DIFC prescribed company setup

There is no need for the physical presence of the founders in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at any time during the lifetime of a DIFC prescribed company. The incorporation application, renewal process and any ongoing filings are prepared and submitted digitally, and electronic signatures are accepted. The ongoing annual obligations are minimal with most companies below the threshold for requiring audited accounts. These factors represent significant cost savings and remove barriers to entry for founders.

The DIFC prescribed company gives founders ultimate flexibility within the structure of a common law framework. Founders have the option to set the share capital as low or as high as they wish without any cost implication and there are no restrictions on the number of shareholders that can be added. Model Articles of Association can be used at the time of incorporation and subsequently amended to include multiple classes of shares (voting, non-voting, preferred) allowing for shares with different voting, dividend and distribution rights.

Founders of a DIFC prescribed company benefit from significant cost saving by using the registered office address of a corporate service provider, rather than having to rent physical office space. Passports can be digitally certified on the DIFC platform at no cost to founders. Licensing fees are cheaper than most options in the region and post-incorporation filings carry minimal or no regulator fees.

DIFC is perfectly situated in the time zone intersection between the leading financial centres of London and New York in the west and Hong Kong and Tokyo in the East. With supportive infrastructure and its common law framework, DIFC is a strong launchpad for founders to access capital from angel investors and VCs across the globe. DIFC prescribed companies have the flexibility to issue convertibles such as SAFEs and convertible notes. DIFC recognises and enforces important investor and governance rights.