Establishing a regulated investment fund in the UAE requires authorisation from the relevant financial free-zone authority - DFSA in the DIFC or FSRA in
Investment Fund Licensing covers legal assessment, documentation and practical support in the UAE. It is typically relevant to businesses, investors and founders establishing or operating under federal, emirate-level or free-zone rules. The applicable requirements and competent authority depend on the activity, place of establishment and where the service or transaction is performed.
The applicable framework depends on the activity, place of establishment and place of performance. UAE federal law, the relevant emirate’s law and free-zone rules are distinguished as the matter requires.
Last reviewed: 22 September 2026
Establishing a regulated investment fund in the UAE requires authorisation from the relevant financial free-zone authority - DFSA in the DIFC or FSRA in the ADGM - or licensing under mainland regulations. Each route imposes distinct requirements on fund structure, manager qualifications, custody, and investor eligibility. We handle the full licensing cycle.
We advise on fund-vehicle selection (investment company, limited partnership, unit trust), manager-licensing requirements, and the regulatory approvals needed to launch and market the fund to target investors.
Post-licensing, we support ongoing compliance - fund-level regulatory reporting, material-change notifications, and adaptation of fund documents as regulatory guidance evolves.