Demand for UAE-based corporate and wealth structures is broadening well beyond the region, with investors from Asia, the GCC and other international markets increasingly using the UAE to hold assets, manage regional business interests and plan succession.
Sovereign PPG Corporate Services says enquiries for Prescribed Companies, Special Purpose Vehicles, Foundations and holding company structures rose 22 per cent year-on-year in 2026.
The firm’s internal data shows that India, Qatar, Hong Kong, Jordan, Pakistan, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Kuwait together accounted for 67.2 per cent of all SPV, Foundation and holding company leads. Enquiries from Asian-origin clients specifically grew 8.3 per cent over the same period.
The trend was a focal point at the HUBBIS Wealth Planning and Structuring Forum in Dubai this week, where Sovereign PPG’s Zana Jablan Musa, Operations Director for the Middle East, and Matthew Boyd, Business Development Manager, addressed how investors are deploying DIFC structures within wider international arrangements.
“We are seeing SPVs become part of the conversation much earlier in an investor’s wealth journey. As portfolios become more diversified and investors have interests across multiple jurisdictions, they are thinking more carefully about how those assets should be held. It is less about whether an SPV is needed and more about which structure is appropriate for the assets, ownership and objectives involved,” Zana Jablan Musa said in a statement.
Boyd pointed to a particular dynamic for Asian investors approaching the GCC for the first time. “For clients in Asia looking towards the GCC, the attraction is increasingly about having a recognised and well-regulated platform from which to manage regional interests,” said Matthew Boyd. “An SPV can provide the ownership structure, but investors also need to consider where that entity sits, how it will be administered and how it fits alongside their existing structures in Asia. Having an experienced, locally licensed corporate service provider can be particularly important when the structure is being managed from overseas.”
The DIFC’s 2026 changes to its Prescribed Company regime are a relevant backdrop. The amendments removed the previous qualifying applicant, qualifying purpose and nexus-based eligibility criteria, opening the structure to any applicant subject to DIFC regulations and compliance requirements.
Prescribed Companies are designed primarily for passive holding; other vehicles may suit investors who need flexibility around ownership, transactions or active business.
For clients weighing DIFC against other options, Boyd offered a practical frame. “There isn’t a universal ‘best’ SPV jurisdiction,” he said. “DIFC’s Prescribed Company regime can be particularly effective for straightforward passive holding structures, while ADGM can offer greater flexibility for certain ownership and transaction requirements. The starting point should be what the investor is trying to achieve, rather than simply choosing the jurisdiction with the most attractive headline feature.”
Foundations add another dimension where family circumstances are more complex. Jablan Musa said the right structure at one point in an investor’s journey may not serve them as their interests develop. “The important thing is to build a structure that can support those interests as they develop, rather than treating the SPV as a standalone solution.”
