UAE finance hub draws global confidence

Dubai’s financial centre has drawn renewed backing from global banks, insurers, wealth managers and financial technology firms, reinforcing the UAE’s position as a regional base for capital flows despite geopolitical tension and uneven global growth.

Senior executives across the Dubai International Financial Centre ecosystem have signalled that client activity remains steady, with companies continuing to use the UAE as a platform for business across the Middle East, Africa, South Asia and wider international markets. Their confidence rests on a combination of regulatory stability, resilient balance sheets, cross-border connectivity, tax efficiency and the country’s ability to attract capital, talent and family wealth.

DIFC Governor Essa Kazim said the strength of the centre was being tested during a period of uncertainty across the Middle East, but the response from clients and institutions showed a shared belief in Dubai’s long-term role. He said the emirate offered access to 77 markets across the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, while supporting its ambition to become one of the world’s top four financial centres.

DIFC Authority Chief Executive Officer Arif Amiri said firms operating within the centre had not treated the current environment as a reason to retreat. Instead, global banks, FinTech companies and investment houses were reinforcing Dubai’s role as a gateway to regional growth, supported by a stable legal system and an internationally recognised regulatory framework.

The centre now hosts 290 banking and capital markets firms, including 17 of the world’s 19 global systemically important banks. Dubai also climbed to seventh place in the Global Financial Centres Index in March, its highest ranking, strengthening its claim as the leading financial hub across the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region.

Confidence in the UAE’s broader economy has been supported by official projections showing real GDP growth estimated at 5.6% in 2025 and expected to remain around the same level in 2026. Non-hydrocarbon sectors, especially financial and insurance services, manufacturing, construction, real estate, wholesale and retail trade, remain key growth drivers. Inflation averaged 1.3% in 2025 and is projected to stay moderate, giving policymakers room to preserve stability while supporting investment.

The banking system has also expanded sharply. Banking sector assets reached AED5.4 trillion by the end of 2025, supported by 17.9% growth in credit and a 16.2% rise in deposits. Insurance activity has also strengthened, with gross written premiums increasing to AED75.2 billion and total sector assets reaching AED166.7 billion, underscoring the role of risk management in a more complex business environment.

Citi’s Middle East and Africa banking leadership has pointed to DIFC’s role in enabling cross-border solutions, liquidity management and capital flows. The bank has operated in the Middle East for more than six decades and has used its Dubai base to support sovereign issuances, corporate funding and treasury activity across regional and global markets.

Julius Baer, among the earliest institutions to establish itself in DIFC, has framed the UAE as a centre for wealth creation and capital preservation. Its regional leadership has highlighted the country’s connectivity, business-friendly regulation, tax framework and infrastructure as factors that continue to attract entrepreneurs, investors and family offices. The expected transfer of nearly $1 trillion in family wealth across the region by 2030 is also increasing demand for sophisticated advisory and succession planning services.

Standard Chartered’s UAE, Middle East and Pakistan leadership has said the country entered the present cycle from a position of strength, with robust institutions and a well-regulated financial system. Client activity across the UAE continues to show engagement from companies using the country to reach regional and international opportunities.

Digital assets and financial technology are adding another layer to the UAE’s appeal. Ripple, which established its regional headquarters for the Middle East and Africa in the UAE in 2020, has expanded its presence as demand grows for digital asset infrastructure. Its regional leadership has cited clear regulation, institutional capital and a mature financial ecosystem as central to the country’s appeal.