International Journal of Social Science & Economic Research
Submit Paper

Title:
How Generation Z is Transforming Investment Behaviour : A Case Study of the Opportunities and Risks in the UAE Financial Market

Authors:
Aksshat Ahuja

Journal: International Journal of Social Science and Economic Research (IJSSER)
ISSN: 2455-8834
Volume: 11
Issue: 7
Publication Date: July 2026
DOI: 10.46609/IJSSER.2026.v11i07.019

|| ||

Aksshat Ahuja

MLA 8
Ahuja, Aksshat. "How Generation Z is Transforming Investment Behaviour : A Case Study of the Opportunities and Risks in the UAE Financial Market." Int. j. of Social Science and Economic Research, vol. 11, no. 7, July 2026, pp. 3161-3173, doi.org/10.46609/IJSSER.2026.v11i07.019. Accessed July 2026.
APA 6
Ahuja, A. (2026, July). How Generation Z is Transforming Investment Behaviour : A Case Study of the Opportunities and Risks in the UAE Financial Market. Int. j. of Social Science and Economic Research, 11(7), 3161-3173. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.46609/IJSSER.2026.v11i07.019
Chicago
Ahuja, Aksshat. "How Generation Z is Transforming Investment Behaviour : A Case Study of the Opportunities and Risks in the UAE Financial Market." Int. j. of Social Science and Economic Research 11, no. 7 (July 2026), 3161-3173. Accessed July, 2026. https://doi.org/10.46609/IJSSER.2026.v11i07.019.

References

[1] . The ESG Institute (2025). The Sustainable Finance Boom. 88% of Investors Say They Are All In. [online] The ESG Institute. Available at: https://www.the-esg-institute.org/blog/the-sustainable-finance-boom-88-percent-of-investors-say-they-are-all-in.
[2] . Abbas, W. (2025). UAE attracts over 7,000 millionaires in 2024; 53 per cent increase from 2023. [online] Khaleej Times. Available at: https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/7200-millionaires-high-net-worth-individuals-2024.
[3] . Becker, S. (2024). Gen Z and millennial investors are embracing crypto, real estate, and private equity, along with stocks. [online] Fast Company. Available at: https://www.fastcompany.com/91141379/gen-z-millennial-investors-crypto-real-estate-private-equity-stocks-boa-private-bank
[4] . Business Wire (2022). Tellimer Launches Scriber – a Financial Insights and Research Platform for the Independent Investment Community. [online] Business Wire. Available at: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220731005010/en/Tellimer-Launches-Scriber-a-Financial-Insights-and-Research-Platform-for-the-Independent-Investment-Community.
[5] . Carr, L. (2025). Catching up with TJR: A trading empire worth millions. [online] Whop. Available at: https://whop.com/blog/tjr-trades/
[6] . CFI (2023). Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT). [online] Corporate Finance Institute. Available at: https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/career-map/sell-side/capital-markets/modern-portfolio-theory-mpt/.
[7] . Chen, F., Liu, Y. and Chen, X. (2024). ESG performance and business risk—Empirical evidence from China’s listed companies. Innovation and green development, 3(3), pp.100142–100142. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.igd.2024.100142.
[8] . Chen, J. (2024). Risk-Return Tradeoff: How the Investment Principle Works. [online] Investopedia. Available at: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/riskreturntradeoff.asp.
[9] . Gokulan, D. (2026). New crypto rules come into force in Dubai’s DIFC. [online] Gulf News: Latest UAE news, Dubai news, Business, travel news, Dubai Gold rate, prayer time, cinema. Available at: https://gulfnews.com/business/banking/new-crypto-rules-come-into-force-in-dubais-difc-1.500405774
[10] . Hayes, A. (2021). Life-Cycle Hypothesis (LCH). [online] Investopedia. Available at: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/l/life-cycle-hypothesis.asp.
[11] . Hayes, A. (2023). Investment basics explained with types to invest in. [online] Investopedia. Available at: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/investment.asp.
[12] . Investopedia (2024). Cryptocurrency Explained with Pros and Cons for Investment. [online] Investopedia. Available at: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/cryptocurrency.asp.
[13] . John, I. (2026). UAE in pole position as global wealth migration surges. [online] Khaleej Times. Available at: https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/uae-in-pole-position-asglobal-wealth-migration-surges?_refresh=true
[14] . Kenton, W. (2024). Behavioural Economics. [online] Investopedia. Available at: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/behavioraleconomics.asp.
[15] . NielsenIQ (2024). Spend Z – Gen Z Spending Power & Habits. [online] NIQ. Available at: https://nielseniq.com/global/en/landing-page/spend-z/.
[16] . Patton, M. (2025). Capital Investment: Macroeconomic Insights based on the Growth Accounting Literature Capital Investment: Macroeconomic Insights based on the Growth Accounting Literature. [online] Available at: https://www.ulster.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/1768503/Capital-Investment-Macroeconomic-Perspective.pdf.
[17] . Satish, D. (2025). FinTok’s rise: How short-form content is redefining money education - Finance Middle East. [online] Finance Middle East. Available at: https://www.financemiddleeast.com/features/snapchat-stocks-what-finance-lessons-are-hidden-in-gen-zs-favorite-apps/
[18] . Scott, G. (2023). Modern portfolio theory (MPT). [online] Investopedia. Available at: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/modernportfoliotheory.asp.
[19] . Stake (2025). 5 Investment Strategies for Gen Z in the UAE. [online] Getstake.com. Available at: https://getstake.com/content-hub/blog/articles/5-investment-strategies-for-gen-z-in-the-uae.
[20] . World Economic Forum (2025). New research finds retail investing is shifting towards younger investors, reshaping market trends. [online] World Economic Forum. Available at: https://www.weforum.org/press/2025/03/new-research-finds-retail-investing-shift-towards-younger-investors-reshaping-market-trends/.

ABSTRACT:
As a result of the expansion of digital platforms, lower transaction costs, and wider participation in financial markets, investing has become increasingly accessible in recent years. This transformation has been particularly influenced by Generation Z, a cohort characterised by very strong digital fluency, social awareness, and early engagement with financial markets and technologies. This research paper set out to examine how Gen Z investors differ from older generations in their investment behaviour and explore the specific opportunities and risks presented by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) financial market. The study integrates economic theories such as Modern Portfolio Theory and the Life-cycle Hypothesis to explain generational differences in asset allocation, risk tolerance, and investment objectives. Global trends, including the rise of cryptocurrencies, exchange-traded funds, and sustainable investing, are analysed alongside behavioural influences such as social media and digital trading platforms. A case study of the UAE, supported by insights from an interview, highlights how regulatory openness, fintech development, and favourable tax policies create unique opportunities for young investors while also exposing them to heightened market volatility and behavioural risks.

IJSSER is Member of