Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) reported a 37% rise in revenue for 2024, reaching Dh1.78 billion, up from Dh1.3 billion in 2023. Operating profit increased by 55% to Dh1.33 billion. The number of active companies grew by 25% to 6,920, with 1,823 new registrations, the highest annual figure to date.
The technology and innovation sector expanded by 38% year-on-year, totalling 1,245 companies. The workforce within DIFC rose by 10% to 46,078 employees.
DIFC’s ecosystem now includes over 260 banking and capital markets firms, 410 wealth and asset management companies—including 75 hedge funds—and 125 insurance and reinsurance entities. Notably, 27 of the world’s 29 global systemically important banks are present in the Centre.
In 2024, DIFC introduced the Dubai AI Campus, contributing to the growth of technology firms. Additionally, the Centre enacted the world’s first Digital Assets Law to address the increasing use of digital currencies.
The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) authorized 61 new firms in the first half of 2024, a 22% increase compared to the same period in 2023, bringing the total number of regulated entities to 837. The wealth management sector experienced a 62% surge in authorized entities during this period.
