Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) has released its latest Future of Finance report, spotlighting the global surge in alternative investments and Dubai’s growing role as a gateway for investors targeting high-growth markets.
Titled The Future of Alternative Investments, the report reveals that global assets under management in alternatives have tripled over the past decade, exceeding USD 20 trillion. The findings position Dubai as a leading hub for investors seeking exposure to emerging markets and innovation-driven sectors.
Once considered niche, alternative investments such as private equity, private credit, real estate, infrastructure, hedge funds and digital assets are now entering the mainstream. Their expansion is being driven by the pursuit of diversification, inflation protection and returns that move independently of traditional markets.
The report notes that emerging markets are now the growth engines of the alternatives industry, supported by rapid GDP expansion, youthful populations and technological advancement. Dubai, in particular, offers opportunities in sectors including AI, sustainable infrastructure and digital assets, strengthened by its transparent regulations and world-class financial ecosystem.
DIFC currently hosts more than 440 wealth and asset management firms, including 85 hedge funds—69 of which manage over USD 1 billion each—forming the region’s largest cluster of alternative investment entities. Its specialised company structures and fund centre services provide a robust platform for global capital to connect with emerging market opportunities.
Salmaan Jaffery, Chief Business Development Officer at DIFC Authority, said Dubai is shaping the next era of alternative investments through regulatory clarity and access to high-growth sectors. The report was launched at the Fixed Income Alternatives Conference – Dubai, a first-of-its-kind event uniting global investors to explore the future of fixed income and alternative markets.
News Source: Dubai Media Office
