British Businesses in Dubai Have Tripled, Should Yours Be Next?
July 8, 2025
The Millionaire Magnet of the Middle East
In 2024, the UAE welcomed an estimated 6,700 new millionaires, according to real estate and wealth intelligence sources. These figures are expected to climb even higher in 2025.
But this isn’t just a headline; it reflects a deep shift in how high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) think about residency, taxation, and security in a changing world.
Who’s Moving to the UAE?
The UAE is attracting an increasingly diverse profile of HNWIs:
- Tech founders from Europe and Asia
- Crypto investors and digital asset managers
- Family businesses from India, Pakistan, and Africa
- Wealthy retirees from the UK and Europe
What unites them is a desire for tax-efficient living, political stability, and lifestyle quality.
Why Are They Choosing the UAE?
- Zero income, inheritance, and capital gains tax
- High-end real estate ownership with 100% foreign ownership rights
- Fast-tracked long-term residency via the Golden Visa programme
- World-class schools, hospitals, shopping and safety
- Connectivity: 8-hour reach to over two-thirds of the world’s population
- Compared to tightening tax rules in Europe or instability in other regions, the UAE offers a compelling base.
Real Estate: The Preferred Asset
Dubai and Abu Dhabi’s property markets have responded accordingly:
- Surge in prime property sales in Palm Jumeirah, Downtown, Emirates Hills
- Growth in luxury rentals and branded residences
- Family offices acquiring real estate portfolios as wealth anchors
- UAE real estate is increasingly viewed not just as a lifestyle purchase, but a strategic asset.
Visa and Tax Planning Benefits
For global citizens, the UAE offers more than sunshine. It's become a core residency strategy in global tax plans. Families are using:
- UAE as a non-resident base while limiting exposure to UK or EU tax systems
- Structures like offshore holding companies, DIFC foundations, and trusts
- Second passport or dual-residency applications alongside UAE residence
Conclusion: UAE as a Global Wealth Safe Harbour
The relocation
of 6,700 millionaires is no anomaly. It’s part of a global rebalancing, and the UAE is positioning itself as the clear beneficiary.
For wealth advisers, lawyers and investors, the trend is clear: more clients are asking how to make the UAE part of their long-term plan.
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