DIFC · October 2026

Families in DIFC: the first half of 2026

DIFC published its results for the first half of 2026 on 28 July. The family figures grew faster than the centre as a whole.

Index Tower and Gate Avenue in DIFC at dusk — Index Tower and Gate Avenue, DIFC, at dusk.

The figures

1,408family-related entities, up 36% in a year
1,409foundations, up 67% in a year
10,018active registered companies, up 30% in a year
1,134regulated financial services firms, up 16%
592wealth and asset management firms

What we read in them

The number of foundations is growing almost twice as fast as the number of family entities. A foundation holds assets for the family without shareholders, and it is the structure families most often ask us about: a foundation to hold the assets, with a company alongside it to run them.

DIFC now has more foundations than family-related entities. At the end of 2024 the figures were 671 foundations and more than 800 family-owned businesses, so the foundation has caught up in eighteen months.

For a family, the practical point is the threshold. A single family office in DIFC needs at least USD 50 million in assets. Below that, ADGM in Abu Dhabi, with a threshold of USD 10 million, is usually the better fit. We compare the two in a separate note.

Source: DIFC, results for the first half of 2026, 28 July 2026, and DIFC, annual results for 2024. Year-on-year changes are as published by DIFC.

All insights