The trade in manufactured diamonds in the UAE recorded record growth in 2025,
with trading volumes rising to approximately 76.9 million carats. This represents a 91.5% increase year-over-year, while the value of trade reached approximately $1.3 billion.
This growth reflects the expanding demand for lab-grown diamonds, both in the jewelry sector and in advanced industrial and technological fields.
In light of this expansion, Dubai has moved to establish a separate sector for lab-grown diamonds.
The move aims to separate this activity from the trade in natural diamonds and colored gemstones, given the differences in market dynamics, growth opportunities, and investment prospects.
Rapid Growth in the Lab-Grown Diamond Trade
The volume of the lab-grown diamond trade in the UAE has doubled in recent years. It rose by 109% compared to 2022, when it reached approximately 36.8 million carats.
Imports and re-exports also recorded similar growth, indicating expansion across various stages of the trade rather than in just one segment.
The global market for lab-grown diamonds is estimated at approximately $30 billion. Its uses are no longer limited to jewelry,
as they are increasingly used in the semiconductor and chip industries, medical devices, quantum technologies, and aerospace.
Lab-grown diamonds enter the technology sector
The thermal, optical, and mechanical properties of synthetic diamonds help expand their industrial applications.
Consequently, their importance is growing in the fields of precision engineering, advanced electronics, and aerospace systems.
China, India, and the United States are among the world’s leading markets for the production, manufacturing, and consumption of synthetic diamonds.
Japan and the United Kingdom also play an important role in research and industrial applications.
This growth coincides with the UAE’s total diamond trade reaching a record high of approximately $41.7 billion
in 2025, further cementing Dubai’s position as a leading global hub for the diamond and gemstone trade.
