The Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) reported a 64% year-on-year increase in firm registrations in the first half of 2025, with 828 new firms registered and the total number of registered firms reaching 3,300 by June 2025. It also highlighted strong performance among regulated firms, with Corporate and Investment Banks driving a 19% year-on-year increase in assets under management. The update attributed the H1 performance to reforms and business development efforts, including a simplified incorporation process, enabling applicants to instantly establish a legal entity and obtain a licence for non-regulated activities, and a 90% reduction in the application fee for licensing a business. QFC cited more than 15 hosted or attended events and reported that 566 firms registered through the Web Summit between February and June 2025, compared with 358 during the previous edition. QFC also outlined partnership activity, including memoranda of understanding with several domestic and international organisations, a head of terms with Hang Seng Indexes Company Limited, and a service agreement with The View Hospital. Under its Innovation Dome initiative, 33 firms joined the Digital Assets Lab to work on projects including tokenised deposits and real estate tokenisation, and QFC launched the QFC Metaverse as a digital engagement and collaboration platform.
Qatar Financial Centre 2025-08-20
Qatar Financial Centre reports 64% increase in H1 2025 firm registrations and outlines market-entry reforms
The Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) reported a 64% year-on-year increase in firm registrations in H1 2025, reaching 3,300 firms, driven by reforms such as a simplified incorporation process and reduced licensing fees. Corporate and Investment Banks contributed to a 19% increase in assets under management. QFC also highlighted partnerships and initiatives, including the Innovation Dome and the launch of the QFC Metaverse.