Business Sectors
Corporates
A stable and efficient platform for corporates to manage their regional activity.
Establishing in DIFC enables corporates to centralise, manage and consolidate their regional resources to gain a competitive advantage by reducing operating costs.
• Corporates can structure their regional operations (including ring fencing assets) by using
DIFC structures, which include:
- Managing Offices
- Proprietary Investment Entities
- Holding Companies
- Prescribed Companies
For more information, please click here
Family Business
DIFC: A global hub for family businesses to access growth opportunities
Future-proofing family businesses
DIFC is home to experts who serve and advise family businesses on their succession planning, corporate governance, investment opportunities and tax advisory.
Services include:
- DIFC Family Wealth Centre.Succession planning advisers.
- Lawyers and advisers.
- Wealth and asset managers.
- Private equity specialists.
- Captive insurers and Islamic finance experts.
- Treasury experts.
- Capital markets.
- International tax advisers.
- Corporate financiers.
For more information, please click here
Professional Service Providers
A gateway for professional services providers to access talent and markets
• With over 4,300 clients, DIFC is one of the region’s largest and deepest markets for professional services providers. Additionally, you can access new clients from across the MEASA region through DIFC.
For more information, please click here
Prescribed Companies
DIFC: A global hub for structuring business
Flexible and easy-to-use structures offered by the region’s leading financial centre
DIFC offers restructuring via prescribed companies.
- Quick and easy set-up.
- Competitive licensing and registration fees.
- Ability to conduct business without the need to appoint an auditor.
- Ability to conduct business without the need to rent a DIFC office space.
- Accommodates commercial initiatives that do not require heavy or onerous governance framework.
- An ideal structure for succession planning, managing business continuity and ring-fencing assets.
- World-class legal and regulatory framework.
- Globally competitive and attractive tax regime.
- Zero currency restrictions and 100% foreign ownership.
- Zero restrictions on capital repatriation.
For more information, please click here
Wealth & Asset Management
Unlock Wealth & Asset Management Opportunities
Access the MEASA region from DIFC
DIFC: the preferred choice of Wealth & Asset Management firms
- World-class regulatory legal and regulatory framework.
- Collaborative approach between clients, regulator and authorities.
- US$445 bn+ DIFC Wealth & Asset industry size.
- US$165 bn AUM managed within DIFC.
- 300+ Wealth & Asset Management firms.
For more information, please click here
Insurance and reinsurance
DIFC: the preferred choice for insurance and reinsurance companies
- World-class legal and regulatory framework.
- Collaborative approach between clients, IAIS-member regulator and authorities.
- Over US$2 bn gross written premiums annually.
- 100+ insurance firms.
Benefit from a future-focused platform
- Engage in consultations on future legal and regulatory enhancements.
- Collaborate with industry partners, including DIFC Insurance Association NPIO and Dubai Sustainable Finance Working Group, a DIFC-chaired initiative.
- Participate within a strong reinsurance market, which is home to the Dubai World Insurance Congress.
- Access the Chartered Insurance Institute professional qualifications offering in the Centre.
- Advance your innovation agenda with the support of the DIFC Venture Studios and FinTechs in the DIFC Innovation Hub.
For more information, please click here
Hedge Funds
Why hedge funds are choosing DIFC
- World class legal and regulatory framework.
- Favorable tax regime.
- Flexible regulations.
- Deepest regulated financial market in the region.
- Flexible legal structures and product offering for fast expansion into Dubai.
- Waived registration fee and discounted commercial license fee options.
- High quality of life and safe place to live.
Benefit from a future focused platform
- Industry collaboration through Dubai Sustainable Finance Working Group, a DIFC-chaired initiative.
- Progressive regimes for digital assets – investment and crypto tokens.
For more information, please click here
FinTech and innovation
DIFC: The most popular choice for FinTech and innovation companies
- The region’s most comprehensive end-to-end FinTech and innovation proposition.
- Chosen by over 700 active FinTech and innovation companies – start-ups, growth stage firms and unicorns.
- Over 60 per cent of GCC-based FinTech firms based in DIFC.
- Enabling legal and regulatory framework.
- Over 4,300 financial and financial related companies to do business with.
- Access 72 countries across the MEASA region.
- Over US$615 mn funding raised by DIFC-based innovation firms in 2022.
- Trusted by the market with high levels of funding from the private sector.
For more information, please click here
The DIFC Family Wealth Centre
Future-proofing the success of family businesses
The DIFC Family Wealth Centre (DFWC) is an ecosystem that provides best-in-class and tailored services for families with a long-term vision and global ambitions. We accompany and support family businesses in their journey to successfully preserve and grow their legacies across generations, as well as geographies.
- Certification of family businesses pertaining to governance, ESG standards, and best practices.
- Access to a trusted network of accredited professional advisors who are experts on family businesses matters, including experts in:
- Family legacy and succession planning
- Family business structuring and governance
- Finance, investment, and insurance.
- International legal and tax advisory
- ESG and sustainability advisory
- Exclusive education and leadership programmes.
- Dispute resolution services.
- Concierge services.
For more information, please click here
Corporate and Investment Banking in DIFC: the trusted partner
DIFC: The top choice in the MEASA region for institutions seeking global standards
- World class regulatory legal and regulatory framework.
- Collaborative approach between clients, regulator and authorities
Benefit from a future-focused platform
- Engage in consultations, future legal and regulatory enhancements
- Industry collaboration through Dubai Sustainable Finance Working Group, a DIFC chaired initiative
- Company structures (Prescribed Company regime) for structured transactions
- International standards for netting and insolvency law
- Advance your innovation agenda with the support of the DIFC Venture Studios and FinTechs in the DIFC Innovation Hub
For more information, please click here
