Analysis of UAE digital transactions revealed a 107% year-on-year increase in volume during 2025, according to the latest Cybercrime Report from LexisNexis Risk Solutions. At the same time, the overall attack rate fell by 45% to reach 1.2%, dropping below the global average of 1.6%.
Expansion in UAE Digital Transactions
The study evaluated approximately 700 million digital transactions across the United Arab Emirates using the Digital Identity Network. Genuine user activity expanded faster than fraudulent activity throughout the year. As a result, the region recorded stronger operational stability across core consumer channels.
However, specific digital touchpoints experienced elevated fraud attempts. The attack rate linked to password reset requests surged by more than 300%. Automated bot activity also increased by 62% year on year to 11 million attempts, primarily targeting the financial services and ecommerce sectors.
Shift Toward Automated and AI Attacks
Automated activity in the country mirrored global patterns, where bot traffic rose 59% worldwide. Notably, genuine automated activity also expanded rapidly. Commercial activity driven by artificial intelligence agents grew 450% between the first and fourth quarters of 2025.
“The UAE’s ability to sustain rapid digital growth while reducing its overall attack rate is an encouraging indicator of the resilience of its digital economy. As fraud tactics become more targeted and AI-driven interactions increase, however, organizations will need a deeper understanding of digital identity, behavior and intent.”
Stephen Topliss, Vice President of Marketing Planning for Global Fraud and Identity at LexisNexis Risk Solutions
Global Cybercrime Patterns
The UAE findings formed part of a wider study that evaluated more than 116 billion digital interactions globally. Worldwide volume grew 12% year on year, while human-initiated attacks rose 19%. Browser channels accounted for the majority of fraud growth, whereas attacks on mobile applications declined over the same period.
Furthermore, account takeovers remained a critical threat across international markets. The global attack rate at login increased by 89%, while the gaming sector recorded a 76% rise in overall attacks. New account creation remained the highest-risk touchpoint globally, with one in every 11 attempts flagged as an attack.
Future Outlook for Digital Security
Synthetic identity fraud represented 11% of reported fraud cases globally, surpassing traditional identity theft. Meanwhile, regional monitoring showed fraud networks operating actively across Europe, the Middle East, the Americas, and Asia Pacific.
As UAE digital transactions continue to climb, experts emphasize the need for enhanced threat data sharing between financial institutions, platforms, and regulators to maintain secure consumer environments in the coming years.
