Fund Structures In UAE: A Unified Legal Overview

The UAE has rapidly emerged as one of the leading financial hubs in the Middle East for the collective investment funds (CIF) industry. The country offers fund managers a unique blend of options: two international financial free zones that operate on common-law frameworks – the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) and the domestic onshore regime under the Federal Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA). Together, these three regimes offer a broad spectrum of fund structuring opportunities that combine international credibility with local investor accessibility in the UAE, supported by passporting mechanisms available for eligible funds.