United Arab Emirates: Venture Capital

The DIFC Variable Capital Company (VCC) offers a flexible corporate structure for family offices, property investors, and asset holders through Segregated Cells or Incorporated Cells. This new vehicle provides ring-fenced solutions for managing high-value assets, intellectual property, and crowdfunding platforms in the UAE's financial free zone.

Dominic de Mariveles has relocated from London to the UAE in his role as Chief Commercial Officer at Praxis, reflecting the independent professional services firm's commitment to both the Middle East and Southeast Asia as key growth regions.

Fund administration in the UAE is booming. In 2024, AUM in DIFC surged by 58% to $700 billion, while ADGM recorded a 226% increase in the first half of the year. As global investment activity rises, fund managers increasingly choose ADGM and DIFC for structuring and scaling their funds.

The CCL has introduced a raft of changes to facilitate capital markets transactions. Further SCA regulation will flesh out the detail of the CCL provisions.

Private equity investment is increasingly popular in the MENA region, with asset values expanding and investors taking bigger stakes.