DMCC Launches Foundations Regulation to Enhance Private Wealth Management Capabilities
The Dubai Metals and Commodities Centre has formally established its new Foundations Regulations, expanding its private wealth and structuring offerings for high-net-worth individuals, family offices and international investors seeking sophisticated asset management solutions.
The Dubai Metals and Commodities Centre has formally established its new Foundations Regulations, marking a significant expansion of its private wealth and structuring capabilities. The framework, developed following extensive market consultation and international benchmarking, provides a modern legal structure designed to meet the increasingly sophisticated requirements of affluent individuals, family offices, entrepreneurs and international private wealth clients.
A DMCC Foundation operates as a legal entity separate from its founder, councillors, guardian and beneficiaries, enabling assets to be held and managed in accordance with the Foundation’s stated objectives and governance arrangements. This structure provides a comprehensive mechanism to support long-term asset holding, succession planning, wealth preservation and intergenerational continuity—key priorities for discerning wealth holders managing substantial portfolios.
Ahmed bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DMCC, emphasised the strategic importance of this development. He noted that the formal establishment represents an important milestone in expanding DMCC’s private wealth offering, responding directly to the evolving needs of the region’s growing wealth management community. The framework has been designed to align with international standards whilst reflecting Dubai’s position as a premier global financial centre.
The new regulations offer considerable flexibility in structuring and governance. Founders can establish provisions covering beneficiaries, asset management and distribution, and governance arrangements, with certain powers reserved to founders or designated persons, including those relating to investment decisions, appointments and beneficiary determinations. Notably, DMCC Foundations can be established with initial assets commencing from US$100, ensuring accessibility across various wealth profiles.
This development complements DMCC’s broader expansion into private capital structuring. In 2025, the Centre introduced Special Purpose Vehicle and Holding Company licences, broadening the range of structures available to international investors. The introduction of Foundations adds a further option specifically designed around long-term continuity, asset ownership and governance, strengthening DMCC’s comprehensive platform for private capital management.
The framework builds upon the DMCC Wealth Hub and its wider financial ecosystem, connecting wealth structuring with investment opportunities, specialised business ecosystems and access to global markets from Dubai. DMCC is advancing the final elements of the framework’s market rollout, including supporting guidance and a streamlined digital onboarding experience, which will be introduced in the coming weeks.
Source: WAM