Dubai has become a huge destination for the rich, with an influx of high-net-worth residents driving up property prices and boosting the UAE's tax revenues in recent years. And of course, Gulf countries more broadly have a lot of oil wealth that they've ploughed into everything from real estate to private credit and tech. But the situation with Iran looks set to test that prosperity. In recent weeks, Iran has been attacking Gulf energy infrastructure and even launched drone strikes on residential areas in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. In this episode, we speak with Hiten Samtani long-time Dubai resident, founder of Ten31 Media, and publisher of The Promote about what's behind Dubai's luxury boom, how Gulf capital has reshaped global finance including private credit, and what life in Dubai feels like amid rising geopolitical risk.
Subscribe to the Odd Lots Newsletter
Join the conversation: discord.gg/oddlots

Planet Money Turned Everyday Annoyances Into an Economics Book
39:01

Brad Setser on the War in Iran and the Future of the US Dollar
51:59

War in Iran Is Already Reshaping East Asia's Energy Future
37:23