Gulf tech firms turn to Hong Kong and Singapore as Iran war grinds on

As the conflict in the Middle East continues to escalate, Gulf tech firms are turning to Hong Kong and Singapore as primary growth markets. Paul Bratby, founder of xBratAI, an AI-powered trading signals platform based in Dubai, moved his Hong Kong entity forward in 2026 due to the ongoing Iran crisis. Digital businesses and investors are increasingly establishing a presence in these Asian hubs.

Anndy Lian, a Singapore-based adviser, calls this a "dual-hub" model, noting that Gulf firms are no longer relying on a single operational anchor. Bahrain's Ali Moosa, executive vice-chairman of Singapore Gulf Bank, believes the conflict has accelerated Gulf businesses' use of Asian financial hubs. The closer the Gulf becomes to Asia, the more capital and opportunities they can access, according to Moosa.

Singaporean financial institutions are setting up cross-border digital networks and multicurrency settlement methods to facilitate Gulf capital flow into Southeast Asia, which is undergoing a significant infrastructure boom. With the Asia-Pacific's financial services industry expected to nearly double in value to US$4.8 trillion by 2035, Gulf sovereign wealth funds are eager to invest in Asia's consumer digital economy and industrial supply chains.

Iranian attacks on data centers in Bahrain and the UAE have fueled interest in Southeast Asian alternatives for technology companies, but the Gulf remains central to the global AI buildout due to existing investments and government backing.