"That's where the money is" — Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary explains how Abu Dhabi is different from Dubai

Shark Tank investor Kevin O'Leary, who holds UAE citizenship, frequently travels to the country to oversee his various business ventures established there. In a November 23 Instagram post, O'Leary chimed in on the difference between UAE's two emirates, Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

O'Leary shared that Abu Dhabi was the "capital for all around the world" and was the place for financial growth. In contrast, he recommended visiting Dubai for its numerous attractions, including stunning landmarks and a diverse selection of excellent restaurants.

"Abu Dhabi is the capital of capital for all around the world. You talk about financial services and just the scale of how fast it's growing. It's absolutely huge... So you got to go there because that's where the money is," O'Leary said about Abu Dhabi.

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Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary highlights Abu Dhabi's financial growth

Kevin O'Leary recently visited UAE and shared some insights about the country on his Instagram. In a video comparing Abu Dhabi and Dubai, he highlighted how the two emirates were closely located, with less than an hour's drive between them, making it easy for people to travel between the two cities.

"What's the difference when you're visiting the United Arab Emirates between Abu Dhabi and Dubai? Now, they're very close together, less than an hour. So, you can drive between them, a beautiful highway," he said.

Coming onto the difference, he shared that Abu Dhabi served as the capital of the UAE and was a major rising participant in global financial services. He emphasized the rapid expansion of its financial services sector and the sheer scale of growth the place had shown over recent years.

O'Leary pointed out the importance of its regulator, ADGM (Abu Dhabi Global Market Square), which acted as the "center hub" of the entire region's economic and financial progress.

"The regulator there, the ADGM (Abu Dhabi Global Market Square), that's sort of the center hub of the entire region's growth and capital," The Shark Tank investor said.

O'Leary later emphasized Dubai's status as a global destination, highlighting its vibrant culture, stunning skyline, and renowned world-class restaurants. The shark suggested that Dubai was a great place to visit during the weekend to experience its diverse offerings.

He further noted the close proximity and ease of traveling between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, allowing the visitors to enjoy both places through its well-connected transportation options.

"This country is less than 60 years old. Look what they've built in just 60 years. They took the best form all and put it there. Talk about safe, too. You can walk around at night anywhere never run into trouble. But does that mean you can wear your watches out?" The Shark Tank star added.

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Why does Kevin O'Leary do business in the UAE?

Kevin O'Leary flew to Abu Dhabi during the first week of December 2021 to attend its inaugural Access program. The program aimed to introduce US businessmen to Abu Dhabi's growing market, and O'Leary was one of the entrepreneurs besides Patrice Evra, Christina Milian, and Metta World Peace.

During the program, the Shark Tank star said that he saw the potential for Abu Dhabi to become the Switzerland of the Middle East. He shared that Abu Dhabi offered a "nimble and accommodative environment" and described doing business in the emirate as a "breeze."

"The rate of progress is unique to this country. The leadership listens to what the private sector needs and acts on it, even in fast-moving sectors like FinTech. Here, you have stability, and you have innovation. I see tremendous potential for Abu Dhabi to become the Switzerland of the Middle East, and for investors, that's very attractive," he added.

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Shark Tank season 16 episodes air every Friday on ABC.