The UAE is exiting OPEC because of money. They are a small country, but they have a LOT of oil. Furthermore, they have a portion of their country on the other side of the Strait of Hormuz, thus allowing them to get around the US/Iran blockade. However, OPEC has a limit on how much oil a member country can produce and sell. As the UAE being a major tourist attraction is being undercut by the US/Iran War, leaving OPEC and being able to sell more oil would help them in the long run. Answer from go_faster1 on reddit.com
S&P Global Ratings
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Credit FAQ: What The UAE's Exit From OPEC Means T | S&P Global Ratings
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Reuters
reuters.com › markets › commodities › uae-says-it-quits-opec-opec-statement-2026-04-28
UAE leaves OPEC in blow to global oil producers' group | Reuters
April 29, 2026 - DUBAI, April 28 (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates on Tuesday said it was quitting OPEC, dealing a blow to the oil producers' group as an unprecedented energy crisis caused by the Iran war exposes discord among Gulf nations.
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Watch: Why has the UAE left Opec - and why does this matter?
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What is really behind UAE’s decision to leave OPEC? - YouTube
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Why The UAE Walked Away From OPEC - YouTube
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United Arab Emirates leaves OPEC – what does this mean? | DW ...
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United Arab Emirates Leaves OPEC In Favor Of ‘National Interest’ ...
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United Arab Emirates quits OPEC and OPEC+ - YouTube
RealClearWorld
realclearworld.com › articles › 2026 › 06 › 04 › the_real_politics_behind_uaes_opec_exit_1186784.html
The Real Politics Behind UAE’s OPEC Exit | RealClearWorld
June 4, 2026 - The withdrawal reflects structural changes in the oil market, increasing competition for market share, and diverging political and commercial interests within OPEC itself. It is also possible that Venezuela might follow the UAE out of the ...
Middle East Institute
mei.edu › home › what does the uae’s departure mean for opec+?
What Does the UAE's Departure Mean for OPEC+? - Middle East Institute
May 8, 2026 - Still, there are no strong indicators that an imminent Venezuelan departure from OPEC is likely. Further, a key impediment to truly harnessing prospective supply growth in all of these member states is the very factor that was at the core of the UAE’s decision to leave: production quotas.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/outoftheloop › what's going on with uae exiting opec and how this is gonna impact on them?
r/OutOfTheLoop on Reddit: What's going on with UAE exiting OPEC and how this is gonna impact on them?
April 29, 2026 -
Starting on May 1, 2026, the UAE is exiting OPEC. Why they're exiting the OPEC and how is this gonna effect OPEC and the UAE?
Article:
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/29/shocking-uae-exit-rocks-opec-but-group-will-still-hold-significant-sway-over-the-oil-market.html
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Answer: OPEC members are limited on the amount of oil they can pump by OPEC, which uses the quota as a way to control oil supply, and the prices of oil. The UAE wants to pump on their own terms, so they are leaving OPEC. The UAE is one of the few members with excess output capacity, so they have more flexibility than other OPEC members. This will hurt OPEC in general and especially Saudi Arabia, which needs high oil prices to fund random projects like building a city in the middle of the desert or sportswashing human rights abuses by hosting golf tournaments. Without the UAE, Saudi Arabia will have to cut its own production to change prices, which means that it might be hurt by lower oil prices and having to withhold its own production to control prices.
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Answer: The UAE is exiting OPEC because of money. They are a small country, but they have a LOT of oil. Furthermore, they have a portion of their country on the other side of the Strait of Hormuz, thus allowing them to get around the US/Iran blockade. However, OPEC has a limit on how much oil a member country can produce and sell. As the UAE being a major tourist attraction is being undercut by the US/Iran War, leaving OPEC and being able to sell more oil would help them in the long run.
Middle East Council on Global Affairs
mecouncil.org › home › the uae’s exit from opec: when politics and oil mix
The UAE’s Exit from OPEC: When Politics and Oil Mix - Middle East Council on Global Affairs
June 17, 2026 - On April 28, 2026, the United Arab Emirates announced it would end its 59-year membership in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) effective May 1, 2026. The UAE’s abrupt decision marks one of the most consequential shifts ...
NPR
npr.org › 2026 › 04 › 28 › nx-s1-5802735 › uae-leaves-opec-oil
The UAE is leaving OPEC on Friday : NPR
April 28, 2026 - The United Arab Emirates has announced that it's leaving OPEC, the cartel representing major state-owned oil producers, on May 1. In an announcement posted on state-owned media, the UAE wrote that the decision "reflects the UAE's long-term strategic ...
Forbes
forbes.com › sites › jamesbroughel › 2026 › 05 › 02 › the-uae-quit-opec-because-its-sovereign-wealth-now-dwarfs-oil
The UAE Quit OPEC Because Its Sovereign Wealth Now Dwarfs Oil
May 4, 2026 - The UAE left OPEC because its $1.7 trillion sovereign wealth portfolio now matters more than the price of crude. Higher oil prices can hurt Abu Dhabi as much as help it.
AP News
apnews.com › article › opec-united-arab-emirates-leaving-cartel-4966108c3fafacb67181152216deda14
UAE will leave OPEC in a blow to the oil cartel | AP News
The United Arab Emirates will leave OPEC effective Friday, stripping the oil cartel of its third-largest producer and further weakening its leverage over global oil supplies and prices.
Published April 29, 2026
BBC
bbc.com › news › articles › cj4pxwlr52yo
United Arab Emirates to quit oil cartel Opec
April 29, 2026 - Saul Kavonic, head of energy research at MST Financial, said it was "the beginning of the end" for the alliance. "With the UAE leaving, Opec loses about 15% of its capacity and one of its most compliant members."
CNBC
cnbc.com › 2026 › 05 › 16 › uae-decision-to-leave-opec-was-not-a-political-move.html
UAE says its decision to leave OPEC was a strategic economic move, not a political one
May 16, 2026 - The United Arab Emirates, which joined OPEC in 1967, announced last month it was leaving the oil producer group on May 1.
The Guardian
theguardian.com › business › 2026 › apr › 28 › uae-quit-opec-oil-exporters-cartel-donald-trump
UAE quits Opec in win for Trump as oil cartel weakened | Opec | The Guardian
April 29, 2026 - The United Arab Emirates has quit the Opec oil cartel after 60 years of membership, in a heavy blow to the group and its de facto leader, Saudi Arabia, as global energy markets contend with the biggest supply crisis in history.
The Conversation
theconversation.com › uaes-opec-exit-has-been-long-in-the-works-and-may-mark-the-beginning-of-a-gulf-realignment-281699
UAE’s OPEC exit has been long in the works – and may mark the beginning of a Gulf realignment
April 28, 2026 - The UAE announced on April 28, 2026, that it will depart OPEC and OPEC+, an expanded grouping which includes Russia, on May 1, depriving the groups of their third- and fourth-largest oil producer, respectively.
Financial Times
ft.com › content › 77f79126-bbf5-4343-90ea-c403c04c5640
Why the UAE really left Opec
May 6, 2026 - Leaving the oil cartel is not just a commercial decision — it reflects structural changes in global energy markets
Soldierspeaks
soldierspeaks.org › home › uae leaves opec 2026: strategic break reshaping oil politics
UAE Leaves OPEC 2026: Strategic Break Reshaping Oil Politics
April 29, 2026 - The decision that UAE leaves OPEC 2026 marks one of the most significant shifts in global energy politics in recent years. Announced at a moment of heightened regional tension, the move signals more than a disagreement over oil quotas.
OilPrice.com
oilprice.com › home › energy › energy-general
UAE’s Shock Exit Leaves OPEC Weakened and the Global Oil Order Rewritten | OilPrice.com
May 5, 2026 - The UAE’s departure is driven by commercial (freeing production growth) and geopolitical motives, while aligning more closely with United States interests and weakening the broader OPEC+ structure.
ONEST Network
onestnetwork.com › uae-leaves-opec-what-it-means-for-power-oil-and-the-strait-of-hormuz
UAE Leaves OPEC: What It Means for Power, Oil, and the Strait of Hormuz
April 28, 2026 - UAE leaves OPEC in 2026 after nearly 60 years, signaling a shift in global oil markets. ONEST explains why it matters, what happens next, and how it could reshape energy power, OPEC influence, and trade through the Strait of Hormuz.
Mondevudailleurs
mondevudailleurs.ae › accueil › the uae are leaving opec. what will happen to oil?
UAE Leaves OPEC: Consequences for Oil Prices - Le Monde Vu D'ailleurs
April 29, 2026 - Starting May 1, the United Arab Emirates are leaving OPEC and OPEC+ — two organizations that have set the rules of the global oil market for decades. OPEC brings together eleven exporting nations: Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Venezuela, Nigeria, and others.