The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA) have signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to raise awareness and streamline support for businesses seeking to operate across both of Dubai’s leading free zones.

While the jurisdictions remain separate – with distinct licensing requirements – the MoU establishes a more connected pathway for businesses to tap into DIFC’s financial ecosystem and JAFZA’s trade and industrial platform in tandem.

This collaboration aligns with Dubai’s D33 Agenda to become one of the world’s top 3 economic cities by 2033 and comes as the city climbs to 11th place in the Global Financial Centres Index 381 – rising nine places in just eighteen months. Dubai is now recognised globally as a ‘Broad & Deep’ Global Leader – a mature, multi-dimensional hub leading in investment management, finance, fintech, professional services, and global trading.

This dual-zone model is particularly valuable for:

• Entrepreneurs and family businesses looking to scale operations while protecting wealth
• Family offices seeking to combine asset management with exposure to the real economy
• Investors and funds aiming to structure, deploy, and exit efficiently within the UAE

Why It Matters

The Dual-Zone Advantage

• Capital Meets Trade
  Investors can raise capital or hold assets leveraging DIFC’s financial ecosystem, while manufacturing, importing, or distributing via JAFZA – all within one city.
• Structuring + Execution Speed
  Businesses can structure deals using DIFC tools and move goods from bonded warehouses in JAFZA on the same day.
• Governance + Operational Resilience
  With DIFC’s independent courts and regulatory oversight combined with JAFZA’s logistics infrastructure, businesses enjoy both strong governance and operational strength.
• Tax and Customs Efficiency
  Businesses benefit from 0% corporate tax on qualifying foreign income in DIFC, alongside duty-free imports/exports and bonded storage in JAFZA.
• Scalable Growth Platform
  Family offices, private equity funds, and entrepreneurs can grow and diversify seamlessly – from holding companies to manufacturing arms.

What We Say

Positioning Dubai for Global Scale

By aligning two of its flagship free zones, Dubai is reinforcing its position as a global hub for trade,
investment, and intergenerational wealth. For entrepreneurs, family offices, and global investors alike, this MoU signals the city’s commitment to supporting the real economy alongside global asset management – with the legal, financial, and operational structures to enable both, underpinned by world-class infrastructure and robust governance.

M/HQ is on hand to provide guidance on the optimal corporate structure, as well as support its
implementation and ongoing management.

Who we are

M/HQ is a multi-services platform catering to successful individuals and entrepreneurial families. Our one-stop-shop offering is unique in the Middle East: a holistic and cross-disciplinary combination of a market- leading corporate services firm, a private client specialist team and a regulatory & compliance services practice, all through one single platform.

We have extensive experience advising on a broad range of wealth structuring and legacy planning issues. We particularly assist in establishing and servicing Single- and Multi- Family offices, Family- and Group- Holdings, Foundations and other asset consolidation/protection and intergenerational wealth management structures.

As of Q2 of 2025, 48 CSP firms were licensed and operated out of the financial centres of DIFC. M/HQ is one of only 16 to maintain a permanent presence in both centres. Headquartered in the UAE, we are an entrepreneurial firm for entrepreneurial clients.