Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC)
Financial firms, family offices and holding structures that want common-law courts and regulation.
- Emirate
- Dubai
- Run by
- DIFC Authority (company registration via the DIFC Registrar of Companies)
- Established
- 2004
- Licence types
- Financial (regulated), Non-financial, AI, FinTech and Innovation, Retail and leisure
- Office options
- Office, Co-working (Innovation Hub)
- Set up remotely
- Not stated
- Published entry price
- Not published by the zone
- Regulation
- Own common-law courts (DIFC Courts) and financial regulator (DFSA)
What DIFC is known for
- English common-law framework
- Financial services regulation
- Family offices, foundations and SPVs
- 10,000+ active companies (mid-2026)
Worth knowing
DIFC passed 10,000 active registered companies by end of June 2026, up from 8,844 at end of 2025. Fees are published in USD in the Registrar's fee table, not as AED packages.
Before you choose DIFC
Check three things with the zone directly: whether your exact business activity is on its list, how many visas your office option allows, and the full year-one cost including the establishment card and visa fees. Our year-one cost guide shows what to add up.
UAE Free Zone is an independent information website. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or operated by DIFC Authority (company registration via the DIFC Registrar of Companies), the UAE Government or any emirate. Official source: difc.com/.