Digital Dubai plays key role in solidifying Dubai’s position among world’s top five city brands

DUBAI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 21st Jun, 2026) A study by the global brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance spotlights the strategic role of Digital Dubai in reinforcing Dubai's position among the world’s most powerful place brands, ranking fifth globally with a brand value of nearly AED1 trillion.

The study highlighted Digital Dubai as one of the key contributors to this achievement, attributing approximately AED31 billion of the emirate’s total brand value to its impact. Digital Dubai was also awarded an AA+ rating, placing it among the world’s leading digital government entities.

The study further revealed that Digital Dubai played a pivotal role in enhancing Dubai's brand strength, contributing significantly to the emirate’s score of 86 out of 100 on the City Brand Strength Index. It also contributed approximately AED31 billion ($8.5 billion) to the emirate’s overall place brand value, adding 1.9 points to Dubai’s Brand Strength Index score, helping propel the emirate from seventh to fifth place among the world’s leading city brands.

The study also highlighted Digital Dubai’s strong performance across both the Trust and Reputation indices, earning scores of 8.4 out of 10 in each among Dubai’s residents and business community. These results underscore the growing confidence in the emirate’s digital ecosystem and quality of digital life, while reinforcing Digital Dubai’s contribution to positioning Dubai as a globally leading digital city.

Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Director General of Digital Dubai, said: “These results reflect an important dimension of Dubai’s ambitious vision that places digital transformation as a key pillar of sustainable development, quality of life, and the emirate’s global competitiveness. Today, the digital ecosystem is not merely a technology infrastructure or a collection of smart services. It has become an integral part of the experience of living, working and investing in Dubai, and a key driver of trust and a source of the emirate’s growing global appeal.”

He added: “Dubai’s position among the world’s strongest place brands is a testament to the success of its people-centred approach, underpinned by sustained investment in advanced, trusted digital infrastructure and seamless collaboration across government entities operating as one integrated ecosystem.

These results also reflect the vision of our leadership, which has harnessed innovation and digital transformation to improve lives, empower communities, and strengthen the economy. Together, these efforts continue to reinforce Dubai’s position as a global model for the city of the future and a destination for talent, investors, and entrepreneurs from around the world.”

Tariq Al Janahi, CEO of the Corporate Enablement Sector at Digital Dubai, said: “Dubai’s digital ecosystem has become a key enabler of economic growth, innovation, and quality of life, contributing directly to the emirate’s position as one of the world’s leading digital cities. At Digital Dubai, we place great value on our institutional identity and strengthening the reputation of Dubai’s digital ecosystem. We remain committed to delivering seamless, integrated digital services and experiences that respond to the evolving needs of society and enhancing quality of life.”

He added: “The digital ecosystem’s strong performance underscores the impact of collaboration and integration across government entities in delivering trusted, resilient, and future-ready digital services.

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This collective achievement reinforces Dubai’s global competitiveness and position as a world-class hub for innovation, opportunity, and digital excellence.”

David Haigh, CEO and Chairman of Brand Finance, commented: “The study’s findings reaffirm that trusted digital infrastructure has become a pivotal driver of a city’s reputation and global competitiveness, reinforcing Dubai’s outstanding performance in this area. Digital Dubai’s AA+ institutional brand strength rating, alongside its AED31 billion contribution to Dubai’s overall place brand value, demonstrates the tangible impact of the emirate’s investment in world-class digital government services designed around the needs of people.”

Digital Dubai also recorded strong performance across key institutional brand metrics. Brand familiarity reached 92%, while its Brand Strength Index score stood at 77.7 out of 100. It also scored 8.4 out of 10 in both Trust and Reputation among residents and the business community, alongside 8.1 out of 10 in the Benefit of Doubt indicator and 7.9 out of 10 in Engagement. These results reflect the growing prominence of Dubai’s digital ecosystem and the high levels of trust it enjoys across different segments of society and the business community.

The study further showed that Digital Dubai’s impact extends well beyond the provision of digital government services, serving as a significant contributor to the emirate’s global standing and soft power.

Digital Dubai increased Dubai’s City Brand Strength Index by 1.9 points. Its strongest areas of influence included reinforcing Dubai’s position as a globally significant city with strategic importance (+15.3 points), strengthening its reputation as a hub for start-ups and innovation (+11.2 points), supporting future growth potential (+10.8 points), reducing bureaucracy (+10.6 points), enhancing openness and welcoming attitudes (+10.1 points), improving quality of life (+9.7 points), advancing leadership in science and technology (+9.2 points), strengthening trust in the emirate (+9.2 points), and enhancing ease of doing business (+8.5 points).

The study revealed that Digital Dubai’s impact extends beyond digital government services, contributing directly to perceptions of innovation, trustworthiness, low bureaucracy, openness, and ease of doing business, all factors that support Dubai’s ability to attract businesses, investors, and skilled talent globally.

Brand Finance’s approach combines the principles of marketing and finance, to assess brand strength and quantify financial value to help organisations make strategic decisions.

In the case of cities, assessments are informed by detailed and specialised data that measure perceptions associated with the soft power of cities and nations, drawing on a dedicated research study and international benchmarking. The study was based on responses from approximately 5,000 participants.

The Brand Finance Global City Index is the world's most comprehensive research study on perceptions of city brands, ranking the top 100 global city brands. The 2024 edition surveyed over 15,000 respondents across 20 markets, measuring city brand strength across Familiarity, Reputation, and Consideration, with Consideration spanning seven dimensions including living, working, studying, visiting, and investing.