DMCC Establishes Lab-Grown Diamond Vertical as UAE Trade Surges to $1.3 Billion
Dubai's DMCC has launched a dedicated Lab-Grown Diamond Vertical, separating it from natural diamond activities, as UAE trade in these diamonds hit a record 76.9 million carats and $1.3 billion in 2025.
Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) has announced the creation of a standalone Lab-Grown Diamond Vertical, establishing a distinct platform for this rapidly expanding industry. This move signals DMCC's commitment to positioning Dubai as a global hub for lab-grown diamonds, recognising their increasing role not just in jewellery, but also in advanced applications like semiconductors and quantum technology.
The establishment of the new vertical follows a record year for lab-grown diamond trade in the UAE. In 2025, the country traded 76.9 million carats of lab-grown diamonds, marking a 91.5 per cent year-on-year increase in volume. The value of this trade also rose by 7.5 per cent, reaching $1.3 billion. Since 2022, trade volumes have more than doubled, climbing 109 per cent from 36.8 million carats.
A Distinct Economic Sector
DMCC's decision to create a separate vertical highlights the distinct economic characteristics of lab-grown diamonds, which are defined by scalable manufacturing, precise technical specifications, and growing industrial utility. This explicit separation from DMCC's existing natural diamond and coloured stone activities acknowledges that lab-grown diamonds require dedicated market infrastructure and a unique economic framework.
Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman and CEO of DMCC, emphasised that lab-grown diamonds have matured into an industry requiring its own dedicated support. He noted that the most significant future opportunities might lie beyond traditional jewellery, extending into advanced fields such as diamond wafers, quantum technologies, medical devices, and aerospace, where the material's thermal, optical, and mechanical properties are highly valued.
The new platform aims to foster international trade flows, connecting producers, technology companies, and buyers, and building the transparent market infrastructure essential for the sector's continued development. The UAE's total diamond trade, including natural and lab-grown, reached a record $41.7 billion in 2025.
Questions, answered
- What is the new DMCC initiative for lab-grown diamonds?
- DMCC has established the Lab-Grown Diamond Vertical, a standalone platform designed to support and develop the lab-grown diamond industry, recognising its distinct economic model and expanding applications beyond jewellery.
- How much was the UAE's lab-grown diamond trade in 2025?
- In 2025, the UAE traded 76.9 million carats of lab-grown diamonds, with a total value of $1.3 billion. This represents a 91.5 per cent increase in volume year-on-year.
- What are the key applications for lab-grown diamonds beyond jewellery?
- Beyond jewellery, lab-grown diamonds are increasingly used in advanced industrial applications such as semiconductors, diamond wafers, quantum technologies, medical devices, and aerospace due to their unique thermal, optical, and mechanical properties.
- Why did DMCC create a separate vertical for lab-grown diamonds?
- DMCC created a separate vertical to acknowledge the increasingly distinct economics of lab-grown diamonds, which are characterised by scalable manufacturing and industrial utility, differing from natural diamond activities. This aims to provide dedicated infrastructure for the sector's growth.
- What was the total diamond trade for the UAE in 2025?
- The UAE's total diamond trade, encompassing both natural and lab-grown diamonds, reached a record $41.7 billion in 2025, reflecting significant growth across the sector.
This brief was summarised and rewritten by Gaia Living from public reporting. Figures and details reflect the original sources.
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