low-tax jurisdictions with a high quality of life. Dubai’s long-term visa policies, zero property tax, and expanding cultural infrastructure continue to position it as the preferred choice for this group.
As global wealth creation accelerates and geopolitical uncertainties persist, Dubai’s ability to draw in high-value buyers appears unlikely to wane. With limited new supply and steady inflows of global capital, the emirate’s super-prime market looks set to remain the benchmark for luxury real estate worldwide.
CityNest Realty View:
Dubai’s dominance in the super-prime segment reflects more than just rising wealth-it’s the outcome of deliberate policy, infrastructure investment, and investor confidence. Its lead in luxury housing is likely to remain unchallenged in the near term.
Written by: Real Estate Market Analyst, CityNest Realty
A super-prime property typically refers to homes priced at $10 million or above, located in premium districts like Palm Jumeirah, Emirates Hills, and Jumeirah Bay Island.
Dubai offers tax advantages, political stability, modern infrastructure, and long-term residency options, attracting ultra-high-net-worth investors from across the world.
Analysts expect continued strength through 2025, supported by limited new supply, high global demand, and sustained inflows of private capital.
