Dubai advances to 7th place in Global Financial Centres Index, marking highest-ever ranking

Dubai has achieved its highest-ever ranking in the Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI), climbing to seventh place globally, underscoring the emirate’s accelerating rise as one of the world’s most influential financial hubs and its importance in the global financial system.

This remarkable achievement is a key step in Dubai’s ambitious goal to rank among the top four global financial centres by 2033, in line with the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which aims to solidify the emirate’s status as a global financial, investment and innovation hub.

Dubai’s performance is the highest ranking ever achieved by a financial centre in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA), as Dubai remains the only centre from the region to feature in the top 20, underscoring its regional leadership and global competitiveness.

It reflects the sustained momentum of the emirate’s financial ecosystem, driven by the continued expansion and global impact of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), which continues to cement its position as a comprehensive financial hub.

The ranking positions Dubai as the only financial centre in the region alongside world-leading financial hubs including London, New York City and Singapore. Dubai also retained its classification as one of the 10 cities in the world to be a global leader for the industry and ranked the number one financial centre expected to become more significant.

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, said, “Guided by the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, Dubai continues to build one of the most competitive and future-ready financial hubs in the world, underscoring its growing role in shaping the future of global finance.”

Sheikh Maktoum added, “Dubai’s rise to seventh place in the Global Financial Centres Index reflects the strength of our economic vision and the confidence the international financial community places in our ecosystem. Through the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, we are accelerating our efforts to position Dubai among the world’s top four global financial centres by 2033.”

He concluded, “Confidently, Dubai gains more strength and leadership, guided by a proactive vision that does not wait for the future, but actively shapes it, and a resilient development approach that ensures its readiness and ability to transform challenges into opportunities, while it continues to strengthen its role as a global hub for finance, investment and innovation.”

Produced by the leading think tank Z/Yen Group in London, the widely respected index is regarded as the world’s most credible benchmark for financial centre competitiveness, assessing 137 financial centres globally using 135 instrumental factors and insights gathered from more than 34,000 assessments completed by financial services professionals worldwide.

Dubai’s ascent in the rankings reflects the breadth and depth of Dubai’s financial ecosystem, anchored by DIFC. The Centre is the region’s largest and most comprehensive financial district and a globally recognised hub connecting the markets of Asia, Europe and the Americas.

In recent years, DIFC has experienced record-breaking growth, attracting leading financial institutions, global investors and innovative technology companies to Dubai. The Centre now hosts over 9,000 active companies, including the world’s largest banks, asset managers, hedge funds, insurers and professional services firms, and a workforce of over 50,000.

For the first time, industry respondents rank Dubai in the top 15 across all of the evaluated sectors, and the region’s only city to feature anywhere in this prestigious cluster. Banking is ranked 14th. Finance, Investment Management and Insurance are in the top 10. FinTech, Government and Regulatory, Professional Services and Trading advanced into the top five.

Dubai is also recognised as the region’s only financial centre to be in the top 10 cities for being globally competitive for Business Environment, Financial Sector Development, Human Capital and Infrastructure.

Collectively, these achievements cement Dubai’s standing as a truly dynamic and competitive global financial hub.

Essa Kazim, Governor of the Dubai International Financial Centre, said, “Dubai’s remarkable progress in the Global Financial Centres Index is an outstanding milestone that highlights the emirate’s ambitious vision and expanding influence on the international financial stage. Anchored by DIFC’s world-class infrastructure and forward-looking regulatory environment, we continue to strengthen Dubai’s position as the region’s leading global financial hub, attracting top-tier financial institutions, innovators and talent.”

Arif Amiri, Chief Executive Officer of the Dubai International Financial Centre Authority, stated, “Dubai’s rapid rise in the Global Financial Centres Index reflects the extraordinary momentum across DIFC’s ecosystem. Our strategy focuses on fostering innovation, attracting leading global financial institutions and creating an environment where businesses can grow and thrive. As we continue to expand our platforms, whether in FinTech, capital markets, wealth management or insurance, DIFC will play the leading role in advancing Dubai’s ambition to become one of the world’s top four financial centres.”

The GFCI rankings reflect Dubai’s influence as a global bridge between East and West, enabling capital flows, talent moves and innovation expansion seamlessly across international markets.

With the most trusted English common legal and regulatory framework, the largest regulated financial ecosystem of over 1,050 companies and a rapidly expanding innovation landscape through the DIFC Innovation Hub and Dubai AI Campus, Dubai is strengthening its position among the world’s leading financial capitals.

As the emirate advances toward the goals set out in the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, the latest GFCI ranking highlights the strong momentum that will continue to shape Dubai’s global financial leadership in the years ahead.

WAM