JRE · Joshi Real Estate
DubaiDubai International Financial Centre

DIFC Company Setup

The Middle East's leading financial centre with its own common-law courts.

Ownership
100% foreign
Setup time
2 to 8 weeks (longer if DFSA-regulated)
Licence cost
from AED 45,000 (non-regulated)
Visas
Tied to office space

DIFC is not a normal free zone: it is a financial jurisdiction with its own English-language common-law legal system, independent courts and the DFSA as regulator. Banks, asset managers, hedge funds, insurers and a fast-growing fintech cohort operate from the centre, alongside holding companies, family offices and foundations that want its legal certainty.

Regulated financial firms go through DFSA authorisation, a substantial process we manage end to end. Non-regulated entities, holding vehicles, family offices, proprietary investment companies, tech startups in the Innovation Hub, incorporate faster and benefit from the same legal infrastructure at a fraction of the cost.

Who DIFC suits

  • Funds, asset managers and fintech
  • Family offices and foundations
  • Holding companies wanting common law
  • Regional HQs for financial institutions

Why choose DIFC

  • English common-law framework with independent DIFC Courts
  • DFSA, an internationally respected regulator
  • Innovation Hub pricing for qualifying tech startups
  • Foundations and prescribed-company regimes for wealth structuring
  • The region's densest financial-services talent pool

DIFC frequently asked questions

What is the difference between DIFC and other free zones?

DIFC runs its own legal system based on English common law, with its own courts and regulator. That legal certainty is why funds, family offices and financial institutions pay its premium. Other zones operate under UAE federal and emirate law with commercial regulators.

Do I need DFSA regulation to set up in DIFC?

Only if you conduct regulated financial services such as managing assets, advising on investments, or dealing in them. Holding companies, family offices, proprietary investment vehicles and most tech firms incorporate as non-regulated entities without DFSA authorisation.

How much does a DIFC entity cost?

Non-regulated entities start around AED 45,000 to AED 60,000 in year one including registration and flexi workspace; Innovation Hub tech licences can be lower. DFSA-regulated firms face application fees, capital requirements and compliance costs that we scope case by case.

What is a DIFC Foundation used for?

DIFC Foundations are used for succession planning and asset protection: they hold shares, property and investments under common law with clear founder intentions, and they have become the default wealth-structuring vehicle for UAE-based families, often paired with property holdings we manage on the real-estate side.

Latest DIFC news

Auto-updated

Other zones

Compare all zones