The first-quarter performance also points to a broader movement of capital and institutions into the emirate. A stronger pipeline of asset managers, banks, insurers, family offices and advisory firms is deepening Dubai’s financial ecosystem, with DIFC increasingly being used as a regional base for business across the Middle East, Africa and South Asia.
Global firms deepen Dubai presence
The latest additions to DIFC include Arrowpoint Investment Partners, Braemar Securities, Blue Mountain Capacity, Janus Henderson Investors, Keystone Financial Solutions, National Bank of Canada, Photon Dance, Prospera Wealth Management, RV Capital Management and Ryan Specialty.
Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and President of DIFC, linked the centre’s performance to Dubai’s wider economic model.
“Dubai continues to consolidate a unique economic model rooted in a proactive and agile response to regional and global shifts,” Sheikh Maktoum said. “This approach is inspired by the strategic vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, centred on foresight, economic readiness and transformation of challenges into opportunities for growth.”
He said the approach had strengthened Dubai’s position as “a trusted global business and finance hub” and an investment ecosystem capable of sustaining growth in changing conditions.
Regulation and confidence drive inflows
The centre’s regulated financial services authorisations rose 21% year-on-year in the first quarter, reflecting continued demand from firms looking to operate under a recognised financial framework.
Sheikh Maktoum said DIFC’s first-quarter growth reflects “the rising international confidence in Dubai’s economic ecosystem, its advanced regulatory and legislative frameworks and financial infrastructure.”
This is central to Dubai’s D33 agenda, which seeks to double the size of the emirate’s economy and place it among the world’s four leading financial hubs within the next decade.
Essa Kazim, Governor of DIFC, said Dubai’s position as a top-ten global financial centre during a period of uncertainty reflects the strength of the emirate’s long-term vision and DIFC’s role in delivering it.
“DIFC’s contribution to enhancing investor confidence, strengthening legal and regulatory transparency, and attracting global capital remains instrumental in reinforcing Dubai’s position as a leading financial hub,” Kazim said.
Family wealth chooses DIFC
The first quarter also showed a marked increase in family wealth activity. DIFC registered 158 foundations during the period, more than double the number recorded in the same quarter last year. March was particularly strong, with 60 foundations registered, representing 186% year-on-year growth.
Dubai has become an increasingly important destination for wealthy families relocating capital, businesses and residence plans to the region, and DIFC’s foundation regime is playing a larger role in that shift.
The growth in foundations also shows how DIFC is expanding beyond traditional financial services. The centre is being used by families and private capital groups to manage long-term wealth, build governance frameworks and connect with advisers, asset managers and legal specialists operating within the same jurisdiction.
Arif Amiri, Chief Executive Officer of DIFC Authority, said the centre’s performance was driven by the continued arrival of global, regional and local clients choosing DIFC as their base in the region.
“This growth not only reflects the strength of our platform, but also enhances our reputation as the region’s leading financial centre,” Amiri said. He added that more institutions and families joining the ecosystem are helping create “a dynamic, future-ready environment” that strengthens Dubai’s role as a gateway to opportunities across MEASA.
Space race follows company growth
The inflow of companies is also feeding demand for commercial space in DIFC. The centre completed DIFC Square ahead of schedule, with full occupancy achieved before handover, showing how tight demand has become for high-quality offices in the district.
DIFC is now preparing to add 1.6 million square feet of commercial space between 2026 and 2027 through projects including DIFC Living, Innovation Two and Immersive Tower. The expansion is intended to absorb demand from financial institutions, technology firms, innovation companies and family offices seeking a presence in the centre.
Work is also progressing on the Zabeel District expansion, which will add commercial, residential and lifestyle offerings around a signature boulevard. The district will include a conference centre, hotels, retail space and digital infrastructure, with more than one million square feet allocated to innovation.
That includes the world’s largest innovation hub and the first purpose-built AI Campus, placing DIFC’s expansion closer to where finance, technology and artificial intelligence are beginning to converge.
Nivetha Dayanand is Assistant Business Editor at Gulf News, where she spends her days unpacking money, markets, aviation, and the big shifts shaping life in the Gulf. Before returning to Gulf News, she launched Finance Middle East, complete with a podcast and video series.
Her reporting has taken her from breaking spot news to long-form features and high-profile interviews. Nivetha has interviewed Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed Al Saud, Indian ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and N. Chandrababu Naidu, IMF’s Jihad Azour, and a long list of CEOs, regulators, and founders who are reshaping the region’s economy.
An Erasmus Mundus journalism alum, Nivetha has shared classrooms and newsrooms with journalists from more than 40 countries, which probably explains her weakness for data, context, and a good follow-up question.
When she is away from her keyboard (AFK), you are most likely to find her at the gym with an Eminem playlist, bingeing One Piece, or exploring games on her PS5.