Regulator profile · AE
DFSA — Dubai Financial Services Authority
Tracked byIndependent review teamUpdated
The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) is the independent regulator of financial services within the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) free zone. It applies a Anglo-American common-law framework distinct from the rest of the UAE.
Brokers in United Arab Emirates accepting residents under DFSA- Jurisdiction
- Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), United Arab Emirates · DIFC-only.
- Founded
- 2004
- Mandate
- Established under DIFC Law No. 1 of 2004. DFSA licenses investment firms operating from the DIFC, supervises conduct and capital adequacy, and operates dedicated tribunals for disputes within the centre.
- Consumer protection
- No statutory compensation scheme equivalent to the FSCS. Client-money rules require segregation; conduct is governed by the DFSA Conduct of Business module. Retail-client protections include suitability and risk-disclosure requirements.
- Retail leverage caps
- No fixed retail cap; DFSA-authorised firms set leverage subject to the General Module suitability requirement and the Conduct of Business risk-warning rules. Most DFSA-licensed CFD providers offer up to 1:30 to 1:100 to retail clients in line with international norms.
- Public register
- DFSA Public Register lists every authorised firm and individual within the DIFC, including authorised activities, key persons and any current sanctions. Open register ↗
- Dispute resolution
- The DIFC Courts hear most disputes within the free zone, with the option of arbitration via DIFC-LCIA. There is no consumer-style ombudsman with binding-award powers.
- Editor notes
- A DFSA licence applies only inside the DIFC; firms targeting retail clients elsewhere in the UAE typically also need a Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) licence. Be careful not to confuse DFSA with the older SCA mainland regime.
Brokers we track with a DFSA licence
No brokersNo tracked broker currently holds a DFSA licence in our database.