Brokerage

Emerging market equity exchanges, particularly those in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region, are making big news.

Long-term structural change means they are representing an ever-larger share of global equity capitalisation. This shifting reality is creating new opportunities for brokerage firms with operations in the region.

For example, MSCI recently changed the United Arab Emirates from frontier to emerging market status, while Saudi Arabia is taking significant steps to improve access to foreign investors in its drive for emerging market status.

As an onshore financial free zone, DIFC offers brokerage operations the region’s most advanced telecommunications, IT and regulatory infrastructure, allowing them to optimally access and serve markets and exchanges across MEASA.

DIFC-based brokerage operations have direct access to the large market of family offices, private banks, investment advisors and investment banks located in the Centre. DIFC also is home to Nasdaq Dubai, one of the region’s most significant international electronic trading platforms and one of the world’s leading exchanges for sukuk (Islamic bonds).

By establishing operations in the Centre, regional and international brokerage firms can centralise and consolidate the resources used to service the region, thereby gaining a competitive cost of operation.

Brokerage is one of five areas within the Banks and Capital Markets focus at DIFC. The other areas include Private Banking, Investment Banking, Banking and Capital Markets.