DIFC crosses 100 hedge funds, sealing place among top hubs

Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) has achieved a major milestone, registering its 100th hedge fund and securing its position as one of the world’s top five hubs for hedge fund managers.

- Somshankar Bandyopadhyay [e-mail]

The rapid growth underscores DIFC’s emergence as a global powerhouse for alternative investments and its ability to attract some of the industry’s biggest names.The number of hedge fund managers operating from DIFC has more than doubled since early 2024, rising from 50 to over 100. Of these, 81 belong to the “billion-dollar club,” managing assets worth billions of dollars. Recent entrants include Oak Hill Advisors, with $108 billion in assets under management, alongside Baron Capital Management, BlueCrest Capital, Naya Capital Management, and Squarepoint Capital. They join established giants such as BlackRock, Millennium, Brevan Howard, and Balyasny, creating the region’s most extensive hedge fund community.