Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is financial consultation and financial analysis in the UAE?
A: It combines strategic financial advisory with quantitative analysis across trade finance, risk management, financial planning, portfolio performance, and investment decisions, with SCA pre-licensing for securities-related work.
2. Does this activity require SCA approval?
A: Yes. Financial consultation and financial analysis activities require pre-establishment approval from the Securities and Commodities Authority before the business license can be issued by the free zone.
3. Who needs combined consultation and analysis services?
A: UAE HNW individuals, family offices, corporates requiring integrated trade finance or M&A strategy and modelling, and institutional clients needing combined advisory plus quantitative analytical support.
4. How does this differ from investments consultancy?
A: This activity combines consultation and analysis with SCA pre-licensing for securities scope. Investments consultancy is broader advisory without specific SCA pre-establishment requirements under this activity code.
5. What does financial analysis include in this activity?
Portfolio performance analysis, securities analysis, market research, trade finance modelling, risk analysis, and quantitative support for investment decisions, all within SCA-regulated scope for securities work.
How to Start a Financial Consultation and Financial Analysis Business with Meydan Free Zone
UAE financial consultation and financial analysis combines advisory work across trade finance strategy, risk management, financial planning, portfolio performance analysis, and investment decision support, with SCA pre-licensing applied for securities-related scope. According to Statista1, the UAE Financial Advisory market reached USD 186.73 billion in 2025 and Boston Consulting Group2 projects UAE financial wealth at USD 1 trillion by 2026. ResearchAndMarkets3 estimates UAE Wealth Management AUM at USD 1.2 trillion, with private banking, investment advisory, portfolio management services, and wealth structuring as dominant segments. A firm in this activity provides combined financial consultation and financial analysis services to UAE individual, corporate, family office, and institutional clients.
Sources: Statista (2025); Boston Consulting Group (2022); ResearchAndMarkets (2025)
The UAE offers a strong opportunity for financial consultation and analysis firms, shaped by three dynamics. First, the combined scope supports broader mandates. Statista1 projects UAE Financial Advisory at USD 213.10 billion by 2030, while Boston Consulting Group2 expects UAE financial wealth to reach USD 1 trillion by 2026, fuelling steady HNW (High-Net-Worth) and UHNW (Ultra-High-Net-Worth) advisory demand. Second, regulatory positioning matters. SCA pre-licensing applies where work touches securities recommendations, equity research, or capital markets, while consultation across trade finance, risk, and financial planning sits outside securities advisory. Third, client mandates are integrated. HNW individuals, family offices, corporates, and institutions all want consultation paired with quantitative analysis, whether for portfolios, M&A, or capital structure. With wealth management AUM at USD 1.2 trillion per ResearchAndMarkets3, demand for combined advisory and analytics is strong.
Whether you are providing combined financial consultation and portfolio analysis to UAE HNW clients, supporting corporates with trade finance strategy and quantitative analysis, or advising institutional clients on combined consultation and securities analysis, this activity covers the integrated financial consultation and analysis layer.
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Who is this for?
- HNW and family office combined advisors: SCA-licensed firms providing combined financial consultation and portfolio performance analysis to UAE HNW individuals, family offices, and UHNW clients across investment strategy and analytical support.
- Corporate trade finance and analysis specialists: Firms supporting UAE corporates with combined trade finance consultation and quantitative analysis, M&A advisory and modelling, or capital structure consultation and analytical support.
- Institutional advisory and analysis firms: Firms providing institutional clients with combined consultation and securities analysis, portfolio performance attribution, risk management advisory, and investment decision support across mandates.
Meydan Free Zone offers 100% foreign ownership, zero corporate tax on qualifying income, and a fully digital licensing process, positioning combined financial consultation and analysis firms at the centre of a market where HNW concentration, corporate finance demand, trade finance flows, and SCA-regulated investment advisory frameworks anchor sustained client activity.
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6619.89: Financial Consultation & Financial Analysis
Under this activity, you are licensed to provide combined financial consultation and financial analysis services (SCA-licensed consultation and portfolio analysis for HNW clients, combined trade finance consultation and quantitative analysis for corporates, or institutional combined advisory and securities analysis services).
However, this activity has defined boundaries. It excludes the activities of insurance agents and brokers (which falls under activities auxiliary to insurance and pension funding), and the management of investment funds (which falls under fund management activities).
To be clear: if you provide combined SCA-licensed financial consultation and financial analysis services to UAE HNW, corporate, or institutional clients, you are in.
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Licensing & Compliance
Third-Party Approval
This business activity requires pre-establishment approval from the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA).
Anti-Money Laundering Compliance
This business activity is exempt from AML compliance requirements.
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Citations
¹ Statista. Financial Advisory - United Arab Emirates. Statista, 2025.
² Boston Consulting Group. Global Wealth Report 2022. BCG, 2022.
³ ResearchAndMarkets. UAE Wealth Management Market Size, Share, Growth Drivers, Trends & Forecast 2025-2030. ResearchAndMarkets, 2025.
