{
  "id": 18295402,
  "title": "Dubai’s DIFC now hosts 600 wealth and asset managers",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/05/dubais-difc-now-hosts-600-wealth-and-asset-managers",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-05T10:48:53.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/business/dubais-difc-now-hosts-600-wealth-and-asset-managers-1.500736952"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Dubai's Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) now houses over 600 wealth and asset management firms, marking a threefold increase compared to similar entities in other financial hubs. This milestone was unveiled during the opening day of the inaugural Dubai Future Finance Week, an event under the patronage of Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai and President of DIFC. The center's growth aligns with the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33), which aims to position Dubai among the top four global financial centers.\n\nThe event featured the Future Islamic Finance Forum, which attracted more than 1,000 senior stakeholders from more than 50 countries. Discussions centered on cross-border liquidity, regulatory alignment, and values-aligned capital deployment. DIFC projects the industry to reach $9.31 trillion globally by 2030 and anticipates Islamic fintech to expand to $180 billion by 2026.\n\nTo support this expansion, DIFC has introduced initiatives focusing on talent development and technology. The DIFC Academy has launched learning pathways through its Centre for Global Islamic Finance, targeting more than 3,000 learners by 2031. These programs cater to a range of skill levels, from beginner to advanced, with academic and industry partners involved.\n\nMajor banks and wealth managers continue to strengthen their presence in DIFC. J.P. Morgan Private Bank opened a branch on November 2, expanding its Dubai private banking team, which has more than tripled in the past year. Julius Baer, a Swiss bank, has operated in DIFC since 2004, managing nearly Dh2.51 trillion in client assets as of June. UBS now handles former Credit Suisse private banking activities through its Dubai wealth platform. Other firms that recently established a presence in DIFC include Pictet, Janus Henderson Investors, Prospera Wealth Management, and RV Capital Management. In the first quarter of 2026 alone, DIFC registered 775 new companies, representing a 62% increase compared to the previous year.\n\nDIFC Authority's Chief Business Development Officer, Salmaan Jaffery, emphasized the importance of collaboration in shaping the future of finance. He highlighted that DIFC plays a crucial role in translating dialogue into progress by connecting global expertise, capital, and opportunities.",
  "summary": "Dubai: The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) now hosts more than 600 wealth and asset management firms. The centre says that is three times the number of comparable firms in other financial centres in the market. The financial centre disclosed the figure on the third day of the inaugural Dubai Future Finance Week. The event runs under the patronage of Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}