Dubai: Number of companies in DIFC jump 25% to 7,700

The Dubai International Finance Centre saw a record number of new firms establish operations during January-June 2025, as the number of active registered companies reached 7,700, up from 6,153, representing a 25 per cent year-on-year increase.

Around 1,081 new active registered companies joined the DIFC, representing a 32 per cent increase from the same period in 2024. The number of professionals working in DIFC rose to 47,901, marking a significant 9 per cent increase from 43,787 a year earlier.

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New entrants to DIFC’s expanding client base during H1 2025 include ABK Capital, Avaloq, Baron Capital, Bluecrest Capital, Bridge Investment Group, Cambridge Associates, China International Capital Corporation, dLocal, Manulife, National Bank of Kuwait, Pearl Diver Capital, PIMCO, RV Capital, Silver Point Capital, Tourmaline, TransAmerica Life Bermuda, Welwing Capital Management and many others.

Due to strong demand from new tenants, over 1.6 million sqft of commercial space is currently under development, and construction is being accelerated to meet demand. The new space will be ready for occupancy starting from Q1 next year.

“Dubai has entered a new and greater phase of growth, and these results highlight the competitiveness, attractiveness, and global confidence it enjoys. We firmly believe the future holds even more opportunities. We will continue to strengthen DIFC’s capabilities and its ecosystems that foster innovation, agility, and business growth,” said Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the UAE, and President of DIFC.

Exceeding expectations 

Essa Kazim, governor of DIFC, said the financial free zone remains the driving force behind Dubai’s economic growth, as a key enabler of the financial services sector’s expansion and diversification.

Arif Amiri, CEO of the DIFC Authority, said that the DIFC has exceeded expectations across every metric.

A total of 980 entities are now regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), representing a 17 per cent year-over-year increase from 2024. Total Financial services authorisations grew 28 per cent year-on-year, reaching 78 in H1 2025 compared to 61 in H1 2024.

DIFC’s banking and capital markets cluster is unrivalled in the region, and growth aligns with the demand for broad and deep financial services capabilities to support the region’s economic development aspirations.

A total of 289 companies in the banking and capital markets cluster operate in the DIFC, up from 247 a year ago, representing a 17 per cent growth rate.

The number of firms in the wealth and asset management cluster increased to 440, up from 370 in H1 2024, representing a 19 per cent growth. The centre is now home to more than 85 hedge funds, which have soared 72 per cent over the last 12 months and include 69 billion-dollar funds. Over 10,000 funds are being managed or marketed from DIFC.

The number of entities associated with family businesses has risen to 1,035, up from 600 a year ago, marking a 73 per cent increase. The number of foundations has accelerated to 842, up from 548.

The insurance and reinsurance sector also experienced robust growth, with 135 related firms now operating in the ecosystem, representing an 8% increase from 125 in H1 2024. 

Top global financial centre

Dubai has been categorised as one of only eight cities globally to possess ‘broad and deep’ capabilities across all parts of the finance industry in the Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI), standing alongside cities like London, New York, and Paris.

The emirate is the sole centre in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia to be listed among the top GFCI-ranked financial cities globally in several sectors: FinTech (5th), professional services (6th), investment management (8th), infrastructure (9th) and business environment (10th).

The number of fintech and innovation companies reached 1,388, up from 1,081 in H1 2024, representing a 28 per cent surge.

• Dubai

Waheed Abbas

waheedabbas@khaleejtimes.com

Waheed Abbas is Assistant Editor, covering real estate, aviation and other business stories that directly affect the lives of UAE consumers. He frequently reports human interest stories, too.