WHITEPAPER | DIFC private wealth structures: a new era for global wealth management 

Ocorian and Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) have enjoyed a long and fruitful 
relationship in supporting clients through the UAE, Middle East and beyond. The strength of our relationship has directly benefited clients who are looking at structures which offer succession planning and asset protection.

There’s never been a better time to be a client with DIFC touchpoints, as the centre undergoes significant growth. In the first half of 2025 a record number of new firms established operations in the centre; the total number of active registered companies grew 25% year-on-year to 7,700; 1,081 new active registered companies joined DIFC; and the number of professionals working in the centre rose to 47,901 – a 9% increase.

In this paper, we explore the reasons for that growth in the private client space, DIFC’s competitive edge, the private wealth ecosystem, cross-jurisdictional working, and how global providers like Ocorian are 
helping contribute to the centre’s success.