DIFC Now Home to More Than 600 Wealth and Asset Management Firms

Dubai’s pull on global private wealth was front and center on day three of Dubai Future Finance Week, as the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) announced it now hosts more than 600 wealth and asset management firms, three times the number of any other center in the region.

The event is held under the patronage of His Highness 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. It supports the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which aims to place Dubai among the world’s top four financial hubs.

The day also put a spotlight on Sharia-compliant finance. The Future Islamic Finance Forum drew more than 1,000 senior stakeholders from over 50 countries to discuss cross-border liquidity, regulatory alignment, and values-aligned investment. Speakers included Dr. Adnan Chilwan, Group CEO of Dubai Islamic Bank; Khurram Hilal, Group CEO of Standard Chartered Saadiq; Charles Haresnape, CEO of Gatehouse Bank; and Mustafa Adil, Head of Islamic Finance at London Stock Exchange Group.

DIFC used the forum to launch several initiatives aimed at an industry projected to reach $9.31 trillion globally by 2030, with the Islamic fintech market expected to near $180 billion this year. DIFC Academy introduced learning pathways through its Centre for Global Islamic Finance, aiming to train more than 3,000 learners by 2031. The Islamic Finance Innovation Challenge by Ignyte will pair Islamic banks with global tech ventures to pilot solutions in financing, sukuk structuring, compliance, and takaful. And DIFC Innovation Hub plans an Islamic Finance Innovation Centre with CRDB Bank, Emirates Islamic Bank, Principle Investor Group, and Standard Chartered Saadiq, linking banks with regulators, Shariah scholars, and fintechs to develop solutions that can scale across markets.

“The future of finance will be shaped through collaboration between the global institutions, investors, policymakers and industry leaders who are driving change across our sector,” said Salmaan Jaffery, Chief Business Development Officer, DIFC Authority. He added that DIFC aims to turn that dialogue into progress by connecting global expertise, capital, and opportunity.

Insurance also got a dedicated platform this year, with GAIP InsureTek Dubai 2026 bringing insurers, reinsurers, and brokers together to explore new risk transfer models, underwriting automation, and climate resilience frameworks.