Saudi Arabia

The United Arab Emirates has emerged as one of the most sophisticated jurisdictions globally for real estate investment and private wealth structuring. Beyond its well-known commercial appeal, the UAE offers a mature legal framework in DIFC and ADGM, that enables investors to structure property ownership through corporate and non-corporate vehicles designed to address asset protection, governance, succession planning, and cross-border considerations. This article examines the legal and structural advantages of holding and structural advantages of holding UAE real estate through holding companies, special purpose vehicles, and foundations, with particular focus on their role within private wealth and estate planning frameworks. Read more

Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) and holding companies are commonly used corporate structures for ownership, investment, and risk management. While they appear similar at a high level, both are often used to hold assets or shares while their legal scope, regulatory requirements, and practical applications differ quite significantly. Read more

Bahrain’s Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs (NPRA) has announced a major update to its Golden Residency Programme, reducing the minimum real estate investment requirement from BHD 200,000 to BHD 130,000. The change is designed to open the door to a wider pool of foreign investors while stimulating demand in the Kingdom’s premium property market. Read more

The UK’s Autumn Budget delivers major tax increases through frozen thresholds and higher charges on property, investment income and wealth structures. As our Sovereign Group analysis highlights, these measures make the UK less competitive for entrepreneurs, investors and internationally mobile families. We expect this will further accelerate the shift toward the Middle East, where the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia continue to offer far more attractive, low-tax environments. Read more

This article provides a clear and engaging overview of the main holding-structure options across DIFC, ADGM and major commercial free zones. It draws on recent regulations, practical case studies and market practice to help investors understand how to choose the right structure for their strategy. Read more

Dhareeba Now Requires Contract and PO Declarations Qatar’s General Tax Authority (GTA) has quietly implemented a significant change to the Withholding Tax (WHT) filing process through the Dhareeba tax portal, one that is already affecting taxpayers despite the absence of any formal announcement, public circular, or update on any GTA communication channel. Read more

Saudi Arabia’s ambition to attract high-calibre global investors has accelerated significantly over the past year, nowhere more clearly than in the Kingdom’s Premium Residency Programme (PRP). Although the programme was originally launched in 2019, momentum has increased sharply across 2024 and 2025 as Saudi Arabia positions itself as the region’s most commercially dynamic emerging market. Read more

At Sovereign PPG, we are seeing clear evidence that Abu Dhabi’s rise as a global financial and business hub is not just a narrative but a measurable trend. In Abu Dhabi, enquiries from the emirate rose by roughly 36% percent, while those originating from ADGM surged by about 72% percent in 2025, as compared to 2024, highlighting a clear shift in business interest toward the capital. Read more

The United Arab Emirates has rapidly established itself as one of the most advanced jurisdictions in the Middle East for intellectual property (IP) protection. The UAE imposes severe penalties for violations, including fines, confiscation of counterfeit goods, and criminal sanctions. However, these protections are available only to rights that are properly registered with the Ministry of Economy. Unregistered marks, even if well known, have no formal legal standing. Read more

In Abu Dhabi, and across the UAE and GCC, a trade license is more than a piece of paper, it’s the legal record of what your business does and who runs it. If something changes in your company and the license doesn’t match, it can cause issues with banks, contracts, or future renewals and approval processes. Read more