UAE Trends and Developments Contributed by: Ildar Yuvakaev, Ruslan Akhmetov, Svetlana Koronova and Sofia Simonova, Consigliere Group
17 concepts where family foundation conditions are satisfied. Sharia line Sharia-compliant trusts and foundations sit at the centre of Gulf wealth planning trends in 2026, bridging classical waqf concepts and modern legal structures to manage, protect and distribute family and charita - ble wealth within an Islamic framework. These vehi - cles embed core Sharia principles: assets are invested only in halal activities, avoiding riba and other haram income; distribution mechanics respect faraid by mir- roring fixed Quranic shares and reserving genuine flexibility to the “free one third”; and governance is anchored in amanah and adl , with trustees, councils and guardians owing a clear fiduciary duty to benefi - ciaries and purposes. In practice, Sharia-aware structures use familiar trust deeds and foundation regulations, but overlay explicit Islamic conditions on objectives, investments and dis - tributions, and often combine conventional fiduciar - ies with Sharia advisers to maintain both legal and religious compliance. In 2026, the UAE has become a focal point for this evolution: trusts, foundations and statutory waqf are recognised in parallel, ena - bling Sharia-aligned planning fully onshore. Within this landscape, Sharia-aware “orphan” foundations – self-owned vehicles with no shareholders, where the foundation holds legal title to assets – provide a neutral, durable holding layer for family businesses, real estate and long-term endowments under DIFC and ADGM frameworks and the UAE’s broader Awqaf and family wealth policies. Cell Companies In February 2026, the DIFC introduced the Variable Capital Company (VCC) regime, creating a new invest - ment vehicle for family offices and private investors in the UAE. A key feature of the VCC is its cellular structure. A VCC can establish multiple cells, each holding a separate investment portfolio. The assets and liabilities of each cell are legally separated from the others. This allows a family office to manage different types of invest - ments – including listed securities, private equity, ven -
ture capital and real estate – within a single structure, while keeping the risk of each portfolio separate. Families can choose between segregated cells and incorporated cells. Segregated cells provide separa - tion within a single legal entity, while incorporated cells are separate legal entities and may be more appropri - ate where an investment portfolio is expected to be sold, transferred or restructured. The structure can also be used where different family members follow different investment strategies. For example, one cell may focus on lower-risk, capital preservation strategies, while another may invest in higher-risk or growth-oriented assets. This allows dif - ferent approaches to be managed within one overall platform. Another important feature is that a VCC can be used for proprietary investment activities without automati - cally becoming subject to the DFSA licensing regime. Unless the vehicle carries on regulated financial ser - vices activities, there is no requirement for DFSA authorisation. From a tax perspective, a VCC may benefit from the UAE corporate tax regime for qualifying free zone enti - ties, where the relevant conditions are met, as well as tax grouping in certain cases. Overall, the VCC adds another structuring option within the DIFC private wealth framework. Together with existing companies and investment funds, it pro - vides family offices with greater flexibility in how they organise and manage diversified investment portfolios in the UAE. The ADGM has similar structures to the DIFC VCC, such as the Incorporated Cell Company (ICC) and the Protected Cell Company (PCC). In an ICC each cell is a separate legal entity. However, a PCC operates as a single legal entity that establishes legally segregated cells. Digital Assets Framework for virtual assets In addition to traditional asset classes commonly held through private wealth structures in the UAE,
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