Selling a Business in Dubai
Dubai is the Middle East's most active M&A market and the commercial capital of the UAE. The combination of DIFC's common law framework, sovereign wealth capital, a growing ecosystem of family office capital, and an economy that has attracted global business across financial services, technology, and logistics creates a buyer landscape of genuine depth and diversity.
The Dubai mid-market M&A landscape in 2026
Dubai's M&A market has grown substantially over the past decade, driven by the expansion of the DIFC ecosystem, the liberalisation of foreign ownership rules, and a structural inflow of international businesses and capital that has accelerated since 2020. The DIFC now houses more than 5,000 companies, and the growth in family offices relocating to Dubai — drawn by the tax environment, lifestyle, and connectivity — has created a deep pool of capital looking for deployment opportunities.
Sovereign wealth is a distinctive feature of the UAE buyer landscape. The Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD) — the investment arm of the Government of Dubai — is an active acquirer across real estate, financial services, and industrial businesses. Mubadala and ADQ, based in Abu Dhabi, are also significant presences in the Dubai market. These entities bring patient capital, long investment horizons, and the ability to provide strategic validation of a business that can accelerate subsequent buyer interest.
Large UAE family conglomerates — Al-Futtaim, Al Habtoor, Majid Al Futtaim — are both active acquirers and, increasingly, sellers of non-core businesses as the succession generation takes over and applies more disciplined capital allocation. Understanding the family dynamics and governance structures underlying these businesses is a distinct capability that materially affects how transactions get done.
For founders selling Dubai-incorporated businesses, the absence of capital gains tax and personal income tax means the tax efficiency of the transaction is very high relative to most other jurisdictions. This is not a trivial point: a London-based founder selling a comparable business faces a materially different net-of-tax outcome.
Key sectors driving Dubai M&A
Dubai's diversified economy — spanning financial services, real estate, technology, hospitality, and logistics — generates broad M&A activity. Here is what buyer appetite looks like across each sector.
Financial Services & Fintech
The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) is the Middle East's premier financial hub, home to over 5,000 registered companies including global banks, asset managers, and a rapidly growing fintech ecosystem. DIFC-incorporated financial services businesses are regulated by the DFSA (Dubai Financial Services Authority) and benefit from a common law framework, zero corporate tax within the free zone, and access to the DIFC Courts. Fintech businesses built on DIFC's innovation testing licence programme are particularly attractive to global acquirers seeking regulated market access across the GCC.
Real Estate & Construction
Dubai's real estate sector — characterised by extraordinary transaction volumes, a growing REIT market, and Emaar's benchmark-setting developments — is one of the most active M&A verticals in the city. Property management companies, real estate brokerages, PropTech platforms, and construction businesses attract interest from Emirati family conglomerates, sovereign wealth vehicles (ICD, Mubadala), and international real estate investors. The regulatory framework for real estate businesses is governed by RERA (Real Estate Regulatory Agency), and licence considerations are material in transactions.
Technology & Digital Economy
Dubai's technology ecosystem has grown rapidly under the UAE's Vision 2021 and its successor Vision 2050. Hub71 (Abu Dhabi), Dubai Internet City, and Dubai Silicon Oasis have created a cluster of technology businesses attracting international capital. E-commerce, logistics technology, cybersecurity, and enterprise software businesses attract both regional strategic acquirers and global technology companies seeking Middle East and Africa market entry. The UAE's young, high-income, digitally engaged population makes it an attractive proving ground for consumer technology products.
Hospitality & Tourism
Dubai is one of the world's leading tourism destinations, and the hospitality sector — luxury hotels, F&B, entertainment, and experience businesses — generates consistent M&A activity. Emaar Hospitality, Jumeirah Group, and a wide array of international hotel brands all have significant Dubai presence. The sector attracts both strategic consolidators and family office investors seeking yield from hospitality assets. Post-Expo 2020 infrastructure and the continued growth in international arrivals sustain buyer interest.
Logistics & Trade
Dubai's position as the trade gateway between East and West — anchored by Jebel Ali Port (one of the world's largest container ports) and Dubai World Central — makes logistics and trade-related businesses perennial M&A targets. Freight forwarding, customs brokerage, supply chain management, and cold chain businesses attract interest from DP World (which actively acquires logistics assets globally), regional conglomerates, and international logistics majors seeking UAE and wider GCC market positions.
Family Business & Conglomerate Restructuring
Large family conglomerates — Al-Futtaim, Al Habtoor, Majid Al Futtaim, and dozens of others — dominate the UAE private economy and are increasingly engaging in M&A activity both as buyers and as sellers of non-core divisions. These transactions require deep understanding of family governance structures, succession dynamics, and the relationship-driven nature of deal-making with major UAE families. Many of the most significant mid-market transactions in Dubai originate from family business restructuring rather than PE-driven processes.
Dubai-specific considerations when selling your business
Selling a Dubai business involves regulatory, legal, and structural considerations that are specific to the UAE jurisdiction and the choice between DIFC, onshore, and free zone structures. These need to be understood before a process begins.
DIFC vs Onshore UAE vs ADGM: Jurisdiction Choice
The choice of corporate jurisdiction is the foundational decision in any Dubai-related transaction. DIFC (Dubai International Financial Centre) operates under English common law, with its own courts (recognised internationally and highly regarded by institutional investors), its own corporate registry, and its own regulatory authority (DFSA). This makes DIFC the preferred jurisdiction for financial services businesses, international joint ventures, and any transaction where international buyers require common law legal certainty. Onshore UAE companies are governed by UAE Commercial Companies Law (Federal Law No. 32 of 2021), which operates under UAE civil law and Arabic is the governing language for disputes. For businesses incorporated onshore, buyers will scrutinise the enforceability of contractual arrangements and the governance of the entity carefully. ADGM (Abu Dhabi Global Market) is the Abu Dhabi equivalent of DIFC and is considered in the Abu Dhabi context.
DFSA Regulation & Licensed Entities
Financial services businesses incorporated in DIFC are regulated by the DFSA (Dubai Financial Services Authority). A change of control of a DFSA-regulated entity requires DFSA approval of the incoming controlling shareholder. The DFSA applies a fitness and properness test similar to other leading financial regulators, and the process can add two to four months to a transaction timeline. DFSA licences — covering dealing, managing, advising, and fund administration — carry genuine value and are a key asset in any DIFC financial services transaction. Licence scope, any outstanding DFSA supervisory concerns, and the nature of the regulated activities will all be central to buyer due diligence.
Foreign Ownership & UAE Commercial Companies Law
The UAE's foreign ownership framework was significantly liberalised in 2020 and 2021. Under Federal Law No. 32 of 2021, 100% foreign ownership is now permitted in most onshore sectors, removing the historical requirement for a UAE national majority shareholder. However, certain restricted and strategic sectors — including defence, utilities, oil and gas upstream, and some others on the negative list — retain mandatory UAE national participation requirements. For transactions involving onshore UAE entities with legacy UAE national shareholder arrangements, understanding the nature of those arrangements (whether they represent genuine equity or a nominee structure) and how they will be treated post-transaction is a material diligence and structuring issue.
VAT, No Personal Income Tax & Transaction Tax
The UAE introduced VAT at 5% in January 2018 — one of the lowest rates globally. Corporate tax was introduced for financial years beginning on or after 1 June 2023, at a rate of 9% for taxable income above AED 375,000, with DIFC and other free zone entities retaining preferential treatment subject to qualifying income rules. There is no personal income tax and no capital gains tax on the sale of shares in a UAE or DIFC entity, which is a significant advantage for founder sellers compared to most other jurisdictions. The absence of stamp duty and the straightforward tax treatment of share sales makes Dubai transactions structurally efficient from a tax perspective.
What Dubai buyers are looking for right now
Dubai's buyer market in 2026 is characterised by well-capitalised sovereign and family office investors with long time horizons, growing PE activity as regional and international funds build UAE presence, and strategic acquirers from global businesses that have made Dubai their regional headquarters. The common thread across all buyer types is a preference for well-structured, clean businesses — DIFC-incorporated where possible — with documented financials and strong management.
DIFC incorporation and clean common law structure
International buyers consistently prefer DIFC-incorporated entities over onshore UAE structures. The enforceability of DIFC Courts judgments, the English common law framework, and the familiarity of the corporate governance regime reduce buyer due diligence friction and increase the universe of buyers willing to engage. For businesses not currently incorporated in DIFC, the feasibility and cost of redomiciling is worth assessing before a process begins.
GCC regional revenue diversification
Buyers acquiring Dubai businesses as a platform for broader GCC expansion pay a premium for businesses that have already demonstrated revenue generating capability beyond the UAE. Saudi Arabia — the region's largest economy — is viewed as a particularly valuable adjacent market, and any established KSA revenue base materially improves buyer appetite and multiple.
Relationships in the UAE market
In Dubai, who you know matters enormously. Buyers acquiring businesses where founder relationships are the primary source of revenue will scrutinise the transferability of those relationships carefully. Demonstrating that client relationships are institutionalised — through long-term contracts, diversified account teams, and documented service frameworks — rather than purely personal is essential to achieving a clean, well-priced exit.
Compliance with the new UAE corporate tax regime
Corporate tax was introduced in the UAE in 2023. Buyers will scrutinise the target's compliance with the new regime — including transfer pricing documentation for related-party transactions, the qualification status for free zone preferential rates, and any outstanding FTA (Federal Tax Authority) issues. Businesses that have implemented robust tax compliance since 2023 will face less friction than those that have not.
Also in the Middle East
We advise businesses across the Middle East
Considering selling your Dubai business?
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