Dubai International Financial Centre Courts recorded a strong rise in activity in the first half of 2026, with the value of claims surpassing Dh10bn as case volumes, enforcement work and digital proceedings all increased during the first six months of the year.
The courts issued their first half-year results since launching their five-year strategy in December 2025. Between January and June, they handled 810 cases, up 25% year on year, while the total value of claims reached Dh10.02bn, a 48% increase compared with the same period in 2025. That amounted to an average of Dh55 million in claims a day.
The figures also point to a jurisdiction chosen by parties rather than imposed on them. About one in three cases was filed by direct agreement of the parties, despite no obligation to do so, with 243 cases out of 810 brought in this way. That represented 42% of claims submitted before the Court of First Instance, reinforcing Dubai’s standing as a jurisdiction selected by parties to resolve complex commercial disputes.
Party-led jurisdiction and larger claims
In the arbitration register, the courts recorded 37 cases in the first half of 2026, up 61% on the same period last year, with a total value of Dh3.17bn. This underlines the continuing reliance on the courts as the judicial authority overseeing arbitration procedures and related disputes.
Judge Omar Al Mheiri, Director of DIFC Courts, said: “These figures reflect a jurisdiction chosen by the parties and not imposed on them, as nearly one in three cases arose from the parties’ agreement and direct choice, while the average value of a claim before the Court of First Instance more than doubled to Dh112.6 million.”
He added: “These disputes, with their value and complexity, confirm the need for a judicial system with deep experience and the ability to handle major commercial cases, while the figures in our first results since launching our five-year strategy reflect our focus on strengthening international confidence, providing easier access to digital justice, and building a judicial system that matches Dubai’s economic ambitions and its position as a global business hub.”
Specialist courts and digital proceedings
At the level of specialist courts, the Court of First Instance and its specialist divisions recorded 110 claims in the first half of 2026, compared with 86 in the same period of 2025, an annual increase of 28%. The total value of these claims reached Dh9.02bn, with an average of Dh117.2 million per claim.
The main division of the Court of First Instance recorded 72 claims, up 18% year on year, while the average claim value more than doubled compared with the previous year to reach Dh112.6 million.
By contrast, the Small Claims Court recorded 479 claims in the first half of 2026, up 5% year on year, with a total value of Dh44.7 million and an average of Dh94,000 per claim. DIFC Courts also continued to rely on electronic procedures as a core approach, with 99% of litigation processes conducted online, or 818 out of 824 procedures. This allowed most litigants to follow their cases without needing to visit the courts, while the courts issued 1,766 digital orders and judgments during the first half of the year.
Enforcement activity more than doubles
Enforcement activity more than doubled in the first half of 2026, with 220 enforcement applications compared with 106 in the same period of 2025. This included eight applications to enforce orders and judgments issued outside DIFC Courts.
Support services also continued to assist individuals and the legal community. The wills service recorded 1,925 wills during the period, taking the total number registered since the service launched to more than 14,300.
Legal community and free assistance
The courts’ register of legal practitioners currently includes 1,351 lawyers from 256 law firms. Meanwhile, the pro bono legal aid programme, established in 2009 and the first of its kind in the Middle East, supported 315 people during the period, with the participation of 55 volunteer lawyers from 39 law firms.