DUBAI, 23rd July, 2025 (WAM) -- The Dubai Gold and Commodities Exchange (DGCX) has announced a robust performance in the first half of 2025, with over 1 million contracts traded by the end of June, marking a 30 percent year-on-year increase in average daily volumes.
The strong performance reflects the heightened demand for hedging instruments amid global market volatility, with gold contracts and the INR Quanto product leading the uptick in trading activity.
The standout performer of the period was DGCX’s Shariah-compliant Gold Spot Contract (DGSG), which saw the value of trades increase from US$15.6 million in H1 2024 to US$46.8 million in H1 2025 - a remarkable 199.84 percent year-on-year increase. In volume terms, DGSG contracts rose 118 percent in the 12 months.
The INR Quanto futures contract, a synthetic contract that enables global market participants to hedge Indian rupee exposure against the US dollar without requiring access to the underlying Indian markets, continued to attract strong trading interest.
Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, DGCX, said, “DGCX has seen exceptional momentum in the first half of the year, with nearly US$47 million traded through our spot gold contract alone - a 200 percent year-on-year increase - and a 30 percent rise in daily volumes across the exchange driven by demand for DGSG and INR Quanto futures. This performance not only places DGCX firmly on course to surpass its 2024 results but reinforces its role as a critical pillar in the region’s financial infrastructure.
He added, "As global market conditions grow more complex, the exchange’s rising adoption by Shariah-based investors, bullion traders, and institutional participants alike highlights the growing demand and broad appeal for sophisticated, secure, and transparent hedging tools – a position we expect will get stronger as we continue to reinforce Dubai’s standing as a world-class centre for commodities and derivatives trading.”
Part of DMCC’s dedicated support for the precious metals industry, DGCX plays a pivotal role in Dubai’s status as one of the world’s largest trading hubs for gold. With over 1,500 member companies operating in the gold and precious metals sector within DMCC, the exchange complements the international district’s broader offering in physical and financial trading infrastructure.