The Qatar Financial Centre reported a 37% year-over-year increase in firm registrations in the first half of 2026, onboarding 1,135 firms and taking its total above 4,700 by the end of June. Technology and Innovation led with 544 new firms, followed by Media and Entertainment with 173, Consulting and Professional Services with 166, Wealth with 84 and Fintech with 65. Growth was supported by about 2,300 licensing applications received through Web Summit Qatar 2026, up about 44% from the previous year, alongside waived registration and annual fees for the first three years and a one-stop business setup model. The update also highlighted a broadening of the centre’s financial-services offering through the registration of Salwa REIT, Qatar’s first real estate investment trust collective investment fund. QFC continued its regional regulatory cooperation through reciprocal data protection adequacy recognition with Abu Dhabi Global Market and Dubai International Financial Centre, intended to streamline cross-border operations while maintaining robust data protection standards.
2026-08-24Qatar Financial Centre
Qatar Financial Centre reports 37% rise in first-half firm registrations to 1,135
Qatar Financial Centre onboarded 1,135 firms in the first half of 2026, a 37% year-over-year increase that lifted total registrations above 4,700. It also registered Qatar’s first real estate investment trust collective investment fund and secured reciprocal data protection adequacy recognition with the Abu Dhabi and Dubai financial centres.