DFSA Fund
Management Licensing
Unlock Regulated Fund Management in Dubai
The DFSA Category 3C licence is the gateway to managing collective investment funds and discretionary mandates from DIFC’s English common-law jurisdiction — the most widely recognised fund-management hub in the Gulf.
DFSA Licensing Overview
DIFC is the only common-law financial centre in the GCC, regulated by an independent statutory authority modelled on the FCA and IOSCO principles. The DFSA's Category 3C fund-management regime is structured across four pathways:
QIF / Exempt Fund Manager
Light-touch authorisation for managers running Qualified Investor or Exempt Funds.
Public / Credit Fund Manager
Required when managing a Public Fund or DIFC Credit Fund for professional clients.
Cat 3C + Managing Assets
For managers also operating discretionary portfolios alongside fund mandates.
VC Fund Manager
Fast-track regime for early-stage VC managers raising and deploying capital from DIFC.
DFSA Fund Manager — Quick Facts
The Numbers That Matter for a DFSA Category 3C
Verified figures from the DFSA Rulebook (FER), the DFSA Funds FAQ (June 2022), and the DFSA's 'Funds in the DIFC' leaflet. Capital requirements are the higher of Base Capital Requirement (BCR) and Expenditure-Based Capital Minimum (EBCM).
EBCM fraction
13 / 52
Of annual audited expenditure — taken if greater than BCR
DFSA FAQ Q.28Authorisation timeline (fast-track)
4–6 weeks
QIF or Exempt Fund Manager applications
DFSA FAQ Q.30
Last reviewed: 2026-05-12. Figures change — verify against the regulator before quoting clients.
Full-Scope DFSA Licensing Made Simple
Ancova guides you through every step of the DFSA licensing process, delivering regulatory compliance, legal structuring, and DIFC setup with precision and speed.
Manage Collective Investment Funds
Oversee regulated funds with full compliance and transparency.
Act as Investment Managers or Advisors
Provide licensed management and advisory for investor portfolios.
Serve Professional or Qualified Investors
Offer exclusive services tailored to sophisticated investors.
Passport Funds within DIFC Framework
Distribute funds efficiently across the DIFC market.
What we deliver
End-to-End DFSA Licensing
[01]
Regulatory Business Plan
Investor-ready plan aligned with DFSA expectations - covering capital, governance, controls, and three-year projections.
[02]
DFSA Application Handling
DFSA Application Handling
[03]
DIFC Office & Substance
DIFC Office & Substance
[04]
Key Personnel Recruitment
Key Personnel Recruitment
[05]
KYC / AML Framework Setup
KYC / AML Framework Setup
[06]
Capital Adequacy Modelling
Capital Adequacy Modelling
DFSA at a glance
Full-Scope DFSA Licensing
Made Simple
[ 01 ]
Cat 3CFund Manager
The DFSA category that authorises domestic, external, and qualified investor fund management within DIFC.
[ 02 ]
EBCMCapital Basis
Category 3C capital is set by an expenditure-based minimum under DFSA prudential rules, scaled to your cost base.
[ 03 ]
12–20Weeks
Typical timeline from pre-application to in-principle approval for a clean Category 3C file.
[ 04 ]
0%Corporate Tax
DIFC entities benefit from a 0% rate on qualifying income under the UAE corporate tax regime.
[ 05 ]
PIF & QIFPathways
Both Professional Investor Funds and Qualified Investor Funds are supported with light-touch oversight.
[ 06 ]
CommonLaw
DIFC operates an independent English common-law court system, recognised by institutional allocators.
What we deliver for DFSA fund managers
- Pre-application regulatory scoping
- DFSA application & RFI handling
- DIFC office & substance build-out
- Capital adequacy modelling
- Key personnel & SEO recruitment
- Ongoing prudential reporting
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