Snowflake Inc. (NYSE: SNOW), the pioneering AI Data Cloud company, marked a significant milestone in its international growth strategy with the launch of its AI Data Cloud on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Middle East (UAE) Region on January 22, 2026. This deployment not only extends Snowflake’s multi-cloud capabilities but also aligns with surging demand for secure, compliant AI solutions in the Middle East. By bringing data closer to regional users, the move reduces latency, enhances performance, and supports stringent data residency requirements, empowering UAE enterprises to accelerate AI adoption while maintaining governance.
This expansion builds directly on Snowflake’s robust partnership with AWS, highlighted by the company doubling its AWS Marketplace transaction growth year-over-year to surpass $2 billion in global sales within the 2025 calendar year. This achievement underscores Snowflake’s leadership in simplifying procurement and fueling AI-driven innovation through seamless integrations. As the UAE positions itself as a global AI hub under its National AI Strategy 2031, this launch is timely, offering organizations a foundation for building trusted data platforms and deploying AI at scale.
In this in-depth analysis, we’ll explore the launch details, regional benefits, AI compliance implications, competitive advantages over rivals like Databricks, and the broader impact on Snowflake’s growth trajectory. With the Middle East’s data analytics market booming, this move positions Snowflake as a key enabler for enterprise transformation. (For more on Snowflake’s partnerships, check our internal link to Snowflake AWS Collaboration Overview).
The January 22, 2026, Launch: Key Details and Marketplace Momentum
Snowflake’s announcement on January 22, 2026, introduced general availability of its AI Data Cloud in the AWS Middle East (UAE) Region, a strategic expansion that caters to the region’s growing need for localized, high-performance data solutions. This deployment allows customers to leverage Snowflake’s unified platform for data warehousing, analytics, and AI workloads directly within the UAE, minimizing data transfer costs and latency issues associated with cross-border operations.
Central to this launch is its role in Snowflake’s AWS Marketplace success. The company achieved $2 billion in sales through AWS Marketplace in 2025, doubling from the previous year, driven by simplified procurement and integrations that accelerate enterprise adoption. This milestone reflects the platform’s appeal for AI agents and tools, with nearly 45% of Snowflake’s revenue flowing through AWS Marketplace. The UAE deployment extends this momentum, enabling Middle Eastern customers to procure and deploy Snowflake via AWS Marketplace, streamlining billing and compliance.
Snowflake’s executives emphasized the partnership’s strength: “Snowflake’s achievement of surpassing $2 billion in AWS Marketplace transactions demonstrates the power of our joint solutions,” noted a company spokesperson. This growth is fueled by innovations like Snowflake’s integration with AWS services, including Amazon Bedrock for AI connectivity.
Regional Benefits: Empowering UAE Enterprises
The UAE deployment delivers tangible benefits tailored to the region’s dynamic economy, where AI and digital transformation are priorities under the National AI Strategy 2031. Key advantages include:
- Reduced Latency and Improved Performance: By hosting data locally, organizations experience faster query responses and real-time analytics, crucial for sectors like finance, healthcare, and e-commerce.
- Data Residency and Sovereignty: UAE regulations demand data localization for sensitive information. Snowflake’s setup ensures compliance, allowing enterprises to keep data within borders without compromising on global standards.
- Cost Efficiency and Scalability: The pay-as-you-go model, combined with AWS integration, optimizes costs for variable workloads, benefiting startups and large entities in the UAE’s innovation ecosystem.
These benefits position Snowflake as a catalyst for the UAE’s AI ambitions, fostering talent development and infrastructure growth.
AI Compliance: Navigating Regulations in the Middle East
AI compliance is a cornerstone of Snowflake’s UAE strategy, addressing regional frameworks like the UAE’s Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL) and broader Middle Eastern data sovereignty mandates. The platform’s built-in governance tools, such as Horizon and Cortex AI, ensure secure data handling, audit trails, and ethical AI deployments.
In the UAE, where AI adoption is projected to contribute trillions to GDP by 2030, Snowflake enables compliant AI use cases like predictive analytics in healthcare or fraud detection in finance. Features like secure data sharing without duplication mitigate risks, aligning with PDPL’s emphasis on privacy and security.
Compared to broader Middle East expansions, such as Snowflake’s Saudi HQ, the UAE focus emphasizes low-latency AI for regulated industries.
Competitive Advantages: Snowflake vs. Databricks in the UAE
In the UAE’s competitive data landscape, Snowflake holds distinct edges over rivals like Databricks, particularly in BI and compliance-driven environments.
- Architecture and Scalability: Snowflake’s separation of storage and compute allows cost-effective scaling for structured data, ideal for UAE’s analytics-heavy sectors. Databricks’ lakehouse excels in ML but may require more engineering overhead.
- AI and Governance Focus: Snowflake’s Cortex AI emphasizes compliant, governed AI, suiting UAE regulations. Databricks shines in open-source ML but lacks Snowflake’s native BI simplicity.
- Local Presence and Ecosystem: With AWS UAE availability, Snowflake offers better data residency than Databricks, plus a strong partner network for faster deployments.
While Databricks grows faster (55% vs. 29%), Snowflake’s ease for BI makes it preferable for UAE’s finance and government.
Revenue Impacts and Global Strategy
This launch supports Snowflake’s FY26 revenue target of $4.446 billion, with EMEA contributing significantly to $7.88 billion RPO. The $2B Marketplace milestone amplifies this, potentially adding 15-20% regional growth through AI demand.
Globally, it complements expansions in South Africa and Sweden, reinforcing Snowflake’s 51-region footprint.
Forward-Looking: AI Adoption in the UAE
By 2030, AI could add trillions to UAE GDP, with Snowflake enabling agentic AI and customized models. Future integrations may include more AWS AI tools, driving innovation.
Key Takeaways for Investors and Enterprises
- Strategic Growth: UAE launch doubles Marketplace momentum, boosting revenue.
- Compliance Edge: Enhances AI adoption with data residency.
- Competitive Moat: Outshines Databricks in BI and governance.
- Investment Tip: Monitor EMEA metrics; buy on dips for AI upside.