Dubai Emerges as Global Hub for Family and Private Wealth

Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the leading financial hub in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia (MEASA), has launched the first report in its 2026 Future of Finance series. Titled Global Wealth Outlook: Rethinking Growth in a Changing World, the report explores how global wealth is being reshaped by volatility, demographics, and capital flows.

The study highlights that the world’s nearly 23 million high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs), holding close to USD 87 trillion, are influencing global capital markets. It underscores Dubai’s growing appeal to HNWIs, family offices, and global private investors seeking diversification, flexibility, and resilience.

Global Wealth Strategies Are Shifting

The report notes a structural change in wealth management as wealthy families rethink where and how to invest amid market volatility and geopolitical uncertainty. Geography is now a key factor in wealth preservation alongside asset allocation.

A major driver is the USD 124 trillion intergenerational wealth transfer expected by 2048. Younger heirs are shifting investment focus to private markets, AI, sustainability, and impact investing, while still aiming for strong financial returns.

Next-generation investors now pursue multi-dimensional wealth: financial growth, resilience, portfolio flexibility, family unity, societal impact, and reputation. Women, representing over 10% of ultra-HNWIs, are set to inherit most inter-spousal transfers, prioritizing ethical, sustainable, and socially impactful investments.

AI and renewable energy are expected to see the fastest growth in HNWI portfolios, with sustainable investments becoming a major priority. Wealth advisers must now combine expertise in private deals, venture partnerships, and data-driven insights with traditional advisory skills. Despite tech advancements, wealth management remains people-focused, requiring trust and understanding of family goals.

Dubai’s Family Wealth Advantage

DIFC CEO His Excellency Arif Amiri said Dubai offers a stable, globally connected environment with regulatory clarity, allowing families and private investors to make confident long-term decisions.

Dubai is emerging as a top hub for private and family wealth, blending institutional depth with agility, stability, and tax efficiency. In 2025, the UAE attracted nearly 9,800 new millionaires, most settling in Dubai, marking the highest global net inflow.

With over 1,289 family-related entities, DIFC hosts the UAE’s largest family wealth ecosystem. Its Family Wealth Centre supports multi-generational families with thought leadership, networking, and next-generation engagement, strengthening Dubai’s position as a long-term partner for private wealth.

The report emphasizes that Dubai is not just responding to global wealth trends but actively shaping a favorable environment for family and private capital.