Dubai International Financial Centre Higher Board approves DIFC Courts five-year growth strategy and outlines 2026 priorities

Dubai International Financial Centre’s Higher Board of Directors reviewed progress across the DIFC Authority, the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) and the DIFC Courts, and approved the DIFC Courts’ Five-Year Growth Strategy. The Board also set 2026 priorities aimed at strengthening DIFC’s global competitiveness, including further evolution of the Centre’s legal and regulatory framework, capacity-building infrastructure, greater use of innovation and artificial intelligence, and talent development. Updates on delivery of DIFC’s 2030 Strategy included continued expansion of its AI, innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem; the launch of the Dubai AI Academy to train 10,000 future leaders; the ‘1 Million Learners’ initiative to advance sustainability education; a new venture debt initiative for high-growth companies; and DEWS surpassing USD 1bn in assets. The Board noted DIFC has attracted over 8,000 companies, including more than 1,000 firms regulated by the DFSA, and highlighted Dubai’s Global Financial Centres Index ranking at 11th overall and top four globally for FinTech, while the value of claims processed by the DIFC Courts surpassed AED 17.5bn in 2025. On supervision and market entry, the DFSA reported record authorisation demand with double-digit growth continuing in 2025 and more new firms authorised than in the previous year, supported by a new streamlined authorisations process intended to manage volumes without lowering regulatory standards. The Board also pointed to Dubai Future Finance Week 2026 as a platform to drive global collaboration and attract additional investment into Dubai.