Amman, Oct. 14 (Petra) - Jordan hit a record high on the 2026 Arab Digital Economy Index on Wednesday, climbing to sixth overall and leading all digitally emerging nations.

The Kingdom’s score rose to 59.6 points in 2026, up from 52.6 in 2024, according to the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship. The jump breaks a four-edition streak in seventh place held since 2018.

Jordan's performance surpassed the Arab regional average of 44.33 points by more than 15 points, placing it directly behind the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and Oman.

The Kingdom outperformed the regional average across all eight evaluated pillars. Its top marks came in social and economic impact (71.85 points), cybersecurity and data sovereignty (69.7 points), and digital governance and institutions (60 points). In both innovation and emerging technology, as well as data economy and AI, Jordan scored 53.8 points, beating the regional average by more than 19 points in each category.

Key performance gains between 2024 and 2026 included e-government services rising from 46.8 to 75.9 points, cybersecurity levels soaring from 70.5 to 98.3, and emerging tech adoption jumping from 27.9 to 76.8 points. Jordan also earned a perfect score of 100 on its national AI strategy.

The report showcased Jordan’s strengths as AI policy, cybersecurity, local industry diversity, tech adoption, and integrated public e-services.

However, it noted key areas for improvement, including digital trade logistics, online shopping adoption, tech knowledge absorption, payment tool ownership, and startup funding.

Published biennially since 2018, the Arab Digital Economy Index measures digital readiness to help direct policy and investments. The 2026 edition focused heavily on digital sovereignty and data control.

//Petra// HA