Financial services firms operating in the DIFC continue to face evolving expectations around suitability assessments. Recent regulatory communications have reinforced the importance of robust frameworks that ensure financial products and services align appropriately with client needs. For wealth management companies, asset managers, private banking institutions, and financial advisory firms, understanding and implementing effective suitability processes represents both a regulatory obligation and a business imperative.
Abu Dhabi Global Market's Financial Services Regulatory Authority has published sweeping proposals to enhance its funds framework, with particular implications for External Asset Managers, private banking institutions, and family offices operating within this rapidly growing financial center. These developments represent the FSRA's commitment to maintaining proportionate regulation while supporting ADGM's evolution as a premier global fund management hub.
The regulatory landscape for wealth management firms, External Asset Managers, and private banks operating within the DIFC and ADGM has evolved significantly throughout 2025, with both the DFSA and FSRA placing heightened emphasis on internal control frameworks and audit effectiveness.
On 15 December 2025, Dubai Financial Service Authority (DFSA) issued updated rules on the regulation of Crypto Token in Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). The rules were updated post the consultation period outlined in Consultation Paper No. 168 which enumerated the proposed legislative changes to these regulations.
The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), the independent regulator of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) conducted its second Artificial Intelligence (AI) survey in 2025, following its inaugural study in 2024, This report showcases its findings with comparative insights from the 2024 edition.
Asset tokenization has emerged as one of the most significant developments in global finance. By converting real-world assets into digital tokens on a secure distributed ledger, tokenization creates new pathways for ownership, participation, and liquidity. This concept is gaining traction not only in technology circles but also among private banks, family offices, external asset managers (EAMs), and wealth-management firms seeking more flexible investment structures.
The Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), the United Arab Emirates’ regulator overseeing securities, commodities, and financial markets, and the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), the independent regulator of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), recently announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at enhancing audit oversight and fostering greater regulatory cooperation between the two organisations.
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.
Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) has reinforced its position as the largest and fastest-growing international financial centre (IFC) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, marking a record-breaking first half of 2025. With over 11,000 active licences and a significant rise in assets under management (AUM), ADGM continues to strengthen Abu Dhabi’s role as a global financial and investment hub.
In the fast-evolving financial landscape of the UAE, where technology drives efficiency and regulation ensure trust, the importance of having the right IT infrastructure cannot be overstated. For regulated entities operating within DIFC (Dubai International Financial Centre) and ADGM (Abu Dhabi Global Market), technology is not just an enabler, it is the foundation upon which compliance, client trust, and business continuity rest.
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.
