Why 7,100 more will call it home in 2025

Dubai is no longer just a luxury stopover, it’s the new permanent home for the world’s wealthiest. With over 81,000 millionaires residing in the city, the emirate is setting the pace as a strategic hub for capital preservation, global mobility, and long-term security.

Dubai has quietly transformed from a transient luxury hotspot into a global anchor for high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs). Beyond its tax advantages and glamorous lifestyle, the city’s strategic location, less than ten hours’ flight from major world cities, offers unmatched access for business and leisure alike. This seamless connectivity is a major draw for the world’s elite, positioning Dubai as more than a temporary playground but a lasting residence.

Read-UAE tops the global race for millionaire migration

2024 saw a historic surge in global millionaire migration, with over 134,000 HNWIs moving across borders to find security and opportunity. Early forecasts suggest this number will rise to approximately 142,000 in 2025. If even 5 per cent of these individuals choose Dubai as their new home, the emirate would welcome around 7,100 new millionaires.

This influx isn’t just about numbers, these are capitalised migrants bringing substantial liquidity, with an estimated inflow exceeding $7.1bn (Dhs26bn). This alone is nearly half of Dubai’s total foreign direct investment in 2024, underscoring the economic significance of this migration.

“Dubai has matured into the world’s most compelling plug-and-play city for wealth,” said Louis Harding, CEO at Betterhomes. “What’s changed is intent; founders, operators and multi-generational families are anchoring here, not passing through.”

The Betterhomes report, Dubai: No Longer a Pit Stop, But the Finish Line for Global Wealth, highlights this structural shift. Factors such as political stability, safety, robust infrastructure, and a favourable tax regime have turned Dubai into a global wealth stronghold. As legacy financial centres like London, San Francisco, Hong Kong, and Paris face rising taxes and political uncertainty, Dubai offers clarity, freedom, and opportunity.

The global wealth migration surge: Dubai at the epicentre

The wealth is coming from diverse origins: Chinese entrepreneurs hedging against domestic policies, Vietnamese investors reacting to economic uncertainties, and capital flight from countries like Turkey and Argentina, where currency depreciation and instability prevail. Even established markets such as the UK and US are seeing residents relocate to Dubai for capital preservation and growth.

“These new arrivals are not mere spectators; they are institution builders, family office founders, and long-term strategists,” the Betterhomes report notes. “Their presence underscores Dubai’s growing role as a platform for legacy, influence, and sustained wealth creation.”

Shifting wealth patterns: Europe’s outflow and Dubai’s inflow

The Henley Private Wealth Migration Report 2025 reveals a sharp divergence in global millionaire migration patterns. Europe, led by the UK, is experiencing significant outflows, 16,500 millionaires expected to leave the UK in 2025 alone, more than double China’s anticipated 7,800.

In contrast, the UAE is forecast to receive a record net inflow of 9,800 relocating millionaires, topping the global leaderboard. The US ranks second with 7,500 new wealthy migrants expected by year-end.

Dr Juerg Steffen, CEO at Henley & Partners, commented, “2025 marks a pivotal moment. For the first time in a decade, a European country leads the world in millionaire outflows. This isn’t just about tax changes. It reflects a deepening perception that greater opportunity, freedom, and stability lie elsewhere. The implications for Europe and the UK’s economic competitiveness and investment appeal are significant.”

For the UAE, this inflow signals a strategic shift in global wealth flows, reinforcing Dubai’s position as a sanctuary for capital and growth.

Dubai’s real estate: Where wealth anchors permanently

Dubai’s luxury real estate market tells the story of permanence. Wealthy individuals and families are not buying for short-term gains; they’re investing for legacies and multi-generational stability.

On-the-ground allocations average Dhs11.4m ($3.1m) per residential purchase, while ultra-high-net-worth families commit Dhs134m+ ($36.5m+) for legacy villas, waterfront compounds, and branded residences.

Year-to-date villa and townhouse sales reached a staggering Dhs147.2bn ($40bn), a 41 per cent increase from last year. Prime communities are at the heart of this momentum: Palm Jumeirah recorded 85 transactions worth Dhs3.8bn ($1bn), Emirates Hills saw 30 deals totalling Dhs1.9bn ($517m), and homes priced above Dhs35m ($10m) generated Dhs9.4bn ($2.6bn) in sales over six months.

“This cycle is driven by real users, not leverage,” said Harding. “Global wealth is consolidating in branded ecosystems and legacy neighbourhoods. With policy clarity and quality-of-life premiums compounding, Dubai’s prime market is shifting from cyclical to structural.”

The UAE’s economic resilience: A magnet for wealth amid global uncertainty

Amid a global economic slowdown, the UAE stands out for its resilience and growth. While the Euro Area’s GDP growth is forecast at a modest 0.8 per cent in 2025, inching to 1.1 per cent by 2027, the UAE expects robust expansion: 4 per cent growth in 2025, rising to 5 per cent in 2026, and stabilising at 4.7 per cent in 2027.

Inflation remains low and steady at around 2 per cent, supporting an environment of economic stability and predictability essential for wealthy migrants and investors.

This combination of growth and low inflation solidifies the UAE’s status as a premier destination for wealth migration and capital formation.

Dubai’s appeal goes beyond luxury and tax advantages. The emirate’s zero personal income tax removes friction for wealth creators, while world-class infrastructure, elite healthcare, premium education, and a currency pegged to the US dollar create an ideal environment for families intending to stay long term.

The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) ecosystem provides a comprehensive network of private banking, trustees, legal, and accounting services that support the rise of family offices and capital formation vehicles. This ecosystem transforms mobile capital inflows into permanent wealth stock.

Branded residences now offer integrated concierge, wellness, club networks, and managed rental programs, transforming luxury living into a holistic lifestyle service.

Looking ahead: The future of millionaire migration and Dubai’s wealth ecosystem

As global tariffs and tax policies grow more complex, the GCC—and particularly Dubai, stands firm as a defensive haven for capital. Wealth migration is entering a new phase: “Millionaire Migration 2.0.”

Developers and service providers are responding by doubling down on concierge-grade, club-linked offerings in prime waterfront and villa markets, where supply remains tight.

Betterhomes forecasts sustained growth in prime and super-prime segments, along with an expanded family office ecosystem.

Dubai is no longer just the destination for the wealthy passing through—it is the finish line.

Legacy wealth hubs face rising tax and regulatory challenges that push wealthy individuals to seek alternative homes. Dubai offers a rare trifecta: clarity, speed, and scale, allowing wealth creators to operate efficiently, plan legacies, and enjoy global connectivity all within one flight hop.

This is more than a trend; it’s a structural recalibration of global wealth flows with profound implications for the future of investment, economic power, and migration.