Dubai has reached its highest ever position in the Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI), rising to seventh place globally among 137 assessed centres – the only Middle East financial hub to rank in the top 10, according to Z/Yen Group.
The ranking places Dubai alongside London, New York and Singapore. The milestone follows a strong 2025 for the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), where registered companies grew 28% to 8,844 and profits rose nearly a third to AED 1.16 billion. The hedge fund sector expanded 37% over the same period.
DIFC's momentum continues with an AED 100 billion expansion announced in January, with the planned Zabeel District set to nearly triple the free zone's footprint by 2040 – adding 17.7 million sq ft of gross floor area.
Gulf Economist Staff Writer