Qatar Creates Domestic Investment Arm Amid Disruption in Energy Trade

Qatar's sovereign wealth fund is reshaping its strategy by creating a new division dedicated to domestic investments. This move, announced by Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani at the Qatar Economic Forum in New York, signals a shift towards using state capital to strengthen local companies and reduce reliance on overseas investments.

The new division, called Doha Investment, will operate as the manager of the Qatar Investment Authority's domestic portfolio. It will oversee 45 state-owned enterprises, which represent roughly one-third of the sovereign wealth fund's total assets, estimated at $580 billion by Global SWF research firm.

The creation of Doha Investment marks a new focus for the QIA, which was established in 2005 with a mandate centered largely on investing Qatar's energy wealth abroad. The move is aimed at supporting domestic businesses, deepening capital markets, and attracting international capital and expertise to contribute to this effort.

The establishment of Doha Investment comes as Qatar faces mounting financial pressure from the US-Israeli war on Iran and the disruption of its liquefied natural gas exports due to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The country's non-hydrocarbon economy expanded 4.8% in 2025, providing a foundation for Qatar's effort to give domestic businesses a larger role in economic growth.