As we anticipate the coming decade, it is essential to acknowledge the emerging trends for women in the MENA region. Identifying advancements in financial inclusion, entrepreneurial aspirations, and business education can empower women and play a role in fostering the economic growth of the region.
According to a study conducted by the Swiss banking group UBS, over half (54%) of women in the Middle East and North Africa perceive their understanding of investments as low, despite the exponential growth of their wealth in the region. UBS surveyed in partnership with Women in Business Arabia.
UBS survey insights
The Women and Investing in Mena report revealed that approximately 38 per cent of women in the region considered their investment knowledge to be at a medium level, while only 7.5 per cent regarded it as high.
The report, based on a survey of over 600 women in the Mena region, indicates an opportunity to promote investment literacy among women in the Middle East. It reveals that 62 per cent of those surveyed express a desire to become more actively involved in investing.
According to the Boston Consulting Group, women’s wealth in the Middle East, which amounted to $786 billion in 2020, is projected to experience a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9 per cent. The report anticipates that it will reach $1 trillion by the year 2023. The expansion of women’s wealth in the Middle East raises further considerations and inquiries.
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Economic empowerment: The surge in growth signifies that women in the region are acquiring economic influence and achieving greater financial autonomy. This can yield positive effects on their overall well-being and enhance their capacity to contribute to the economy.
Changing social norms: The trend implies a possible transformation in societal attitudes regarding women’s access to and control over financial resources. This may pave the way for additional progress in gender equality within the region.
Investment opportunities: The swift expansion provides a notable chance for the financial services sector to address the distinct needs and priorities of its female clientele.
While the overall figures reflect positivity, it is crucial to examine the distribution of this wealth among various countries and income brackets within the Middle East. Are the advancements concentrated within a select group of affluent women, or are they more widely distributed?
Crucially, it prompts essential inquiries such as: What obstacles still hinder women from accessing and overseeing their wealth? This might encompass disparities in inheritance laws, restricted availability of financial education, and cultural norms that discourage women’s involvement in financial decision-making.
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Emma Wheeler, Head of women’s wealth, UBS Global Wealth Management said, “There is a need for conversation, education, and systemic support for women in the Mena region to better engage in discussions around finance, investment, and entrepreneurship. The industry needs to make strides with clear intentions, mentorship, encouragement, and continuity to help improve the accessibility of information and unlock the economic opportunities that diversity and inclusion bring to all.”
Evidence of women’s influence in finance
According to BCG’s research, women presently command a substantial 32% share of the world’s wealth, highlighting its significance. This statistic underscores the increasing economic strength and impact of women on a global scale. The consultancy estimates that this will experience a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 5.7 per cent, reaching $97 trillion by the year 2024.
Although 32% represents the global average, notable variations exist among different regions. Developed countries typically exhibit a higher proportion of wealth controlled by women compared to their counterparts in developing countries. Several elements contribute to this expansion, such as the growing participation of women in the labour force, increasing educational achievements among women, and a shift towards more gender-equitable inheritance laws.
Despite advancements, women continue to encounter various challenges in attaining financial equality. These obstacles encompass gender pay disparities, restricted financial access, and societal norms that curtail their economic opportunities.
Economic imbalances between the genders evident
The increasing financial discrepancies between genders are a significant cause for concern. The World Economic Forum projected that achieving pay parity between women and men would take 257 years, marking a 55-year extension from the 2018 prediction of 202 years. This revelation of the expanding pay gap is alarming, emphasizing the pressing need to tackle this issue.
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The previous UBS research indicates that a 10 per cent gender pay gap can result in a 40 per cent gender wealth gap, which increases to 85 per cent for a 20 per cent gender pay gap. In the Mena region, 55 per cent of women assessed their understanding of personal finance, including day-to-day budgeting, as moderate, while 28 per cent rated it as “high,” as indicated by the UBS report.
The survey revealed that merely 29 per cent of participants considered their proficiency in handling financial information to be high, with 53 per cent rating it as medium. The findings also showed that women’s proficiency in dealing with financial information is most pronounced in the UAE and least pronounced in Syria.
As per the UBS report, approximately 47.8 per cent of women in Mena assessed their familiarity with investment information as low, with 42 per cent rating it as medium, and 10 per cent considering it high. Moreover, seven out of ten women in the region rated their familiarity with investment instruments, such as stocks and bonds, as low, while a quarter rated it as medium, and only 4.5 per cent regarded it as high.
Early-age financial literacy is crucial
UBS emphasized the importance of early education and financial literacy, recognizing their pivotal role in ensuring the sustained success of women in business over the long term.
Providing girls with early education imparts the knowledge, skills, and confidence necessary for success in academics and future careers. This encompasses the cultivation of critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills, all of which are essential for navigating the business world.
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Financial literacy empowers women by enabling them to comprehend personal finance, make well-informed financial decisions, and effectively manage their money. This understanding is vital for initiating and operating a business, handling investments, and attaining financial security. Stereotypes and societal norms may dissuade girls from pursuing careers in business. Early exposure to financial concepts and exposure to successful female role models can help dismantle these barriers and inspire girls to contemplate leadership roles in business.
The report adds, “Achieving sustainable impact requires changes in attitudes and approach as women work across industries and cultures. Unleashing this impact involves understanding the cultural needs, barriers, and prospects of both women with wealth that requires management and those seeking to create it.”
Financial capability and education essential for economic empowerment
The report identified economic resources (financial ability and wealth) and economic education (financial knowledge and confidence) as principal catalysts for fostering economic empowerment among women. This is a multifaceted issue with an intricate interplay between these factors. Let’s delve deeper:
For instance, having access to capital, income, and other resources opens up avenues for women to initiate businesses, invest in education and assets, and engage in the formal economy. Conversely, a scarcity of financial resources can markedly constrain their choices, curbing their capacity to take risks or make independent decisions.
Additionally, grasping financial concepts such as budgeting, saving, investing, and debt management equips women to make well-informed decisions regarding their finances. This empowers them to navigate the financial system adeptly, steer clear of predatory practices, and establish financial security.
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Financial literacy nurtures confidence in handling money, negotiating salaries, and advocating for financial rights. It enables women to overcome feelings of fear or intimidation, encouraging active participation in financial decision-making.
UBS also emphasized the importance of incorporating gender considerations in investments, turning finance into a tool for advancing gender equality. “A gender lens can be applied by considering women-owned businesses, companies employing women across all tiers as well as companies offering products and services that benefit women,” the report added.
Eliminating the gender gap in economic participation has the potential to contribute trillions of dollars to the global economy. Investments tailored with a gender-smart approach can address specific needs, unlocking the full potential of women as consumers, entrepreneurs, and investors. By embracing a gender-lens approach to investment, countries and regions can play a role in fostering a more inclusive and sustainable financial system that brings benefits to everyone.
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The Federal Reserve gave investors an early Christmas present by lowering interest rates by 25 basis points (i.e., 0.25%) marking its third rate cut this year. In the past, a change like this in the “long end” of the interest rate yield curve has triggered a predictable, investable pattern. Typically, this pattern would be bearish for finance stocks, particularly banks—investors would buy bank stocks when rates rose and sell them as rates fell….
Dozens of protesters from the “Religious Zionist Reservists Forum” and the “Shared Service Forum” demonstrated Saturday evening outside the home of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich in Kedumim.
The protesters arrived with a direct and pointed message, centered on a symbolic “draft order,” calling on Smotrich to “enlist” on behalf of the State of Israel and oppose what they termed the “sham law” being advanced by MK Boaz Bismuth and the Knesset’s haredi parties.
Among the protesters in Kedumim were the parents of Sergeant First Class (res.) Amichai Oster, who fell in battle in Gaza. Amichai grew up in Karnei Shomron and studied at the Shavei Hevron yeshiva.
Protesters held signs reading: “Smotrich, enlist for us,” along with the symbolic “draft order,” calling on him to “enlist for the sake of the State’s security and to save the people’s army – stand against the bill proposed by Bismuth and the haredim!”
Parallel demonstrations were held outside the homes of MK Ohad Tal in Efrat and MK Michal Woldiger in Givat Shmuel.
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Representatives of the “Shared Service Forum” said: “We are members of the public that contributes the most, and we came here to say: Bezalel, without enlistment there will be no victory and no security. Do not abandon our values for the sake of the coalition. The exemption law is a strategic threat, and you bear the responsibility to stop it and lead a real, fair draft plan for a country in which we are all partners. It’s in your hands.”
The global carbon market is at an inflection point as discussions during the recent COP meeting in Brazil demonstrated.
After years of negotiations over carbon market rules under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, countries are finally moving on to the implementation phase, with more than 30 countries already developing Article 6 strategies. At the same time, the voluntary market is evolving after a period of intense scrutiny over the quality and integrity of carbon credit projects.
The era of Carbon Markets 2.0 is characterised by high integrity standards and is increasingly recognised as critical to meeting the emission reduction goals of the Paris Agreement.
And this ongoing transition presents enormous opportunities for financial institutions to apply their expertise to professionalise the trade of carbon credits and restore confidence in the market.
The engagement of banks, insurance companies, asset managers and others can ensure that carbon markets evolve with the same discipline, risk management, and transparency that define mature financial systems while benefitting from new business opportunities.
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Carbon markets 2.0
Carbon markets are an untapped opportunity to deliver climate action at speed and scale. Based on solutions available now, they allow industries to take action on emissions for which there is currently no or limited solution, complementing their decarbonization programs and closing the gap between the net zero we need to achieve and the net zero that is possible now. They also generate debt-free climate finance for emerging and developing economies to support climate-positive growth – all of which is essential for the global transition to net zero.
Despite recent slowdowns in carbon markets, the volume of credit retirements, representing delivered, verifiable climate action, was higher in the first half of 2025 than in any prior first half-year on record. Corporate climate commitments are increasing, driving significant demand for carbon credits to help bridge the gap on the path to meeting net-zero goals.
According to recent market research from the Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity initiative (VCMI), businesses are now looking for three core qualities in the market to further rebuild their trust: stability, consistency, and transparency – supported by robust infrastructure. These elements are vital to restoring investor confidence and enabling interoperability across markets.
MSCI estimates that the global carbon credit market could grow from $1.4 billion in 2024 to up to $35 billion by 2030 and between $40 billion and $250 billion by 2050. Achieving such growth will rely on institutions equipped with capital, analytical rigour, risk frameworks, and market infrastructure.
Carbon Markets 2.0 will both benefit from and rely on the participation of financial institutions. Now is the time for them to engage, support the growth and professionalism of this nascent market, and, in doing so, benefit from new business opportunities.
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The opportunity
Institutional capital has a unique role to play in shaping the carbon market as it grows. Financial institutions can go beyond investing or lending to high-quality projects by helping build the infrastructure that will enable growth at scale. This includes insurance, aggregation platforms, verification services, market-making capacity, and long-term investment vehicles.
By applying their expertise and understanding of the data and infrastructure required for a functioning, transparent market, financial institutions can help accelerate the integration of carbon credits into the global financial architecture.
As global efforts to decarbonise intensify, high-integrity carbon markets offer financial institutions a pathway to deliver tangible climate impact, support broader social and nature-positive goals, and unlock new sources of revenue, such as:
Leveraging core competencies for market growth, including advisory, lending, project finance, asset management, trading, market access, and risk management solutions.
Unlocking new commercial pathways and portfolio diversification beyond existing business models, supporting long-term growth, and facilitating entry into emerging decarbonisation-driven markets.
Securing first-mover advantage, helping to shape norms, gain market share, and capture opportunities across advisory, structuring, and product innovation.
Deepening client engagement by helping clients navigate carbon markets to add strategic value and strengthen long-term relationships.
Harnessing the opportunity
To make the most of these opportunities, financial institutions should consider engagements in high-integrity carbon markets to signal confidence and foster market stability. Visible participation, such as integrating high-quality carbon credits into institutional climate strategies, can help normalise the voluntary use of carbon credits alongside decarbonisation efforts and demonstrate leadership in climate-aligned financial practices.
Financial institutions can also deliver solutions that reduce market risk and improve project bankability. For instance, de-risking mechanisms like carbon credit insurance can mitigate performance, political, and delivery risks, addressing one of the core challenges holding back investments in carbon projects.
Additionally, diversified funding structures, including blended finance and concessional capital, can lower the cost of capital and de-risk early-stage startups. Fixed-price offtake agreements with investment-grade buyers and the use of project aggregation platforms can improve cash flow predictability and risk distribution, further enhancing bankability.
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By structuring investments into carbon project developers, funds, or the broader market ecosystem, financial institutions can unlock much-needed finance and create an investable pathway for nature and carbon solutions.
For instance, earlier this year JPMorgan Chase struck a long-term offtake agreement for carbon credits tied to CO₂ capture, blending its roles as investor and market facilitator. Standard Chartered is also set to sell jurisdictional forest credits on behalf of the Brazilian state of Acre, while embedding transparency, local consultation, and benefit-sharing into the deal. These examples offer promising precedents in demonstrating that institutions can act not only as financiers but as integrators of high-integrity carbon markets.
The institutions that lead the growth of carbon markets will not only drive climate and nature outcomes but also unlock strategic commercial advantages in an emerging and rapidly evolving asset class.
However, the window to secure first-mover advantage is narrow: carbon markets are now shifting from speculation to implementation. Now is the moment for financial institutions to move from the sidelines and into leadership, helping shape the future of high-integrity carbon markets while capturing the opportunities they offer.
The opinions expressed in Fortune.com commentary pieces are solely the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of Fortune.
