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DIFC, the leading global financial centre in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region, has registered its 100th hedge fund, marking a milestone in its ambition to position Dubai as a top five global hub for the industry.
The number of hedge fund managers operating from DIFC has doubled from 50 at the start of 2024. Of the managers now in the Centre, 81 are billion-dollar AUM firms, underlining the growing presence of large-scale global players in the jurisdiction.
During 2025, new hedge fund arrivals at DIFC have included Baron Capital Management, BlueCrest Capital, Naya Capital Management, Nine Masts Capital, North Rock Capital, Oak Hill Advisors, Pearl Diver Capital, Select Equity Group, Strategic Investment Group, Silver Point Capital, Squarepoint Capital and Welwing Capital Group.
These firms join an existing roster of managers already operating from DIFC, such as Balyasny, BlackRock, Blue Owl, Brevan Howard, Dymon Asia, Exodus Point, Hudson Bay, Millennium, Qube Research and Technologies (QRT), and Verition. DIFC’s proposition for hedge funds includes access to key time zones, the ability to trade Asian, European and American markets, and proximity to regional capital pools including ultra-high net worth individuals, family offices and sovereign wealth funds.
"Becoming a leading hedge funds centre reflects the maturity of the DIFC platform as well as the confidence of its participants. Our client focus and industry partnerships drive product innovation, which continues to fuel our growth. The breadth and depth of our alternative investments community strengthen our position as the only financial centre operating at scale across all sectors, which allows DIFC and our clients to influence the global financial landscape from Dubai."
– His Excellency Arif Amiri, CEO of DIFC Authority
– His Excellency Arif Amiri, CEO of DIFC Authority
One element of DIFC’s proposition for alternative asset managers is the DIFC Funds Centre, described as a first-of-its-kind asset management co-working space that hosts a mix of large firms, mid-sized managers, spinouts and start-ups. More than 85% of DIFC-based hedge fund managers are said to have the ability to raise and manage private and sovereign capital from within the Centre.
A recent DIFC report on the future of alternative investments highlighted how technological innovation, regulatory reforms and broader investor access are accelerating flows into alternatives, which are increasingly being incorporated as core components of diversified portfolios rather than peripheral allocations.
DIFC’s wider wealth and asset-management sector now exceeds 470 firms. Managers within the Centre benefit from access to what DIFC describes as the Middle East's highest concentration of private wealth, including more than 1,250 family-related business entities based there.
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