Wealth and Asset Management.
Unlock Wealth and Asset Management Opportunities.
DIFC is the preferred choice for Wealth and Asset Management firms in the MEASA Region.
Wealth and Asset Management firms benefit from The Centre’s advanced international ecosystem of:
- World class regulatory legal and regulatory framework.
- Collaborative approach between clients, regulator and authorities.
- USD 700bn+ in Assets Under Management (AUM).
- There are 400+ companies in Wealth and Asset Management firm as of today.
DIFC recently launched the Family Wealth Centre to support family businesses and UHNWIs manage their wealth. This is the first of its kind in the world and comes as it is estimated that USD 1trn (AED 3.67trn) in assets will be transferred to the next generation in the Middle East during the next decade.
- Wealth Management
- Asset Management
- Fund Management
- Private Equity
- Hedge Funds
- Venture Capital Firms
The Centre offers an ideal base for regional wealth management companies. MEASA remains one of the world’s fastest growing regions for wealth accumulation.
For wealth solutions, interest is particularly strong in investment and portfolio management, estate and inheritance planning, Sharia-compliant wealth management, and real estate and financial advisory.
DIFC offers a range of market entry options and regulated licences for wealth and asset management companies. A representative office allows marketing services, information provision, promotions, and referrals. A category four licence allows asset raising and full client relationship management, whereas a category three licence will allow full portfolio management.
3 easy steps to start setting up your business
Step one.
Submit LOIFirst step is to provide DIFC with letter of intent (LOI).
Step two.
Obtain DFSA in-principle approvalSubmit Regulatory Business Plan (RBP) and application documents to DFSA, and obtain in-principle approval.
Step three.
SetupComplete the registration and incorporation process with ROC (including office setup, visas, bank accounts, etc.).
Once all conditions are fulfilled, DFSA grants a license, and the entity may start the operations.
Handbooks and documents
The Centre offers an ideal base for many types of wealth and asset management company. Asset management companies can develop, distribute, manage, and domicile all types of public, private, Sharia-compliant, and qualified funds.
DIFC offers a range of market entry options and regulated licences for wealth and asset management companies. A representative office allows marketing services, information provision, promotions, and referrals. A category four licence allows asset raising and full client relationship management, whereas a category three licence will allow full portfolio management.
3 easy steps to start setting up your business
Step one.
Submit LOIFirst step is to provide DIFC with letter of intent (LOI).
Step two.
Obtain DFSA in-principle approvalSubmit Regulatory Business Plan (RBP) and application documents to DFSA, and obtain in-principle approval.
Step three.
SetupComplete the registration and incorporation process with ROC (including office setup, visas, bank accounts, etc.).
Once all conditions are fulfilled, DFSA grants a license, and the entity may start the operations.
Handbooks and documents
The large and growing pools of wealth in MEASA region are creating an increasingly urgent need for specialist fund management services.
Both institutions and high-net-worth individuals are looking for regionally based experts to address their complex investment requirements.
DIFC’s legislative and regulatory regime provides a highly supportive and secure environment for local, regional, and global players to domicile, manage and distribute funds. It’s no wonder that DIFC continues to set the pace as the region’s largest fund management jurisdiction.
3 easy steps to start setting up your business
Step one.
Submit LOIFirst step is to provide DIFC with letter of intent (LOI).
Step two.
Obtain DFSA in-principle approvalSubmit Regulatory Business Plan (RBP) and application documents to DFSA, and obtain in-principle approval.
Step three.
SetupComplete the registration and incorporation process with ROC (including office setup, visas, bank accounts, etc.).
Once all conditions are fulfilled, DFSA grants a license, and the entity may start the operations.
Handbooks and documents
Companies in the MEASA region are increasingly looking to fund growth through private capital – including international capital.
Family firms and conglomerates, meanwhile, are reaching a size and complexity that benefit from the capital and management expertise offered by private equity.
At the same time, many industries and sectors are fragmented, ideal for the consolidation that is well served by private equity. Governments are turning to public-private partnerships, representing yet another private equity opportunity.
An expanding appetite from institutions and high-net-worth individuals looking to diversify their portfolios with MEASA-focused private equity is creating an investor base for regionally themed funds.
With its location at the heart of deal making in the region, DIFC offers the ideal platform for firms looking to meet this need, as they launch or expand operations in the region.
Additionally, DIFC’s fund structures and licensing options are ideally suited to private equity, creating a unique regional platform to launch, distribute, manage and domicile all types of private equity funds.
3 easy steps to start setting up your business
Step one.
Submit LOIFirst step is to provide DIFC with letter of intent (LOI).
Step two.
Obtain DFSA in-principle approvalSubmit Regulatory Business Plan (RBP) and application documents to DFSA, and obtain in-principle approval.
Step three.
SetupComplete the registration and incorporation process with ROC (including office setup, visas, bank accounts, etc.).
Once all conditions are fulfilled, DFSA grants a license, and the entity may start the operations.
Handbooks and documents
Dubai’s strategic location serves as a bridge between the East and West, making it a premier hub for international trade and investment. Hedge funds setting up in DIFC benefit from this ideal gateway to high-growth emerging markets of the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Nearly two-thirds of DIFC-based hedge funds originate from the US and the UK, including two of the world's ten largest hedge funds.
DIFC’s Alternative Investment industry is growing faster than the market and now includes 75 hedge funds, 48 of which are ‘billion-dollar club’ organisations. The Centre has become one of the world’s top ten locations for hedge funds and is on track to become one of the top five in the coming years.
3 easy steps to start setting up your business
Step one.
Submit LOIFirst step is to provide DIFC with letter of intent (LOI).
Step two.
Obtain DFSA in-principle approvalSubmit Regulatory Business Plan (RBP) and application documents to DFSA, and obtain in-principle approval.
Step three.
SetupComplete the registration and incorporation process with ROC (including office setup, visas, bank accounts, etc.).
Once all conditions are fulfilled, DFSA grants a license, and the entity may start the operations.
Handbooks and documents
DIFC provides the perfect environment for venture capitalists to establish a presence in Dubai and invest in cutting-edge technologies and businesses. Dubai is home to one-third of all MENA investors. Other sources of finance include growth-stage funding, angel investors and the Dubai Future District Fund. Established in 2020, the AED 1bn fund aims to attract top global and regional capital in order to accelerate the digital economy.
3 easy steps to start setting up your business
Step one.
Submit LOIFirst step is to provide DIFC with letter of intent (LOI).
Step two.
Obtain DFSA in-principle approvalSubmit Regulatory Business Plan (RBP) and application documents to DFSA, and obtain in-principle approval.
Step three.
SetupComplete the registration and incorporation process with ROC (including office setup, visas, bank accounts, etc.).
Once all conditions are fulfilled, DFSA grants a license, and the entity may start the operations.
Handbooks and documents
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