The economic and investment relationship between the UAE and Asia is transitioning from simple capital flows into an integrated cross-border ecosystem, according to an analysis by Shivkumar Rohira, CEO EMEA at Klay Group, published in Arabian Business. Dubai and Singapore are increasingly fulfilling complementary roles as Asian businesses scale internationally, family offices diversify holdings, and cross-border governance frameworks expand.
Asian enterprises are increasingly using the UAE as a regional launchpad. In September, Indian digital payments platform PhonePe initiated its first international expansion in the UAE after securing in-principle regulatory approval, while payments infrastructure firm Juspay previously established its Middle East headquarters in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). Meanwhile, active Chinese corporate memberships in Dubai Chambers reached 6,650 by September 2026, marking an increase of more than 200 percent since 2016.
Capital flows are progressing bi-directionally, with Gulf institutional investors expanding their footprint in Asia. Rohira highlighted that sovereign investor Mubadala's 2026 outlook identified China as an anchor of its Asia investment strategy, while singling out India as another market being propelled by industrial change and digitisation.
Cross-border wealth administration and governance structures are keeping pace with commercial links. DIFC reported 1,409 registered foundations by mid-2026, representing a 67 percent year-on-year increase, while Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) continues to build out its own foundation regime to facilitate international family enterprise governance and succession planning.
Sources
- Arabian Business · 2026-10-27
