Dubai: The Dubai Gold and Commodities Exchange (DGCX) has reported 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.
According to Emirates News Agency, 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, representing a 199.84 percent year-on-year increase. In volume terms, DGSG contracts rose 118 percent over the 12 months.
The INR Quanto futures contract, a synthetic contract designed for 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 of DGCX, stated that the exchange experienced exceptional momentum in the first half of the year, with nearly US$47 million traded through the spot gold contract alone, and a 30 percent rise in daily volumes across the exchange driven by demand for DGSG and INR Quanto futures. This performance positions DGCX to surpass its 2024 results and reinforces its role as a critical pillar in the region's financial infrastructure.
He further highlighted the growing adoption of the exchange by Shariah-based investors, bullion traders, and institutional participants, noting the increasing demand for sophisticated, secure, and transparent hedging tools. This trend is expected to strengthen as DGCX continues to reinforce Dubai's standing as a global center for commodities and derivatives trading.
DGCX, as part of DMCC's support for the precious metals industry, plays a pivotal role in maintaining Dubai's status as one of the world's largest trading hubs for gold. With over 1,500 member companies in the gold and precious metals sector within DMCC, the exchange complements the international district's broader offering in physical and financial trading infrastructure.