Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) has released its Global Wealth Outlook 2026, highlighting a structural shift in how the world’s richest investors approach growth. The report notes that nearly 23 million HNWIs control close to USD 87 trillion globally, with strategies increasingly shaped by volatility, geopolitical risk and generational change.
A projected USD 124 trillion intergenerational wealth transfer by 2048 is accelerating allocations toward private markets, artificial intelligence and renewable energy, alongside traditional return objectives. Younger heirs — and a growing share of women investors — are prioritising sustainability, innovation and impact-focused capital deployment.
DIFC, home to more than 1,289 family-related entities, says geography is now a portfolio decision. CEO Arif Amiri noted that Dubai’s regulatory clarity and global connectivity continue to attract long-term capital, with the UAE drawing 9,800 new millionaires in 2025.
Gulf Economist Staff Writer