Dubai continues to advance its position as the Middle East, Africa and South Asia's (MEASA) leading global financial centre with the DIFC surpassing 8,000 active registered companies, including over 1,000 entities being regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), the Centre's independent regulator. Additionally, the DIFC Courts has recorded over AED 17.5bn in total case values so far this year.
Global Financial Standing
Dubai continues to advance through the Global Financial Centre Index (GFCI) where it was announced that the city was ranked 11th place globally, cementing its leading position as the region's most credible centre for the industry, and the top four global FinTech hub. This milestone reflects Dubai's transformation into a major global financial services hub and its significant contribution to the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33).
Global Financial Powerhouse
Since its inception in 2004, through its three independent bodies - DIFC Authority, DFSA and DIFC Courts - DIFC has positioned Dubai as a magnet for global financial institutions, innovators and professional services leaders, providing an ecosystem that blends legal and regulatory certainty, becoming the benchmark for emerging financial centres worldwide.
Its proven model combines the DIFC Authority's leadership in strategy, infrastructure and innovation, supported by the DFSA's globally aligned regulatory oversight, and the DIFC Courts' expertise in dispute resolution, together delivering transparency, stability and certainty for businesses.
Largest in the Region
Benefitting from global connectivity and access to more than 77 countries across MEASA, DIFC has grown into the region's largest and most diversified financial hub. The DFSA now regulates more than 1,000 entities within DIFC - the largest number in any financial centre across the region.
Through the DIFC Authority's strategic direction, the Centre has attracted over 8,000 active registered companies. These companies employ 48,000 professionals - the region's largest and deepest pool of financial services related talent. DIFC is the only financial centre in the region operating at scale and therefore uniquely positioned to contribute to the development of the global financial industry. Clients include the largest clusters of financial services firms across the banking, capital markets, wealth and asset management, and insurance sectors.
H.E. Arif Amiri, Chief Executive Officer of DIFC Authority, said: "Exceeding 8,000 registered companies reinforces DIFC's position as the only financial centre in the region operating at scale across all sectors of the industry. This depth and diversity enable us to meaningfully contribute to Dubai's economic growth while shaping the evolution of the global financial services landscape. Beyond finance, our agenda is also driving Dubai's emergence as the region's leading city for technology innovation. As we continue to expand our global influence, we remain committed to ensuring DIFC empowers businesses to grow, innovate and create lasting impact for the future economy."
DIFC's Banking and Capital Markets Growth
DIFC's 289 licenced banks and capital markets companies, including 27 of the world's 29 globally systemically important banks, are now managing approximately USD 240bn of banking assets from the Centre. This has surged from USD 80bn ten years ago, an increase of almost 200%.
Scalable Growth
As the DFSA's strategy and regulatory frameworks continue to evolve to support scale, cross market connectivity and innovation while safeguarding stability, DIFC is well-positioned to drive the next stage of the financial services industry's transformation. To facilitate future growth, the DFSA will enhance its funds regime to maintain its best-in-class status, allowing the DIFC to uphold its position as the preferred hub for hedge funds, wealth and asset management firms, and alternative investment companies.
Jurisdiction of Choice
The DIFC Courts continues to be the leading English language commercial court in the MEASA region, offering domestic, regional, and international businesses world class dispute resolution services. Year to date, over AED 17.5 billion in total claim values have been filed at the DIFC Courts.
His Excellency Wayne Martin, Chief Justice, DIFC Courts, commented: "Serving as a leading common law commercial court in the Gulf region for over 20 years, the substantial increase in overall claim values in 2025 demonstrates a sustained pattern of growth, particularly in opt-in matters and higher-value claims. These developments reinforce the DIFC Courts' status as a trusted regional jurisdiction of choice for resolving complex commercial disputes, supported by experienced judges, and ready enforceability in the UAE and Gulf region. Consistent trust in our services not only provides a strong reflection of the value placed on our legal framework by businesses and individuals alike but also serves to underpin the DIFC and Dubai's status as a leading regional financial hub."
Leadership Perspective
H.E. Essa Kazim, Governor of DIFC stated: "As part of DIFC's significant contribution to Dubai's Economic Agenda (D33), we continue to empower the financial services industry, attract global talent and support sustainable economic growth. DIFC's success is the benchmark for emerging financial centres and a result of creating a business environment built for success, where companies not only gain a licence to operate, but a platform to lead and grow. Our framework is built not just for today, but for the future - one that embraces innovation, upholds the highest standards and remains anchored in integrity."
This blog is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or regulatory advice. The information provided has been compiled from publicly available sources, and while we have made every effort to ensure its accuracy and relevance at the time of publication, we do not guarantee its completeness or applicability to specific situations. Readers are encouraged to seek independent professional advice before making any decisions based on the content herein.
Zubin Muriya is a seasoned Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) professional with over two decades of cross-jurisdictional experience in banking regulatory compliance, financial crime risk management, corporate governance framework, and audit advisory. His work across India and the GCC (UAE, Qatar, Bahrain) reflects a career rooted in regulatory rigor and operational integrity.
