Brief
UAE leads global ranking of emerging family‑office destinations
The Global Intelligence Unit gave the UAE a perfect regulatory and tax score, while Dubai saw a 36% year‑on‑year rise in family‑office entities.
By Felo News Desk · Published
The United Arab Emirates has been placed first in the Global Intelligence Unit's "Best Global Destinations for Family Offices" report, scoring 74 points overall, according to Gulf News on Oct. 18, 2026.
What happened
The report awarded the UAE a perfect 100 points for both regulation and taxation, and 78 points for its financial ecosystem – the highest among emerging destinations. Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) recorded 1,408 family‑related entities by the end of June 2026, a 36% increase from the previous year. Qatar ranked second, India third, Malaysia fourth and Italy fifth.
What the reports add
Gulf News notes that the UAE’s score reflects its “attractive regulatory and tax environment, its increasingly sophisticated financial infrastructure, and the expansion of specialised services” for ultra‑high‑net‑worth families. The article also highlights that Dubai placed seventh globally among financial centres in the 2026 Z/Yen Partners classification, underscoring its role in wealth‑management services.
What was said
The Gulf News piece quotes the report, stating that the UAE’s tax regime includes “no personal income tax and a statutory rate of zero on wealth transfers to the next generation.” It also references the DIFC’s Family Arrangements Regulations and similar frameworks at Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) as legal structures designed for family‑wealth structures.
How it came about
The UAE’s emergence as a family‑office hub builds on earlier recognitions of its business‑friendly climate, such as its third‑place finish in the 2026 Nomad Capitalist Lifestyle Index, where it topped the tax category. Recent domestic trends, including a 31% rise in staycation bookings by families in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, signal growing affluent consumer activity that complements the financial sector’s expansion.
Key facts
- The UAE topped the Global Intelligence Unit's emerging family‑office destinations ranking with 74 points. (gulfnews.com)
- Dubai International Financial Centre recorded 1,408 family‑related entities by June 2026, a 36% year‑on‑year increase. (gulfnews.com)
- The UAE received perfect scores of 100 for regulation and taxation in the report. (gulfnews.com)
- Dubai ranked seventh globally among financial centres in the 2026 Z/Yen Partners classification. (gulfnews.com)
- Qatar, India, Malaysia and Italy followed the UAE in the emerging destination ranking. (gulfnews.com)
Sources
- [1] gulfnews.com — originally reported as “UAE Tops Global Rankings as Leading Emerging Destination for Family Offices”
