Dubai strengthens its position as the region’s leading global financial hub

Sheikh Maktoum Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and President of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), chaired a meeting of the DIFC Higher Board of Directors.

During the meeting held at Sheikh Maktoum’s Office, he reviewed the exceptional progress made by the DIFC Authority, the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), and the DIFC Courts, reinforcing Dubai’s status as the region’s leading global financial centre.

Sheikh Maktoum commended the DIFC team for their sustained efforts and alignment with the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33).

He noted that such accomplishments, made possible thanks to a leading legislative ecosystem, advanced tech capabilities and a robust financial infrastructure, reflect the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to reinforce Dubai’s position as a global economic capital and a leading hub for business and finance.

He noted, “Today, DIFC stands as a cornerstone of Dubai’s ambition to become one of the world’s top four financial centres by 2033. DIFC has been pivotal in enhancing the emirate’s competitiveness, propelling its ranking in the Global Financial Centres Index to 11th overall and top four globally for FinTech. This reflects Dubai’s unwavering commitment to fostering an innovative, investment-friendly financial ecosystem, solidifying its leadership and its growing role in shaping the future of global finance.”

Essa Kazim, Governor of DIFC, said, “DIFC continues to play a critical role in realising Dubai’s ambitions as one of the world’s preeminent financial powerhouses. Our unique ecosystem, forward-looking legal and regulatory framework, and unrivalled access to regional growth opportunities continue to attract financial institutions and innovators to Dubai at an unprecedented scale.

“As we accelerate delivery of our 2030 Strategy to elevate our contribution to the D33 Agenda, DIFC remains committed to deepening its contribution to Dubai’s economy and enhancing the city’s influence in the global financial landscape.”

During the meeting, DIFC shared progress on its ambitious 2030 Strategy with the Board. Through 2025, the Centre continued to expand its AI, innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Talent development remained a key focus, as evidenced in the launch of the Dubai AI Academy to train 10,000 future leaders and the “1 Million Learners’ initiative to advance sustainability education in the region.

DIFC also deepened support for high-growth companies in the region through a new venture debt initiative, broadened global outreach in new markets, and marked major financial milestones such as the DIFC Employee Workplace Savings (Dews) scheme surpassing $ 1 billion in assets.

The Higher Board of Directors recognised that DIFC is the region’s only financial centre operating at scale across all sectors. They acknowledged how the Centre’s credibility across the global financial industry has enabled the DIFC Authority to attract over 8,000 companies, which include more than 1,000 firms regulated by the DFSA. This remarkable growth underscores DIFC’s role as a magnet for financial institutions, innovators, and leading organisations seeking a trusted and dynamic environment in which to thrive.

As the independent banking, financial services, and markets regulator of DIFC, the DFSA now regulates the largest number of financial services firms in the region, reflecting the strength of the Centre’s regulatory framework.

The DFSA continues to see record numbers of firms seeking authorisation in DIFC, with double-digit growth continuing this year and more new firms authorised than in the previous year. Among key initiatives, the DFSA has established a new streamlined authorisation process to improve efficiency and manage volumes, without reducing the high standards that it requires.

The Board also highlighted the unprecedented surge in the value of claims processed by the DIFC Courts, which surpassed Dhs17.5 billion this year, solidifying their standing as the region’s leading English-language common law system. This success reflects DIFC’s robust legal framework and its ability to deliver reliable, world-class judicial services.

The DIFC Authority, DFSA and DIFC Courts also presented their 2026 priorities, which will focus on further enhancing the Centre’s global competitiveness and differentiating Dubai as the region’s leading destination for finance and business.

These include continuing to evolve DIFC’s trusted legal and regulatory framework, developing infrastructure to create capacity, harnessing innovation and AI, and empowering future industry leaders.

During the meeting, the Board also approved the DIFC Courts’ Five-Year Growth Strategy, designed to actively support federal, local, and DIFC strategic objectives in alignment with the D33. The new strategy will build on the DIFC Courts’ proven track record of resolving complex, high-value commercial disputes, and Dubai’s reputation as a jurisdiction of choice.

WAM