Banking and Capital Markets.

Strong economic and demographic growth in the region is creating opportunities for banks to expand business. DIFC offers the number-one location in the region to access this dynamic environment. Dubai sits at the heart of emerging markets that are demanding a full range of commercial and wholesale banking services.

Expanding wealth, accelerating cross-border trade, growing investment and continued M&A activity reflect this opportunity. State-owned firms, publicly traded corporations and privately held companies are pursuing restructuring as part of this change.

The Centre hosts a growing roster of bank representative offices and branches, as well as new entities. They provide services in areas such as commercial and wholesale banking, trade and export finance, project and infrastructure funding, treasury services, and correspondent banking.

The private wealth sector is thriving in Dubai due to its rapid economic growth creating demand for sophisticated private banking institutions. DIFC is also home to 17 of the world’s top 20 banks and 25 of the world’s top 30 global systemically important banks.

DIFC offers a tried and tested, globally recognised, common-law jurisdiction for investment banks looking to provide M&A and advisory services, project finance, international loan securitisations and other similar services.

Full-service investment banking services are in great demand across the region. Many companies are looking to implement more optimized capital structures. Furthermore, inbound and outbound merger and acquisition activity is maturing, while new financing realities are driving governments to pursue privatisations.

DIFC-based firms are at the heart of banking and finance in the region. Investment banks gain direct access to diverse opportunities.

As an onshore financial free zone, DIFC offers brokerage operations the region’s most advanced telecommunications, IT and regulatory infrastructure. From DIFC, they can optimally access and serve markets and exchanges across MEASA.

There are increasing opportunities for brokerage firms with operations in the region. Long-term structural change means MEASA market equity exchanges are representing an ever-larger share of global equity capitalisation.

DIFC-based brokerage operations have direct access to the large market of family offices, private banks, investment advisors and investment banks located in the Centre. DIFC also is home to Nasdaq Dubai, one of the region’s most significant international electronic trading platforms.

DIFC is the ideal platform to deliver capital market solutions to clients across the region. The Centre offers a tried and tested, globally recognised common-law jurisdiction that serves a vast region stretching from Europe to Singapore. Firms benefit from DIFC’s unrivalled status as the region’s financial hub and epicentre of deal making.

Dramatic change is underway in capital markets across the MEASA region. Efficient capital allocation is increasingly the priority. No longer are corporates only looking to self-funding or bank loans to finance growth. Nor are governments reflexively shouldering the whole burden of capital spending.

Companies are increasingly tapping equity and debt markets, while governments are looking to asset privatisations, public-private partnerships, and debt financing to fund infrastructure and social development projects. The result is a vibrant landscape that demands the full range of capital market products and services.

The economics and demographics of the MEASA region provide big opportunities for financial firms of all types. There is increasing wealth in the region and expanding trade and investment.

DIFC is an ideal base to access the opportunities the region provides. Financial firms in the Centre benefit from the support of a world-class and well-established legal and regulatory environment.

While DIFC has established five principal focus areas of private banking, investment banking, brokerage, capital markets, and banking - support and services are ideal for many other financial firms as well.