UAE to Welcome 9,800 Millionaires in 2025, Leading Global Wealth Migration

🌍 UAE Set to Welcome 9,800 Millionaires in 2025, Leading Global Wealth Migration

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is rapidly solidifying its status as a global magnet for high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs). According to the latest Henley & Partners Private Wealth Migration Report, the UAE is forecasted to gain 9,800 millionaires in 2025, topping the global charts for private wealth migration.

This wave of affluent migration positions the UAE well ahead of traditional financial hubs and reflects its growing appeal for global elites seeking legal security, business opportunities, and an elite lifestyle.

💼 Why Are the World’s Wealthiest Moving to the UAE?

Several factors are behind this surge in interest:

• Business-friendly environment and legal reforms

• Strategic tax planning opportunities

• Robust asset protection laws

• High-end lifestyle amenities and education

• Secure family-friendly living

According to St. James’s Place Middle East, the UAE is benefiting from both a wealth exodus from the UK and rising wealth from Asia.

📍 DIFC and ADGM: Wealth Management Powerhouses

The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) are leading the region’s transformation into a wealth management superhub. DIFC alone houses:

• 120 family offices managing over $1.2 trillion

• A 33% increase in family offices in just one year

• Over 410 asset management firms marketing 10,000+ global funds

These hubs provide international investors with secure, English common law legal systems, making them uniquely attractive for long-term planning.

🏦 Legal Reforms Attract Wealthy Families

UAE reforms around marriage, divorce, and inheritance laws have created a stable legal framework that is driving family wealth relocation.

As Sunita Singh-Dalal, Partner at Hourani, explains:

“These legal updates have been a turning point for global families looking for generational wealth stability and long-term asset preservation.”

📊 UAE’s Asset Management Strength Keeps Growing

According to economist Dr. Bhaskar Dasgupta, the UAE offers:

• A strategic global location

• Deep capital markets

• Forward-looking fintech and AI ecosystems

• Over 140 double taxation treaties

Even with the introduction of corporate tax in 2023, the country has continued to experience growth in foreign direct investment (FDI).

🏖️ Ras Al Khaimah (RAK): The Emerging Investment Hotspot

While Dubai and Abu Dhabi remain dominant, Ras Al Khaimah is quickly gaining traction among global investors:

• The Wynn Resort (set to open in 2027) is positioning RAK as the first regulated gaming hub in the region

• 46% of global HNWIs now consider RAK a promising destination

• Among expats in the UAE, that number jumps to 80%

RAK’s growth is powered by its tourism push and business zones like RAKEZ and RAKICC, which offer competitive licensing and company setup options.

🎯 Visas, Social Policy & Future Outlook

The UAE’s ever-evolving Golden Visa program has been pivotal. Within the past nine months alone, five new sponsor-free visa categories were introduced, covering:

• Digital creators

• Health professionals

• Luxury yacht owners

• Investors

• Freelancers

Meanwhile, the Dubai Social Agenda 33, backed by Dh208 billion, is focusing on long-term societal development, from family welfare to economic stability.

🚀 UAE Leading the Global Wealth Shift

With 165,000 millionaires set to relocate globally in 2025, the UAE is outpacing every other country. In contrast, the UK is projected to lose 16,500 HNWIs in the same timeframe.

“Wealth migration is no longer a backup—it’s central to wealth planning. The UAE has proven itself as a prime platform for executing that strategy,”
says Dominic Volek, Head of Private Clients at Henley & Partners.

🧠 Conclusion: UAE is the Future of Global Wealth Migration

The UAE isn’t just attracting wealth—it’s reshaping how global wealth is managed, protected, and grown. With visionary leadership, innovative legal frameworks, and unmatched lifestyle offerings, the country is setting a global benchmark for wealthy individuals seeking security, opportunity, and sophistication.

If you’re planning to relocate your wealth, Dubai and the UAE offer more than just tax advantages—they offer peace of mind and future-focused growth.